# 200 metres at the Olympics

The 200 metres at the Summer Olympics has been contested since the second edition of the multi-sport event. The men's 200 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1900 and the women's 200 m has been held continuously since its introduction at the 1948 Games. It is the most prestigious 200 m race at elite level. The competition format typically has three or four qualifying rounds leading to a final race between eight athletes.
The Olympic records for the distance are 19.30 seconds for men, set by Usain Bolt in 2008, and 21.34 seconds set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988. The men's world record was set at the Olympics in 1956, 1960 (twice), 1968, 1996 and 2008. The women's world record has similarly been linked to the competition, with records coming at the Olympic Games in 1952 (twice), 1956, 1968, 1972 and 1988 (twice). Griffith-Joyner's 1988 Olympic mark remains the world record for the distance, while Bolt's Olympic record is the third fastest of all-time.
Only three athletes have won the title more than once. Bärbel Wöckel of East Germany became the first to defend the title in 1980 and Veronica Campbell-Brown repeated that feat in 2008. Usain Bolt was the first person to win two Olympic 200 m gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and at the 2016 Summer Olympics he defended his title to win his third Olympic 200 m gold medal. Merlene Ottey is the most decorated athlete, having won four medals in the event (though none of them gold). Allyson Felix has won three medals, as has Poland's Irena Szewińska. Reflecting how sprint athletes often compete over various distances, many of the medalists in the Olympic 200 metres have had success in the Olympic 100 metres and 4×100 metres relay as well.
The United States has had the most success in the event, having 24 gold medals and 61 medals in total. American men have completed a medal sweep on six occasions. Jamaica is the next most successful, with five gold among their seventeen medals, and became the second nation to sweep the men's medals in 2012. No nation has swept the women's medals; the United States is the only nation to have won both gold and silver in the same year (in 1984).
The 1968 medal podium ceremony for the men's 200 metres witnessed a prominent political protest in the form of a Black Power salute by the African-American medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos. The third medalist, Peter Norman of Australia, wore a badge for the Olympic Project for Human Rights in solidarity.

## Medal summary
### Men

| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
A YouTube video showcasing all men's 200 metres' Olympic winners can be found here.

#### Multiple medalists

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Olympics | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica (JAM) | 2008–2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | Andy Stanfield | United States (USA) | 1952–1956 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Carl Lewis | United States (USA) | 1984–1988 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Andre De Grasse | Canada (CAN) | 2016–2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Shawn Crawford | United States (USA) | 2004–2008 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Pietro Mennea | Italy (ITA) | 1972, 1980 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Don Quarrie | Jamaica (JAM) | 1976–1980 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 8 | Charlie Paddock | United States (USA) | 1920–1924 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Frankie Fredericks | Namibia (NAM) | 1992–1996 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Kenneth Bednarek | United States (USA) | 2020–2024 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Nate Cartmell | United States (USA) | 1904–1908 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Thane Baker | United States (USA) | 1952–1956 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 13 | Ato Boldon | Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | 1996–2000 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 13 | Noah Lyles | United States (USA) | 2020–2024 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |

#### Medals by country

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | United States (USA) | 17 | 19 | 12 | 48 |
| 2 | Jamaica (JAM) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 3 | Canada (CAN) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Italy (ITA) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | Botswana (BOT) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Greece (GRE) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Soviet Union (URS) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Great Britain (GBR) | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 9 | Namibia (NAM) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Australia (AUS) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Sri Lanka (SRI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | France (FRA) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 14 | Brazil (BRA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | Germany (GER) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | Netherlands (NED) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | Panama (PAN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |

### Women

| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
A YouTube video showcasing all women's 200 metres' Olympic winners can be found here.

#### Multiple medalists

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Olympics | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Bärbel Wöckel | East Germany (GDR) | 1976–1980 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1 | Veronica Campbell-Brown | Jamaica (JAM) | 2004–2008 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1 | Elaine Thompson-Herah | Jamaica (JAM) | 2016–2020 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Allyson Felix | United States (USA) | 2004–2012 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Irena Szewińska | Poland (POL) | 1964–1972 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Florence Griffith-Joyner | United States (USA) | 1984–1988 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Renate Stecher | East Germany (GDR) | 1972–1976 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Gabrielle Thomas | United States (USA) | 2020–2024 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Raelene Boyle | Australia (AUS) | 1968–1972 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica (JAM) | 1980–1996 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |

#### Medalists by country

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | United States (USA) | 7 | 3 | 5 | 15 |
| 2 | Jamaica (JAM) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 13 |
| 3 | East Germany (GDR) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Australia (AUS) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | Netherlands (NED) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Poland (POL) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | Bahamas (BAH) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 8 | France (FRA) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | United Team of Germany (EUA) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Great Britain (GBR) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | Soviet Union (URS) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | West Germany (FRG) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Namibia (NAM) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Saint Lucia (LCA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | India (IND) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Nigeria (NGR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |

## Olympic record progression
### Men

| Time | Athlete | Nation | Games | Round |
| 24.0* | Bill Holland | United States (USA) | 1900 | Heat 1 |
| 22.2 | Walter Tewksbury | United States (USA) | 1900 | Final |
| 22.2 | Archie Hahn | United States (USA) | 1904 | Heat 1 |
| 21.6 | Archie Hahn | United States (USA) | 1904 | Final |
| 21.6 | Jackson Scholz | United States (USA) | 1924 | Final |
| 21.6 | Helmut Körnig | Germany (GER) | 1928 | Quarterfinal 6 |
| 21.5 | Ralph Metcalfe | United States (USA) | 1932 | Quarterfinal 1 |
| 21.5 | Eddie Tolan | United States (USA) | 1932 | Quarterfinal 2 |
| 21.4 | Carlos Bianchi | Argentina (ARG) | 1932 | Quarterfinal 3 |
| 21.4 | Arthur Jonath | Germany (GER) | 1932 | Quarterfinal 4 |
| 21.2 | Eddie Tolan | United States (USA) | 1932 | Final |
| 21.1 | Jesse Owens | United States (USA) | 1936 | Heat 3 |
| 20.7 WR | Jesse Owens | United States (USA) | 1936 | Final |
| 20.7 | Andy Stanfield | United States (USA) | 1952 | Final |
| 20.6 WR | Bobby Morrow | United States (USA) | 1956 | Final |
| 20.5 WR | Livio Berruti | Italy (ITA) | 1960 | Semifinal 2 |
| 20.5 WR | Livio Berruti | Italy (ITA) | 1960 | Final |
| 20.5 | Paul Drayton | United States (USA) | 1964 | Semifinal 1 |
| 20.3 | Henry Carr | United States (USA) | 1964 | Final |
| 20.37 | Tommie Smith | United States (USA) | 1968 | Heat 2 |
| 20.23 | Peter Norman | Australia (AUS) | 1968 | Heat 6 |
| 20.12 | John Carlos | United States (USA) | 1968 | Semifinal 1 |
| 19.83 WR | Tommie Smith | United States (USA) | 1968 | Final |
| 19.80 | Carl Lewis | United States (USA) | 1984 | Final |
| 19.75 | Joe DeLoach | United States (USA) | 1988 | Final |
| 19.73 | Mike Marsh | United States (USA) | 1992 | Semifinal 1 |
| 19.32 WR | Michael Johnson | United States (USA) | 1996 | Final |
| 19.30 WR | Usain Bolt | Jamaica (JAM) | 2008 | Final |

### Women

| Time | Athlete | Nation | Games | Round |
| 25.7 | Fanny Blankers-Koen | Netherlands (NED) | 1948 | Heat 1 |
| 25.6 | Cynthia Thompson | Jamaica (JAM) | 1948 | Heat 2 |
| 25.3 | Daphne Hasenjäger | South Africa (RSA) | 1948 | Heat 4 |
| 24.3 | Fanny Blankers-Koen | Netherlands (NED) | 1948 | Semifinal 1 |
| 24.3 | Nadezhda Khnykina | Soviet Union (URS) | 1952 | Heat 2 |
| 23.6 WR | Marjorie Jackson | Australia (AUS) | 1952 | Heat 3 |
| 23.4 WR | Marjorie Jackson | Australia (AUS) | 1952 | Semifinal 1 |
| 23.4 | Betty Cuthbert | Australia (AUS) | 1956 | Final |
| 23.2 | Wilma Rudolph | United States (USA) | 1960 | Heat 3 |
| 23.0 | Edith McGuire | United States (USA) | 1964 | Final |
| 23.09 | Raelene Boyle | Australia (AUS) | 1968 | Heat 2 |
| 22.94 | Barbara Ferrell | United States (USA) | 1968 | Heat 3 |
| 22.87 | Barbara Ferrell | United States (USA) | 1968 | Semifinal 2 |
| 22.58 | Irena Szewińska | Poland (POL) | 1968 | Final |
| 22.40 WR | Renate Stecher | East Germany (GDR) | 1972 | Final |
| 22.37 | Barbel Eckert | East Germany (GDR) | 1976 | Final |
| 22.26 | Natalya Bochina | Soviet Union (URS) | 1980 | Quarterfinal 3 |
| 22.03 | Barbel Eckert | East Germany (GDR) | 1980 | Final |
| 21.81 | Valerie Brisco-Hooks | United States (USA) | 1984 | Final |
| 21.76 | Florence Griffith Joyner | United States (USA) | 1988 | Quarterfinal 1 |
| 21.56 WR | Florence Griffith Joyner | United States (USA) | 1988 | Semifinal 1 |
| 21.34 WR | Florence Griffith Joyner | United States (USA) | 1988 | Final |

## Finishing times
### Top ten fastest Olympic times

Fastest men's times at the Olympics :
| Rank | Time (sec) | Athlete | Nation | Games | Date |
| 1 | 19.30 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 2008 | 2008-08-20 |
| 2 | 19.32 | Michael Johnson | United States | 1996 | 1996-08-01 |
| 2 | 19.32 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 2012 | 2012-08-09 |
| 4 | 19.44 | Yohan Blake | Jamaica | 2012 | 2012-08-09 |
| 5 | 19.46 | Letsile Tebogo | Botswana | 2024 | 2024-08-08 |
| 6 | 19.62 | Andre De Grasse | Canada | 2021 | 2021-08-04 |
| 6 | 19.62 | Kenneth Bednarek | United States | 2024 | 2024-08-08 |
| 8 | 19.68 | Frankie Fredericks | Namibia | 1996 | 1996-08-01 |
| 8 | 19.68 | Kenneth Bednarek | United States | 2021 | 2021-08-04 |
| 10 | 19.70 | Noah Lyles | United States | 2024 | 2024-08-08 |
Fastest women's times at the Olympics :
| Rank | Time (sec) | Athlete | Nation | Games | Date |
| 1 | 21.34 | Florence Griffith Joyner | United States | 1988 | 1988-09-29 |
| 2 | 21.53 | Elaine Thompson-Herah | Jamaica | 2021 | 2021-08-03 |
| 3 | 21.56 | Florence Griffith Joyner | United States | 1988$^{SF}$ | 1988-09-29 |
| 4 | 21.66 | Elaine Thompson-Herah | Jamaica | 2021$^{SF}$ | 2021-08-02 |
| 5 | 21.72 | Grace Jackson | Jamaica | 1988 | 1988-09-29 |
| 5 | 21.72 | Gwen Torrence | United States | 1992$^{SF}$ | 1992-08-05 |
| 7 | 21.74 | Veronica Campbell-Brown | Jamaica | 2008 | 2008-08-21 |
| 8 | 21.75 | Juliet Cuthbert | Jamaica | 1992$^{SF}$ | 1992-08-05 |
| 9 | 21.76 | Florence Griffith Joyner | United States | 1988$^{QF}$ | 1988-09-28 |
| 10 | 21.78 | Elaine Thompson | Jamaica | 2016 | 2016-08-17 |

## Non-canonical Olympic events

In addition to the main 1900 Olympic men's 200 metres, a 220-yard dash handicap race was also held. The winner was J. McGann for the United States, who ran an estimated 22.8 seconds with a ten-yard start. Frank Lukeman of Canada was second, also with a ten-yard handicap, and American C. Turner was third with a two-yard handicap.
This event is no longer considered part of the official Olympic history of the 200 metres or the athletics programme in general. Consequently, medals from this competition have not been assigned to nations on the all-time medal tables.