Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metres hurdles

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Women's 400 metres hurdles
at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad
Olympic Athletics.png
Olympic Athletics
Venue Japan National Stadium
Dates31 July 2021 (round 1)
2 August 2021 (semifinals)
4 August 2021
(final)
Competitors39 from 25 nations
Winning time51.46 s WR
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Sydney McLaughlin Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Dalilah Muhammad Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Femke Bol Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
  2016
2024  

The women's 400 metres hurdles event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place between 31 July and 4 August 2021 at the Japan National Stadium. [1] 39 athletes from 25 nations competed. [2]

At the U.S. Olympic trials in June 2021, Sydney McLaughlin became the first woman to run the event in under 52 seconds, improving Dalilah Muhammad's world record of 52.16 secs to 51.90. In Tokyo, both women ran inside the world record, with McLaughlin winning the gold medal with a new world record time of 51.46, while 2016 Olympic champion Muhammad ran 51.58 for the silver medal. Dutch athlete Femke Bol broke the European record with 52.03 for the bronze, to move to third on the world all-time list. Another three national records (for Colombia, Belgium and Panama) were set during the competition.

Summary

2021 was a dynamic year for the women's 400 metres hurdles. Returning gold medalist and reigning world champion Dalilah Muhammad began the year with the world record from that world championship race. But she was pushed to that record and her previous world record by her American teammate Sydney McLaughlin. McLaughlin was also in the Rio Olympics, but then she made news for qualifying for the semi-final round a few days after her seventeenth birthday. In 2019 McLaughlin matured to be a few steps off the world record while gaining the world championship silver medal. In 2021 at the United States Olympic Trials, she reversed that picture by winning with a new world record of 51.90. A week later, another hurdler, 6 months younger than McLaughlin, Femke Bol improved her personal best to 52.37, to become the #4 performer of all time, behind #1 McLaughlin and #2 Muhammad. A new world record was predicted for this event. Those same three athletes were the three individual semi-final winners qualifying for the final.

Knowing she had to run a world record, Muhammad was out fast clearing the first hurdle just ahead of McLaughlin and Bol. By the third hurdle, she had passed the athletes staggered to her outside. Muhammad kept the pressure up over each hurdle, with McLaughlin three lanes inside of her, watching her. Keeping pace, Bol was touching down just a fraction of a step behind McLaughlin. Those three separated from the rest of the field but kept the same pattern, Muhammad, McLaughlin, Bol over all ten hurdles. When she crossed the finish line, Muhammad had bettered the 6-week-old world record by almost a third of a second, 51.58. And McLaughlin had run faster from the last hurdle home to win, setting a new world record in 51.46. Bol was just barely behind the previous world record in 52.03, the #3 performer and #4 performance ever all in the same race. [3]

Background

This was the 10th appearance of the event, having appeared at every Olympics since 1984.

Qualification

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could enter up to 3 qualified athletes in the women's 400 metres hurdles event if all athletes meet the entry standard or qualify by ranking during the qualifying period. (The limit of 3 has been in place since the 1930 Olympic Congress.) The qualifying standard is 55.40 seconds. This standard was "set for the sole purpose of qualifying athletes with exceptional performances unable to qualify through the IAAF World Rankings pathway." The world rankings, based on the average of the best five results for the athlete over the qualifying period and weighted by the importance of the meet, will then be used to qualify athletes until the cap of 40 is reached. [2] [4]

The qualifying period was originally from 1 May 2019 to 29 June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the period was suspended from 6 April 2020 to 30 November 2020, with the end date extended to 29 June 2021. The world rankings period start date was also changed from 1 May 2019 to 30 June 2020; athletes who had met the qualifying standard during that time were still qualified, but those using world rankings would not be able to count performances during that time. The qualifying time standards could be obtained in various meets during the given period that have the approval of the IAAF. Both indoor and outdoor meets are eligible. The most recent Area Championships may be counted in the ranking, even if not during the qualifying period. [2] [5]

NOCs can also use their universality place—each NOC can enter one female athlete regardless of time if they had no female athletes meeting the entry standard for an athletics event—in the 400 metres hurdles. [2]

Competition format

The event continued to use the three-round format introduced in 2012. [6]

Records

Prior to this competition, the existing global and area records were as follows.

World recordFlag of the United States.svg  Sydney McLaughlin  (USA)51.90 Eugene, United States27 June 2021
Olympic recordFlag of Jamaica.svg  Melaine Walker  (JAM)52.64 Beijing, China20 August 2008
World LeadingFlag of the United States.svg  Sydney McLaughlin  (USA)51.90 Eugene, United States27 June 2021
AreaTime (s)AthleteNation
Africa ( records )52.90 Nezha Bidouane Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco
Asia ( records )53.96 Han Qing Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China
Song Yinglan Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China
Europe ( records )52.34 Yuliya Pechonkina Flag of Russia.svg Russia
North, Central America
and Caribbean
( records )
51.90 WR Sydney McLaughlin Flag of the United States.svg United States
Oceania ( records )53.17 Debbie Flintoff-King Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
South America ( records )55.60 Gianna Woodruff Flag of Panama.svg Panama

New records

The following new World and Olympic records were set during this competition:

World recordFlag of the United States.svg  Sydney McLaughlin  (USA)51.46 Tokyo, Japan 04 August 2021
Olympic recordFlag of the United States.svg  Sydney McLaughlin  (USA)51.46 Tokyo, Japan 04 August 2021

The following national records were set during this competition:

NationAthleteRoundTimeNotes
Belgium Paulien Couckuyt Heat 254.90
Semifinals54.47
Colombia Melissa Gonzalez Heat 155.32
Netherlands Femke Bol Final52.03 AR
Panama Gianna Woodruff Semifinals54.22 AR
United States Sydney McLaughlin Final51.46 WR, OR, AR

Schedule

All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

The women's 400 metres hurdles took place over three separate days. [1]

DateTimeRound
Saturday, 31 July 20219:00Round 1
Monday, 2 August 202119:00Semifinals
Wednesday, 4 August 20219:00Final

Results

Round 1

Qualification Rules: First 4 in each heat (Q) and the next 4 fastest (q) advance to the semifinals.

Heat 1

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
19 Viktoriya Tkachuck Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0.25654.80 Q
23 Melissa Gonzalez Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 0.14655.32 Q, NR
37 Anna Cockrell Flag of the United States.svg  United States 0.21355.37 Q
48 Sage Watson Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 0.17655.54 Q
56 Yadisleidis Pedroso Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 0.18655.57 q, SB
65 Amalie Iuel Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 0.12955.65 q
72 Aminat Yusuf Jamal Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain 0.20855.90 SB
84 Hanne Claes Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 0.17456.38 SB

Heat 2

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
12 Anna Ryzhykova Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0.19154.56 Q
27 Janieve Russell Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 0.15954.81 Q
39 Paulien Couckuyt Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 0.18254.90 Q, NR
48 Linda Olivieri Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 0.13055.54 Q, =PB
56 Viivi Lehikoinen Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 0.15555.67
63 Noelle Montcalm Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 0.19755.85 SB
75 Meghan Beesley Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 0.16555.91
84 Chayenne da Silva Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 0.16557.55

Heat 3

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
15 Sydney McLaughlin Flag of the United States.svg  United States 0.18054.65 Q
27 Gianna Woodruff Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 0.26855.49 Q
39 Sara Slott Petersen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 0.16155.52 Q
48 Quách Thị Lan Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 0.15055.71 Q, SB
53 Eleonora Marchiando Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 0.16656.82
64 Mariya Mykolenko Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0.20057.86TR 16.5.3
6 Leah Nugent Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 0.240 DQ TR 17.3.1
_2 Jessie Knight Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 0.160 DNF

Heat 4

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
18 Femke Bol Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 0.19454.43 Q
27 Tia-Adana Belle Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados 0.16655.69 Q, SB
33 Wenda Nel Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 0.19456.06 Q
45 Jessica Turner Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 0.18656.83 Q
56 Sarah Carli Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 0.16756.93 SB
69 Yasmin Giger Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 0.16557.03
2 Ronda Whyte Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica DQ TR 16.8
4 Sparkle McKnight Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago DNS

Heat 5

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
13 Dalilah Muhammad Flag of the United States.svg  United States 53.97 Q
25 Carolina Krafzik Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 0.18954.72 Q, PB
39 Lea Sprunger Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 0.18654.74 Q, SB
48 Joanna Linkiewicz Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 0.13054.93 Q, PB
56 Zurian Hechavarría Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 0.18154.99 q, PB
67 Emma Zapletalová Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 0.16655.00 q
72 Line Kloster Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 0.15156.45
84 Loubna Benhadja Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 0.20057.19 PB

Semi finals

Qualification Rules: First 2 in each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) advance to the Final

Semi final 1

Dalilah Muhammad in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games Dalilah Muhammad in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.jpg
Dalilah Muhammad in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games
RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
17 Dalilah Muhammad Flag of the United States.svg  United States 0.18653.30 Q
26 Janieve Russell Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 0.15154.10 Q
35 Paulien Couckuyt Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 0.16454.47 NR
44 Carolina Krafzik Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 0.17254.96
58 Sage Watson Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 0.16355.51
63 Quách Thị Lan Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 0.18856.78
79 Linda Olivieri Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 0.12057.03
82 Amalie Iuel Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 0.12157.61

Semi final 2

Sydney McLaughlin in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Olympic Games Sydney McLaughlin in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Olympic Games.jpg
Sydney McLaughlin in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Olympic Games
RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
15 Sydney McLaughlin Flag of the United States.svg  United States 0.20453.03 Q
24 Gianna Woodruff Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 0.20754.22 Q, AR
36 Anna Ryzhykova Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0.16254.23 q
43 Zurian Hechavarría Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 0.16755.21
59 Joanna Linkiewicz Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 0.15755.67
62 Emma Zapletalová Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 0.13655.79
78 Wenda Nel Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 0.18956.35
87 Tia-Adana Belle Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados 0.14659.26

Semi final 3

Femke Bol in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Olympic Games Femke Bol in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Olympic Games.jpg
Femke Bol in the 400m hurdles semi-finals at the 2020 Olympic Games
RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
15 Femke Bol Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 0.21553.91 Q
28 Anna Cockrell Flag of the United States.svg  United States 0.17454.17 Q
37 Viktoriya Tkachuk Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0.22454.25 q
46 Lea Sprunger Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 0.14055.12
52 Yadisleidis Pedroso Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 0.18155.80
64 Melissa Gonzalez Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 0.19157.47
73 Jessica Turner Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 0.1851:00.36
9 Sara Slott Petersen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 0.165 DQ TR 22.6

Final

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
Gold medal icon.svg4 Sydney McLaughlin Flag of the United States.svg  United States 0.16351.46 WR
Silver medal icon.svg7 Dalilah Muhammad Flag of the United States.svg  United States 0.20051.58 PB
Bronze medal icon.svg5 Femke Bol Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 0.16552.03 AR
46 Janieve Russell Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 0.13653.08 PB
52 Anna Ryzhykova Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0.17753.48
63 Viktoriya Tkachuk Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0.20653.79 PB
79 Gianna Woodruff Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 0.23555.84
8 Anna Cockrell Flag of the United States.svg  United States 0.167 DQ TR 17.3.1

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