# 400 metres hurdles

The 400 metres hurdles is a track and field hurdling event. The event has been on the Olympic athletics programme since 1900 for men and since 1984 for women.
On a standard outdoor track, 400 metres is the length of the inside lane, once around the stadium. Runners stay in their lanes the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly spaced around the track. The hurdles are positioned and weighted so that they fall forward if bumped into with sufficient force, to prevent injury to the runners. Although there is no longer any penalty for knocking hurdles over, runners prefer to clear them cleanly, as touching them during the race slows runners down.
The current men's and women's world record holders are Karsten Warholm with 45.94 seconds and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone with 50.37 seconds. Compared to the 400 metres run, the hurdles race takes the men about three seconds longer and the women four seconds longer. Men clear hurdles that are 36 inches (91.4 cm) high, while women negotiate 30 inches (76.2 cm) barriers.
The 400 m hurdles was held for both sexes at the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Athletics. The first championship for women came at the 1980 World Championships in Athletics – being held as a one-off due to the lack of a race at the 1980 Summer Olympics.

## History

The first awards in a men's 400 m hurdles race were given in 1860 when a race was held in Oxford, England, over a course of 440 yards (402.336 m). While running the course, participants had to clear twelve wooden hurdles, over 100 centimetres tall, that had been spaced in even intervals.
To reduce the risk of injury, somewhat more lightweight constructions were introduced in 1895 that runners could push over. However, until 1935 runners were disqualified if they pushed over more than three hurdles in a race and records were only officially accepted if the runner in question had cleared all hurdles clean and left them all standing.
The 400 m hurdles became an Olympic event at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. At the same time, the race was standardized; thus, virtually identical races could be held and the finish times compared to one other. As a result, the official distance was fixed to 400 metres, or one lap of the stadium, and the number of hurdles was reduced to ten. The official height of the hurdles was set to 36 inches (91.4 cm). The hurdles are now placed on the course with a run-up to the first hurdle of 45 metres, distance between the hurdles of 35 metres each, and home stretch from the last hurdle to finish line of 40 metres.
The first documented 400 m hurdles race for women took place in 1971. In 1974, the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), now known as World Athletics, introduced the event officially as a discipline, with hurdles at the lower height of 30 inches (76.2 cm). The women's race was not run at the Olympics until the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles where it was first staged with the first Men's World Champion having been crowned the year before at the inaugural World Athletics Championships. A special edition of the Women's 400m Hurdles took place in the 1980 IAAF World Championships in Athletics in response to the Women's 400m Hurdles not being included at the boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and Liberty Bell Classic.
Many athletic commentators and officials have often brought up the idea of lifting the height of the women's 400 m hurdles to incorporate a greater requirement of hurdling skill. This is a view held by German athletic coach Norbert Stein, "All this means that the women's hurdles for specialists, who are the target group to be dealt with in this discussion, is considerably depreciated in skill demands when compared to the men's hurdles. It should not be possible in the women's hurdles that the winner is an athlete whose performance in the flat sprint is demonstrably excellent but whose technique of hurdling is only moderate and whose anthropometric characteristics are not optimal. This was the case at the World Championships in Seville and the same problem can often be seen at international and national meetings."

## Hurdling technique

In terms of technique and endurance, the 400-metre hurdles is arguably the most demanding event in the sprints and hurdles group.$^{:4169}$$^{:9}$ Athletes must be able to run a fast 400-metre flat time, maintain a good hurdling technique, and have a unique awareness of stride pattern between hurdles.$^{:9}$ The ideal time difference between an athlete's 400 time and their 400 hurdles time should be between 1.5 and 3 seconds. This variation depends on the specific qualities of the athlete. At the professional level, the women's hurdles are smaller (76cm) than the men's (91cm) which usually makes the 400-400hs average time difference smaller for female athletes. In 2024, the two fastest 400 hurdlers in the world (Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol) are also two of the fastest women in the open 400, based on their relay split compared to other athletes. To be able to maintain a good hurdling technique throughout the race it is important to work on step patterns. The number of steps an athlete takes during a 400 hurdles is called rhythm. Most 400 hurdlers know how many steps they are going to take in between each hurdle, starting from the block. The distance between the block and the first hurdle is 45 meters, which allows the fastest women to take 21 to 23 steps, while the fastest men can get down to 19 or 20. After the first one, the hurdles are 35 meters apart, and the tenth one is placed at 40 meters from the finish line. The internal steps from hurdle two to hurdle ten vary depending on the athlete's abilities, speed, technique, and personal preferences. The most skilled athletes can change their rhythm depending on how fast they need, or want, to run. For example, Karsten Warholm ran 13 steps up to hurdle seven, then decided to switch to 15 steps for the last three hurdles at the Paris Olympics, because he is more comfortable going over hurdles with his dominant leg. An even number of steps in between the hurdles implies alternating which leg goes over it first (lead leg), while an uneven number of steps allows for going over the hurdles with the same leg. Furthermore, athletes must possess anaerobic endurance over the final 150 to 100 metres of the race as, at this point, lactate (the conjugate base of lactic acid) will accumulate in the body from anaerobic glycolysis.$^{:43}$

### Block start

When preparing to hurdle, the blocks should be set so that the athlete arrives at the first hurdle leading on the desired leg without inserting a stutter step. A stutter step is when the runner has to chop his or her stride down to arrive on the "correct" leg for take off. Throughout the race, any adjustments to stride length stride speed should be made several strides out from the hurdle because a stutter or being too far from the hurdle at takeoff will result in loss of momentum and speed.

### Hurdling

At the beginning of the take-off, the knee must be driven toward the hurdle and the foot then extended. The leg position when extended must be stretched out, in a position of a split. The knee should be slightly bent when crossing the hurdle. Unless an athlete's body has great flexibility, the knee must be slightly bent to allow a forward body lean. Unlike the 110m hurdles, a significant forward body lean is not that necessary due to the hurdles being lower. However, the trail leg must be kept bent and short to provide a quick lever action allowing a fast hurdle clearance. The knee should pull through under the armpit and should not be flat across the top of the hurdle.
It is also important that the hurdler does not reach out on the last stride before the hurdle as this will result in a longer bound being made to clear the hurdle. This will also result in a loss of momentum if the foot lands well in front of the center of gravity.

### Stride length

Using a left lead leg on the bends allows the hurdler to run closer to the inside of the lane and cover a shorter distance. Additionally, if the left leg is used for the lead, then the athlete's upper body can be leaned to the left, making it easier to bring the trail leg through. Additionally, an athlete hurdling with a right leg lead around the bends must take care that they do not inadvertently trail their foot or toe around the hurdle rather than passing over the top, which would lead to a disqualification from the race. Depending on the height and strength of the athlete, men work toward a stride pattern of 13 to 15 steps between each hurdle, and women work toward a stride pattern of 15 to 17. This does not include the landing step from the previous hurdle. Edwin Moses was the first man to keep 13 strides throughout an entire race. Weaker athletes will typically hold a longer step pattern throughout the race so that they do not bound or reach with each step, which also results in a loss of speed. These patterns are ideal because it allows the hurdler to take off from their predominant leg throughout the race without switching legs. However, fatigue from the race will knock athletes off their stride pattern and force runners to switch legs. At an early age, many coaches train their athletes to hurdle with both legs. This is a useful skill to learn since as a runner tires, their stride length may decrease, resulting in the need either to add a stutter stride, or to take a hurdle on the other leg. Even though some athletes prefer using their dominant leg as lead, every professional knows how to go over hurdles with both legs. Some athletes have started choosing an even rhythm (Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone does 14 steps for most of her race).

## Continental Records

* Updated 14 July 2024.
| Area | Men | Men | Men | Women | Women | Women |
| Area | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation |
| Africa (records) | 47.10 | Samuel Matete | Zambia | 52.90 | Nezha Bidouane | Morocco |
| Asia (records) | 46.98 | Abderrahman Samba | Qatar | 53.96 | Han Qing | China |
| Asia (records) | 46.98 | Abderrahman Samba | Qatar | 53.96 | Song Yinglan | China |
| Europe (records) | 45.94 WR | Karsten Warholm | Norway | 50.95 | Femke Bol | Netherlands |
| North, Central America and Caribbean (records) | 46.17 | Rai Benjamin | United States | 50.37 WR | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone | United States |
| Oceania (records) | 48.28 | Rohan Robinson | Australia | 53.17 | Debbie Flintoff-King | Australia |
| South America (records) | 46.29 | Alison dos Santos | Brazil | 53.69 | Gianna Woodruff | Panama |

## All-time top 25

* Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 400m hurdles times and the top 25 athletes:
* - denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 400m hurdles times
* - denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 400m hurdles times, by repeat athletes
* - denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 400m hurdles times

### Men

* Correct as of August 2024.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place |
| 1 | 1 | 45.94 | Karsten Warholm | Norway | 3 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| 2 | 2 | 46.17 | Rai Benjamin | United States | 3 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| 3 | 3 | 46.29 | Alison dos Santos | Brazil | 19 July 2022 | Eugene |
| | 4 | 46.39 | Benjamin #2 | | 16 September 2023 | Eugene |
| | 5 | 46.46 | Benjamin #3 | | 30 June 2024 | Eugene |
| | 5 | 46.46 | Benjamin #4 | | 9 August 2024 | Saint-Denis |
| | 7 | 46.51 | Warholm #2 | | 21 July 2023 | Monaco |
| | 8 | 46.52 | Warholm #3 | | 15 June 2023 | Oslo |
| | 9 | 46.53 | Warholm #4 | | 16 September 2023 | Eugene |
| | 10 | 46.62 | Benjamin #5 | | 9 July 2023 | Eugene |
| | 11 | 46.63 | dos Santos #2 | | 30 May 2024 | Oslo |
| | 12 | 46.64 | Benjamin #6 | | 18 May 2024 | Los Angeles |
| | 13 | 46.67 | Benjamin #7 | | 12 July 2024 | Monaco |
| | 14 | 46.70 | Warholm #5 | | 1 July 2021 | Oslo |
| | 14 | 46.70 | Warholm #6 | | 30 May 2024 | Oslo |
| | 16 | 46.72 | dos Santos #3 | | 3 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| | 17 | 46.73 | Warholm #7 | | 12 July 2024 | Monaco |
| | 18 | 46.76 | Warholm #8 | | 6 July 2023 | Jessheim |
| 4 | 19 | 46.78 | Kevin Young | United States | 6 August 1992 | Barcelona |
| | 20 | 46.80 | dos Santos #4 | | 30 June 2022 | Stockholm |
| | 21 | 46.83 | Benjamin #8 | | 27 June 2021 | Eugene |
| | 22 | 46.86 | dos Santos #5 | | 10 May 2024 | Doha |
| | 23 | 46.87 | Warholm #9 | | 23 August 2020 | Stockholm |
| | 24 | 46.89 | Benjamin #9 | | 19 July 2022 | Eugene |
| | 24 | 46.89 | Warholm #10 | | 23 August 2023 | Budapest |
| 5 | | 46.98 | Abderrahman Samba | Qatar | 30 June 2018 | Paris |
| 6 | | 47.02 | Edwin Moses | United States | 31 August 1983 | Koblenz |
| 7 | | 47.03 | Bryan Bronson | United States | 21 June 1998 | New Orleans |
| 8 | | 47.08 | Kyron McMaster | British Virgin Islands | 3 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| 9 | | 47.10 | Samuel Matete | Zambia | 7 August 1991 | Zürich |
| 10 | | 47.19 | Andre Phillips | United States | 25 September 1988 | Seoul |
| 11 | | 47.23 | Amadou Dia Ba | Senegal | 25 September 1988 | Seoul |
| 11 | | 47.23 | Caleb Dean | United States | 7 June 2024 | Eugene |
| 13 | | 47.24 | Kerron Clement | United States | 26 June 2005 | Carson |
| 14 | | 47.25 | Félix Sánchez | Dominican Republic | 29 August 2003 | Saint-Denis |
| 14 | | 47.25 | Angelo Taylor | United States | 18 August 2008 | Beijing |
| 16 | | 47.30 | Bershawn Jackson | United States | 9 August 2005 | Helsinki |
| 17 | | 47.34 | Roshawn Clarke | Jamaica | 21 August 2023 | Budapest |
| 18 | | 47.37 | Stéphane Diagana | France | 5 July 1995 | Lausanne |
| 19 | | 47.38 | Danny Harris | United States | 10 July 1991 | Lausanne |
| 19 | | 47.38 | Trevor Bassitt | United States | 21 August 2023 | Budapest |
| 21 | | 47.41 | Wilfried Happio | France | 19 July 2022 | Eugene |
| 22 | | 47.42 | Malik James-King | Jamaica | 28 June 2024 | Kingston |
| 22 | | 47.42 | Clement Ducos | France | 25 August 2024 | Chorzów |
| 24 | | 47.43 | James Carter | United States | 9 August 2005 | Helsinki |
| 25 | | 47.48 | Harald Schmid | West Germany | 8 September 1982 | Athens |

### Women

* Correct as of August 2024.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place |
| 1 | 1 | 50.37 | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone | United States | 8 August 2024 | Saint-Denis |
| | 2 | 50.65 | McLaughlin-Levrone #2 | | 30 June 2024 | Eugene |
| | 3 | 50.68 | McLaughlin-Levrone #3 | | 22 July 2022 | Eugene |
| 2 | 4 | 50.95 | Femke Bol | Netherlands | 14 July 2024 | La Chaux-de-Fonds |
| | 5 | 51.30 | Bol #2 | | 20 July 2024 | London |
| | 6 | 51.41 | McLaughlin-Levrone #4 | | 25 June 2022 | Eugene |
| | 7 | 51.45 | Bol #3 | | 23 July 2023 | London |
| | 8 | 51.46 | McLaughlin-Levrone #5 | | 4 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| 3 | 9 | 51.58 | Dalilah Muhammad | United States | 4 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| | 10 | 51.61 | McLaughlin-Levrone #6 | | 5 June 2022 | Nashville |
| | 11 | 51.68 | McLaughlin-Levrone #7 | | 8 August 2022 | Székesfehérvár |
| | 12 | 51.70 | Bol #4 | | 24 August 2023 | Budapest |
| 4 | 13 | 51.87 | Anna Cockrell | United States | 8 August 2024 | Saint-Denis |
| | 14 | 51.90 | McLaughlin-Levrone #8 | | 27 June 2021 | Eugene |
| | 15 | 51.98 | Bol #5 | | 17 September 2023 | Eugene |
| | 16 | 52.03 | Bol #6 | | 4 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| | 17 | 52.11 | Bol #7 | | 8 September 2023 | Brussels |
| | 18 | 52.13 | McLaughlin-Levrone #9 | | 6 August 2024 | Saint-Denis |
| | 18 | 52.13 | Bol #8 | | 25 August 2024 | Chorzów |
| | 20 | 52.15 | Bol #9 | | 8 August 2024 | Saint-Denis |
| | 21 | 52.16 | Muhammad #2 | | 4 October 2019 | Doha |
| | 22 | 52.17 | McLaughlin-Levrone #10 | | 20 July 2022 | Eugene |
| | 23 | 52.20 | Muhammad #3 | | 28 July 2019 | Des Moines |
| | 24 | 52.23 | McLaughlin-Levrone #11 | | 4 October 2019 | Doha |
| | 25 | 52.25 | Bol #10 | | 22 August 2024 | Lausanne |
| 5 | | 52.29 | Jasmine Jones | United States | 8 August 2024 | Saint-Denis |
| 6 | | 52.34 | Yuliya Pechonkina | Russia | 8 August 2003 | Tula |
| 7 | | 52.39 | Shamier Little | United States | 4 July 2021 | Stockholm |
| 8 | | 52.42 | Melaine Walker | Jamaica | 20 August 2009 | Berlin |
| 9 | | 52.47 | Lashinda Demus | United States | 1 September 2011 | Daegu |
| 10 | | 52.51 | Rushell Clayton | Jamaica | 28 June 2024 | Kingston |
| 11 | | 52.61 | Kim Batten | United States | 11 August 1995 | Gothenburg |
| 12 | | 52.62 | Tonja Buford-Bailey | United States | 11 August 1995 | Gothenburg |
| 13 | | 52.74 | Sally Gunnell | Great Britain | 19 August 1993 | Stuttgart |
| 14 | | 52.77 | Fani Halkia | Greece | 22 August 2004 | Athens |
| 15 | | 52.79 | Sandra Farmer-Patrick | United States | 19 August 1993 | Stuttgart |
| 15 | | 52.79 | Kaliese Spencer | Jamaica | 5 August 2011 | London |
| 17 | | 52.82 | Deon Hemmings | Jamaica | 31 July 1996 | Atlanta |
| 18 | | 52.83 | Zuzana Hejnová | Czech Republic | 15 August 2013 | Moscow |
| 19 | | 52.89 | Daimí Pernía | Cuba | 25 August 1999 | Seville |
| 20 | | 52.90 | Nezha Bidouane | Morocco | 25 August 1999 | Seville |
| 21 | | 52.92 | Natalya Antyukh | Russia | 30 July 2010 | Barcelona |
| 22 | | 52.94 | Marina Stepanova | Soviet Union | 17 September 1986 | Tashkent |
| 23 | | 52.95 | Sheena Johnson | United States | 11 July 2004 | Sacramento |
| 23 | | 52.95 | Kori Carter | United States | 25 June 2017 | Sacramento |
| 25 | | 52.96 | Anna Ryzhykova | Ukraine | 4 July 2021 | Stockholm |

#### Annulled marks

The following athletes have had their personal best annulled due to doping offences:
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
| 52.70 | Natalya Antyukh | Russia | 08 August 2012 | London | |

## Milestones

* Men
** First official IAAF world record: 55.0 seconds, Charles Bacon (USA), 1908
** First under 54 seconds: 53.8 seconds, Sten Pettersson (SWE), 1925
** First under 53 seconds: 52.6 seconds, John Gibson (USA), 1927
** First under 52 seconds: 51.7 seconds, Bob Tisdall (IRL), 1932
** First under 51 seconds: 50.6 seconds, Glenn Hardin (USA), 1934
** First under 50 seconds: 49.5 seconds, Glenn Davis (USA), 1956
** First under 49 seconds: 48.8 seconds, Geoff Vanderstock (USA), 1968
** First under 48 seconds: 47.82 seconds, John Akii-Bua (UGA), 1972
** First under 47 seconds: 46.78 seconds, Kevin Young (USA), 1992
** First under 46 seconds: 45.94 seconds, Karsten Warholm (NOR), 2021
* Women
** First official world record: 56.51 seconds, Krystyna Kacperczyk (POL), 1974
** First under 56 seconds: 55.74 seconds, Tatyana Storozheva (URS), 1977
** First under 55 seconds: 54.89 seconds, Tatyana Zelentsova (URS), 1978
** First under 54 seconds: 53.58 seconds, Margarita Ponomaryova (URS), 1984
** First under 53 seconds: 52.94 seconds, Marina Stepanova (URS), 1986
** First under 52 seconds: 51.90 seconds, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA), 2021
** First under 51 seconds: 50.68 seconds, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA), 2022

## Most successful athletes

American athlete Glenn Davis had a prodigious start to his hurdling career, running his first race in April 1956 in 54.4 s. Two months later, he ran a new world record with 49.5 s and later that year he won the 400 m hurdles at the Olympics, and was also the first to repeat that feat in 1960.
In terms of success and longevity in competition, Edwin Moses' record is significant: he won 122 races in a row between 1977 and 1987 plus two gold medals, at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montréal and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was undefeated for exactly nine years nine months and nine days, from 26 August 1977 until 4 June 1987. He finished third in the 1988 Olympic final, the last race of his career. He also held the world record for sixteen years from when he first broke it at the Olympics on 25 July 1976 until it was finally broken by Kevin Young at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
* Olympic Games & World Championships victories
** Edwin Moses (USA), Olympic 1976, 1984, World 1983, 1987
** Felix Sanchez (DOM), Olympic 2004, 2012, World 2001, 2003
** Karsten Warholm (NOR), Olympic 2020, World 2017, 2019, 2023
** Kerron Clement (USA), Olympic 2016, World 2007, 2009
** Sally Gunnell (GBR), Olympic 1992, World 1993
** Kevin Young (USA), Olympic 1992, World 1993
** Derrick Adkins (USA), Olympic 1996, World 1995
** Melaine Walker (JAM), Olympic 2008, World 2009
** Lashinda Demus (USA), Olympic 2012, World 2011
** Dalilah Muhammad (USA), Olympic 2016, World 2019
** Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) Olympic 2020, 2024, World 2022
* Two Olympic victories:
** Glenn Davis (USA), 1956 and 1960
** Edwin Moses (USA), 1976 and 1984 (also bronze in 1988)
** Angelo Taylor (USA), 2000 and 2008
** Félix Sánchez (DOM), 2004 and 2012
** Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA), 2020 and 2024
* Three World Championships:
** Karsten Warholm (NOR), 2017, 2019 and 2023
* Two World Championships:
** Edwin Moses (USA), 1983 and 1987
** Félix Sánchez (DOM), 2001 and 2003 (won silver in 2007)
** Kerron Clement (USA), 2007 and 2009
** Nezha Bidouane (MAR), 1997 and 2001 (won silver in 1999)
** Jana Pittman (AUS), 2003 and 2007
** Zuzana Hejnová (CZE), 2013 and 2015
* Note: Edwin Moses, Kevin Young and Karsten Warholm are the only male 400 m hurdlers to have been Olympic Champion, World Champion, and broken the World Record. * Note: Sally Gunnell, Dalilah Muhammad and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone are the only female 400 m hurdlers to have been Olympic Champion, World Champion, and broken the World Record.

## Olympic medalists
### Men

| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

### Women

| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

## World Championships medalists
### Men

| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1983 Helsinki details | Edwin Moses (USA) | Harald Schmid (FRG) | Aleksandr Kharlov (URS) |
| 1987 Rome details | Edwin Moses (USA) | Danny Harris (USA) | Harald Schmid (FRG) |
| 1991 Tokyo details | Samuel Matete (ZAM) | Winthrop Graham (JAM) | Kriss Akabusi (GBR) |
| 1993 Stuttgart details | Kevin Young (USA) | Samuel Matete (ZAM) | Winthrop Graham (JAM) |
| 1995 Gothenburg details | Derrick Adkins (USA) | Samuel Matete (ZAM) | Stéphane Diagana (FRA) |
| 1997 Athens details | Stéphane Diagana (FRA) | Llewellyn Herbert (RSA) | Bryan Bronson (USA) |
| 1999 Seville details | Fabrizio Mori (ITA) | Stéphane Diagana (FRA) | Marcel Schelbert (SUI) |
| 2001 Edmonton details | Félix Sánchez (DOM) | Fabrizio Mori (ITA) | Dai Tamesue (JPN) |
| 2003 Saint-Denis details | Félix Sánchez (DOM) | Joey Woody (USA) | Periklis Iakovakis (GRE) |
| 2005 Helsinki details | Bershawn Jackson (USA) | James Carter (USA) | Dai Tamesue (JPN) |
| 2007 Osaka details | Kerron Clement (USA) | Félix Sánchez (DOM) | Marek Plawgo (POL) |
| 2009 Berlin details | Kerron Clement (USA) | Javier Culson (PUR) | Bershawn Jackson (USA) |
| 2011 Daegu details | Dai Greene (GBR) | Javier Culson (PUR) | L. J. van Zyl (RSA) |
| 2013 Moscow details | Jehue Gordon (TRI) | Michael Tinsley (USA) | Emir Bekrić (SRB) |
| 2015 Beijing details | Nicholas Bett (KEN) | Denis Kudryavtsev (RUS) | Jeffery Gibson (BAH) |
| 2017 London details | Karsten Warholm (NOR) | Yasmani Copello (TUR) | Kerron Clement (USA) |
| 2019 Doha details | Karsten Warholm (NOR) | Rai Benjamin (USA) | Abderrahman Samba (QAT) |
| 2022 Eugene details | Alison dos Santos (BRA) | Rai Benjamin (USA) | Trevor Bassitt (USA) |
| 2023 Budapest details | Karsten Warholm (NOR) | Kyron McMaster (BVI) | Rai Benjamin (USA) |

#### Medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | United States (USA) | 7 | 6 | 5 | 18 |
| 2 | Norway (NOR) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Dominican Republic (DOM) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Zambia (ZAM) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | France (FRA) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Italy (ITA) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 8 | Brazil (BRA) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Kenya (KEN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Puerto Rico (PUR) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Germany (GER) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | Jamaica (JAM) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | South Africa (RSA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 15 | British Virgin Islands (BVI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Russia (RUS) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Turkey (TUR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Japan (JPN) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 19 | Bahamas (BAH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Greece (GRE) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Poland (POL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Qatar (QAT) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Serbia (SRB) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Soviet Union (URS) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Switzerland (SUI) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (25 entries) | Totals (25 entries) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 57 |

### Women

* The official World Athletics Championships began in 1983 as the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, but in 1980, the women's 3000 metres and 400 metres hurdles events had a World Championship competition in Sittard, Netherlands. This was due to these events not yet being on the Olympic program (the same had happened in 1976 for the men's 50 km walk).
| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1980 Sittard details | Bärbel Broschat (GDR) | Ellen Neumann (GDR) | Petra Pfaff (GDR) |
| 1983 Helsinki details | Yekaterina Fesenko (URS) | Ana Ambrazienė (URS) | Ellen Neumann-Fiedler (GDR) |
| 1987 Rome details | Sabine Busch (GDR) | Debbie Flintoff (AUS) | Cornelia Feuerbach (GDR) |
| 1991 Tokyo details | Tatyana Ledovskaya (URS) | Sally Gunnell (GBR) | Janeene Vickers (USA) |
| 1993 Stuttgart details | Sally Gunnell (GBR) | Sandra Farmer-Patrick (USA) | Margarita Ponomaryova (RUS) |
| 1995 Gothenburg details | Kim Batten (USA) | Tonja Buford (USA) | Deon Hemmings (JAM) |
| 1997 Athens details | Nezha Bidouane (MAR) | Deon Hemmings (JAM) | Kim Batten (USA) |
| 1999 Seville details | Daimí Pernía (CUB) | Nezha Bidouane (MAR) | Deon Hemmings (JAM) |
| 2001 Edmonton details | Nezha Bidouane (MAR) | Yuliya Pechonkina (RUS) | Daimí Pernía (CUB) |
| 2003 Saint-Denis details | Jana Pittman (AUS) | Sandra Glover (USA) | Yuliya Pechonkina (RUS) |
| 2005 Helsinki details | Yuliya Pechonkina (RUS) | Lashinda Demus (USA) | Sandra Glover (USA) |
| 2007 Osaka details | Jana Rawlinson (AUS) | Yuliya Pechenkina (RUS) | Anna Jesień (POL) |
| 2009 Berlin details | Melaine Walker (JAM) | Lashinda Demus (USA) | Josanne Lucas (TRI) |
| 2011 Daegu details | Lashinda Demus (USA) | Melaine Walker (JAM) | Natalya Antyukh (RUS) |
| 2013 Moscow details | Zuzana Hejnová (CZE) | Dalilah Muhammad (USA) | Lashinda Demus (USA) |
| 2015 Beijing details | Zuzana Hejnová (CZE) | Shamier Little (USA) | Cassandra Tate (USA) |
| 2017 London details | Kori Carter (USA) | Dalilah Muhammad (USA) | Ristananna Tracey (JAM) |
| 2019 Doha details | Dalilah Muhammad (USA) | Sydney McLaughlin (USA) | Rushell Clayton (JAM) |
| 2022 Eugene details | Sydney McLaughlin (USA) | Femke Bol (NED) | Dalilah Muhammad (USA) |
| 2023 Budapest details | Femke Bol (NED) | Shamier Little (USA) | Rushell Clayton (JAM) |

#### Medals by country

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | United States (USA) | 5 | 10 | 6 | 21 |
| 2 | Germany (GER) | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 3 | East Germany (GDR) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | Australia (AUS) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Morocco (MAR) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Soviet Union (URS) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Czech Republic (CZE) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Jamaica (JAM) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| 9 | Russia (RUS) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 10 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Netherlands (NED) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Cuba (CUB) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 13 | Denmark (DEN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Spain (ESP) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Turkey (TUR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Poland (POL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |

## National records
### Men

* Updated 6 July 2024.
Equal or superior to 48.00 s:
| Nation | Time | Athlete | Date | Place |
| Norway | 45.94 | Karsten Warholm | 3 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| United States | 46.17 | Rai Benjamin | 3 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| Brazil | 46.29 | Alison dos Santos | 19 July 2022 | Eugene |
| Qatar | 46.98 | Abderrahman Samba | 30 June 2018 | Paris |
| British Virgin Islands | 47.08 | Kyron McMaster | 3 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| Zambia | 47.10 | Samuel Matete | 7 August 1991 | Zürich |
| Senegal | 47.23 | Amadou Dia Ba | 25 September 1988 | Seoul |
| Dominican Republic | 47.25 | Félix Sánchez | 29 August 2003 | Saint-Denis |
| Jamaica | 47.34 | Roshawn Clarke | 21 August 2023 | Budapest |
| France | 47.37 | Stéphane Diagana | 5 July 1995 | Lausanne |
| Germany | 47.48 | Harald Schmid | 8 September 1982 | Athens |
| Italy | 47.50 | Alessandro Sibilio | 11 June 2024 | Rome |
| Saudi Arabia | 47.53 | Hadi Soua'an Al-Somaily | 27 September 2000 | Sydney |
| South Africa | 47.66 | L. J. van Zyl | 25 February 2011 | Pretoria |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 47.69 | Jehue Gordon | 15 August 2013 | Moscow |
| Puerto Rico | 47.72 | Javier Culson | 8 May 2010 | Ponce |
| Kenya | 47.78 | Boniface Mucheru | 18 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Turkey | 47.81 | Yasmani Copello | 9 August 2018 | Berlin |
| Uganda | 47.82 | John Akii-Bua | 2 September 1972 | Munich |
| Great Britain | 47.82 | Kriss Akabusi | 6 August 1992 | Barcelona |
| Greece | 47.82 | Periklis Iakovakis | 6 May 2006 | Osaka |
| Estonia | 47.82 | Rasmus Mägi | 14 June 2022 | Turku |
| Panama | 47.84 | Bayano Kamani | 7 August 2005 | Helsinki |
| Japan | 47.89 | Dai Tamesue | 10 August 2001 | Edmonton |
| Cuba | 47.93 | Omar Cisneros | 13 August 2013 | Moscow |
| Sweden | 47.94 | Carl Bengtström | 11 June 2024 | Rome |
| Ireland | 47.97 | Thomas Barr | 18 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Nigeria | 48.00 | Ezekiel Nathaniel | 11 May 2024 | Waco |

### Women

* Updated 8 August 2024.
Equal or superior to 54.00 s:
| Nation | Time | Athlete | Date | Place |
| United States | 50.37 | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone | 8 August 2024 | Saint-Denis |
| Netherlands | 50.95 | Femke Bol | 14 July 2024 | La Chaux-de-Fonds |
| Russia | 52.34 | Yuliya Pechonkina | 8 August 2003 | Tula |
| Jamaica | 52.42 | Melaine Walker | 20 August 2009 | Berlin |
| Great Britain | 52.74 | Sally Gunnell | 19 August 1993 | Stuttgart |
| Greece | 52.77 | Fani Halkia | 22 August 2004 | Athens |
| Czech Republic | 52.83 | Zuzana Hejnová | 15 August 2013 | Moscow |
| Cuba | 52.89 | Daimí Pernía | 25 August 1999 | Seville |
| Morocco | 52.90 | Nezha Bidouane | 25 August 1999 | Seville |
| Soviet Union | 52.94 | Marina Stepanova | 17 September 1986 | Tashkent |
| Ukraine | 52.96 | Anna Ryzhykova | 4 July 2021 | Stockholm |
| Bahrain | 53.09 | Kemi Adekoya | 24 August 2023 | Budapest |
| Australia | 53.17 | Debbie Flintoff-King | 28 September 1988 | Seoul |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 53.20 | Josanne Lucas | 20 August 2009 | Berlin |
| France | 53.21 | Marie-José Pérec | 16 August 1995 | Zürich |
| Germany | 53.24 | Sabine Busch | 21 August 1987 | Potsdam |
| Romania | 53.25 | Ionela Târlea | 7 July 1999 | Rome |
| Canada | 53.26 | Savannah Sutherland | 8 June 2024 | Eugene |
| Barbados | 53.36 | Andrea Blackett | 25 August 1999 | Sevilla |
| Denmark | 53.55 | Sara Slott Petersen | 18 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro |
| Bulgaria | 53.68 | Vanya Stambolova | 5 June 2011 | Rabat |
| Panama | 53.69 | Gianna Woodruff | 20 July 2022 | Eugene |
| South Africa | 53.74 | Myrtle Bothma | 18 April 1986 | Johannesburg |
| Poland | 53.86 | Anna Jesień | 28 August 2007 | Osaka |
| Italy | 53.89 | Ayomide Folorunso | 22 August 2023 | Budapest |
| Norway | 53.91 | Line Kloster | 3 July 2022 | La Chaux-de-Fonds |
| China | 53.96 | Han Qing | 9 September 1993 | Beijing |
| China | 53.96 | Song Yinglan | 17 November 2001 | Guangzhou |