50 metres. In track and field, the 50-meter dash is a sprint event. It is a rather unusual non-championship indoor track and field event that is often dominated by the finest outdoor 100 meter runners. The fastest men on earth can run 50 meters in under 4 seconds. And the best of them can still reach 40 kilometers per hour. The 50-meter dash is also known as the Sprint Out. During a race, athletes compete individually against the clock for this distance. The winner is the first to cross the line after the warning signal or when there's no more room left on the track. If two or more people reach the line at the same time, they all complete the course. In terms of athletics events, the 50-meter dash is the shortest of the track and field events. It is held around a straight path or loop while the other events use a large area for their final leg. The starting line for the race is usually placed 20 meters from the finish line with enough space for one runner to pass it before the gun goes off. However, these rules are not always followed and the start line can be as close to the finish line as 10 meters if there's enough space. In addition to being the shortest distance track event, the 50-meter dash also uses less terrain than most other events.