Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres

The men's 400 metres event at the 2000 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics programme was held at Stadium Australia from 22 to 25 September 2000.[1] Sixty-eight athletes from 44 nations competed.[2] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The event was won by 0.56 seconds by Michael Johnson of the United States, successfully defending his 1996 gold medal (the only man to do so in the history of the Olympic 400 metres race). It was the fifth in what would ultimately be 7 consecutive American victories stretching from 1984 to 2008 and the 17th overall title in the event by the United States. Gregory Haughton's bronze was Jamaica's first medal in the event since the nation won back-to-back golds in 1948 and 1952.

Men's 400 metres
at the Games of the XXVII Olympiad
VenueStadium Australia
Dates22–25 September
Competitors68 from 44 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s)Michael Johnson
 United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Alvin Harrison
 United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Gregory Haughton
 Jamaica
← 1996
2004 →
Video on YouTube Official Video Highlights
@ 3:50

Background

This was the 24th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. Five of the finalists from 1996 returned: defending gold medalist Michael Johnson and fourth-place finisher Alvin Harrison of the United States, bronze medalist Davis Kamoga of Uganda, seventh-place finisher Davian Clarke of Jamaica, and eight-place Ibrahim Ismail Muftah of Qatar. Johnson had stretched his world championship streak to 4, set a new world record, and was the (overwhelming) favorite again in 2000. Both of the other medalists (Sanderlei Parrela of Brazil and Alejandro Cárdenas of Mexico) from the 1999 worlds were in Sydney as well.

Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Lithuania and Ukraine appeared in this event for the first time; Russia appeared for the first time since 1912. The United States made its 23rd appearance, most of any nation, having missed only the boycotted 1980 Games.

Qualification

Each National Olympic Committee was permitted to enter up to three athletes that had run 45.80 seconds or faster during the qualification period. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. If an NOC had no athletes that qualified under that standard, one athlete that had run 46.20 seconds or faster could be entered.[3]

Competition format

The competition retained the basic four-round format from 1920. The "fastest loser" system, introduced in 1964, was used for the first round. There were 9 first-round heats, each with 7 or 8 runners. The top three runners in each heat advanced, along with the next five fastest overall. The 32 quarterfinalists were divided into 4 quarterfinals with 8 runners each; the top four athletes in each quarterfinal heat advanced to the semifinals, with no "fastest loser" spots. The semifinals featured 2 heats of 8 runners each. The top four runners in each semifinal heat advanced, making an eight-man final.[4][2]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 2000 Summer Olympics.

World record  Michael Johnson (USA)43.18 Seville, Spain26 August 1999
Olympic record  Michael Johnson (USA)43.49 Atlanta, United States29 July 1996

No world or Olympic records were set in this event.

The following national records were established during the competition:

NationAthleteRoundTime
 HaitiGerald ClervilHeat 146.69
 Saudi ArabiaHamdan O Al-BishiHeat 845.22

Schedule

Following the 1984 schedule, the event was held on four separate days, with each round being on a different day.

All times are Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10)

DateTimeRound
Friday, 22 September 200010:40Round 1
Saturday, 23 September 200021:25Quarterfinals
Sunday, 24 September 200021:00Semifinals
Monday, 25 September 200020:25Final

Results

All times shown are in seconds.

Round 1

Heat 1

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
11Avard Moncur  Bahamas0.26645.23Q
27Daniel Caines  Great Britain0.15345.39Q, PB
35Casey Vincent  Australia0.16245.49Q
43Dmitriy Golovastov  Russia0.23445.90q
52Takahiko Yamamura  Japan0.26146.25
64Carlos Santa  Dominican Republic0.16946.40
78Piotr Rysiukiewicz  Poland0.22746.67
86Gerald Clervil  Haiti0.55646.69NR

Heat 2

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
18Jude Monye  Nigeria0.22045.79Q
21Patrick Dwyer  Australia0.196 s45.82 sQ
35Alejandro Cardenas  Mexico0.143 s46.14 sQ
42Neil de Silva  Trinidad and Tobago0.22046.84
53Gustavo Aguirre  Argentina0.23747.03
63Troy McIntosh  Bahamas0.23747.06
7Jonas Motiejūnas  Lithuania0.220DNF
4Kennedy Ochieng  Kenya0.178DNF

Heat 3

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
14Sanderlei Claro Parrela  Brazil0.47245.55Q
23Danny McFarlane  Jamaica0.48045.84Q
33Soufiene Labidi  Tunisia0.25245.84Q
46Jun Osakada  Japan0.23145.88q
51Tawanda Chiwira  Zimbabwe0.20346.50
67Nduka Awazie  Nigeria0.31946.81
78Johnson Kubisa  Botswana0.38746.97
2Evripedes Demosthenous  Cyprus0.179DNF

Heat 4

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
18Gregory Haughton  Jamaica0.29545.63Q
22David Kirui  Kenya0.20745.69Q, PB
33Marc Raquil  France0.23845.72Q
47Arnaud Malherbe  South Africa0.20045.73q
56Sunday Bada  Nigeria0.55445.75q
65Ato Modibo  Trinidad and Tobago0.48645.91
74Benjamin Youla  Democratic Republic of the Congo0.18347.54
81Iliya Dzhivondov  Bulgaria0.20048.64

Heat 5

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
12Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa0.20945.22Q
23Piotr Haczek  Poland0.24845.61Q, SB
37Alessandro Attene  Italy0.13445.79Q
44Rohan Pradeep Kumara  Sri Lanka0.49946.00
58Salaheddine Bakar Al-Safi  Qatar0.41446.16
65Zsolt Szeglet  Hungary0.17646.19
76Jamie Baulch  Great Britain0.16446.52

Heat 6

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
16Alvin Harrison  United States0.46744.96Q
25Davian Clarke  Jamaica0.20445.30Q
32Robert Maćkowiak  Poland0.23645.39Q
43Anastasios Gousis  Greece0.21146.38
57Fawzi Al Shammari  Kuwait0.15746.38
68Paramjit Singh  India0.18846.64
74Philip Mukomana  Zimbabwe0.50347.11

Heat 7

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
15Michael Johnson  United States0.17645.25Q
22David Canal  Spain0.18945.53Q, SB
33Ibrahima Wade  France0.26245.72Q
47Malik Louahla  Algeria0.15846.06
54Sean Baldock  Great Britain0.18046.45
68Fabian Rollins  Barbados0.44746.85
76Oleksandr Kaydash  Ukraine0.58646.88

Heat 8

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
14Hamdan O Al-Bishi  Saudi Arabia0.15345.22Q, NR
22Sugath Thilakaratne  Sri Lanka0.21145.48Q
31Ibrahim Ismail Muftah  Qatar0.23445.48Q
45Eric Milazar  Mauritius0.45945.66q
53Štefan Balošák  Slovakia0.19246.42
67Kenji Tabata  Japan0.14346.59
78Rudieon Sylvan  Grenada0.24148.17
86Basheer Al-Khewani  Yemen0.45249.72PB

Heat 9

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
13Antonio Pettigrew  United States0.32845.62Q
24Christopher Brown  Bahamas0.50545.80Q
36Davis Kamoga  Uganda0.62545.92Q, SB
47Metija Sestak  Slovenia0.29545.95
55Tomas Coman  Ireland0.26346.17
62Juan Pedro Toledo  Mexico0.28246.82
8Daniel Batman  Australia0.378DNF

Overall results for Round 1

RankAthleteNationHeatLanePlaceTimeQual.Record
1Alvin Harrison  United States66144.96 sQ
2Hamdan O Al-Bishi  Saudi Arabia84145.22 sQNR
Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa52145.22 sQ
4Avard Moncur  Bahamas11145.23 sQ
5Michael Johnson  United States75145.25 sQ
6Davian Clarke  Jamaica65245.30 sQ
7Daniel Caines  Great Britain17245.39 sQPB
Robert Maćkowiak  Poland62345.39 sQ
9Ibrahim Ismail Muftah  Qatar81345.48 sQ
Sugath Thilakaratne  Sri Lanka82245.48 sQ
11Casey Vincent  Australia15345.49 sQ
12David Canal  Spain72245.53 sQSB
13Sanderlei Claro Parrela  Brazil34145.55 sQ
14Piotr Haczek  Poland53245.61 sQSB
15Antonio Pettigrew  United States93145.62 sQ
16Gregory Haughton  Jamaica48145.63 sQ
17Eric Milazar  Mauritius85445.66 sq
18David Kipkorir Kirui  Kenya42245.69 sQPB
19Marc Raquil  France43345.72 sQ
Ibrahima Wade  France73345.72 sQ
21Arnaud Malherbe  South Africa47445.73 sq
22Sunday Bada  Nigeria46545.75 sq
23Alessandro Attene  Italy57345.79 sQ
Jude Monye  Nigeria28145.79 sQ
25Christopher Brown  Bahamas84245.80 sQ
26Patrick Dwyer  Australia21245.82 sQ
27Soufiene Labidi  Tunisia33345.84 sQ
Danny McFarlane  Jamaica35245.84 sQ
29Jun Osakada  Japan36445.88 sq
30Dmitriy Golovastov  Russia13445.90 sq
31Ato Modibo  Trinidad and Tobago45645.91 s
32Davis Kamoga  Uganda96345.82 sQSB
33Matija Sestak  Slovenia97445.95 s
34Rhohan Pradeep Kumar  Sri Lanka54446.00 s
35Malik Louahla  Algeria74446.06 s
36Alejandro Cardenas  Mexico25346.14 sQ
37Salaheldin E Bakkar  Qatar58546.16 s
38Tomas Coman  Ireland95546.17 s
39Zsolt Szeglet  Hungary55646.19 s
40Takahiko Yamamura  Japan12546.25 s
41Fawzi Al Shammari  Kuwait67546.38 s
Anastasios Gousis  Greece63446.38 s
43Carlos Santa  Dominican Republic14646.40 s
44Štefan Balošák  Slovakia83546.42 s
45Sean Baldock  Great Britain74546.45 s
46Tawanda Chiwira  Zimbabwe31546.50 s
47Jamie Baulch  Great Britain56746.52 s
48Kenji Tabata  Japan87646.59 s
49Paramjit Singh  India68846.64 s
50Piotr Rysiukiewicz  Poland18746.67 s
51Gerald Clervil  Haiti16846.69 sNR
52Nduka Awazie  Nigeria37646.81 s
53Juan Pedro Toledo  Mexico92646.82 s
54Neil de Silva  Trinidad and Tobago22446.84 s
55Fabian Rollins  Barbados78646.85 s
56Oleksandr Kaydash  Ukraine76746.88 s
57Johnson Kubisa  Botswana38746.97 s
58Gustavo Aguirre  Argentina23547.03 s
59Troy McIntosh  Bahamas26647.06 s
60Philip Mukomana  Zimbabwe64747.11 s
61Benjamin Youla  Democratic Republic of the Congo44747.54 s
62Rudieon Sylvan  Grenada88748.17 s
63Iliya Dzhivondov  Bulgaria41848.64 s
64Basheer Al Khewani  Yemen86849.72 sPB
-Daniel Batman  Australia98-DNF
Evripedes Demosthenous  Cyprus32-DNF
Jonas Motiejunas  Lithuania27-DNF
Kennedy Ochieng  Kenya24-DNF

Quarterfinals

Quarterfinal 1

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
14Michael Johnson  United States0.15045.31Q
21Piotr Haczek  Poland0.25145.43Q, PB
35Avard Moncur  Bahamas45.43Q
48Casey Vincent  Australia0.16345.45Q
57Eric Milazar  Mauritius0.36445.52
66Sugath Thilakaratne  Sri Lanka0.19945.54
73David Canal  Spain0.22145.54
82Arnaud Malherbe  South Africa0.19245.59

Quarterfinal 2

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
13Davian Clarke  Jamaica0.28345.06Q, SB
24Antonio Pettigrew  United States0.47545.35Q
36Hamdan O Al-Bishi  Saudi Arabia0.60045.35Q
48Danny McFarlane  Jamaica0.18345.40Q
57Ibrahima Wade  France0.22345.61
62Davis Kamoga  Uganda0.20745.74SB
75David Kirui  Kenya46.00
81Jun Osakada  Japan0.21746.15

Quarterfinal 3

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
16Alvin Harrison  United States0.19544.25Q
24Gregory Haughton  Jamaica0.47545.08Q
37Alessandro Attene  Italy0.15045.35Q, PB
48Patrick Dwyer  Australia0.17445.38Q
51Dmitriy Golovastov  Russia0.18445.66
65Christopher Brown  Bahamas0.20445.76
72Soufiene Labidi  Tunisia0.21546.01
83Jude Monye  Nigeria0.20346.32

Quarterfinal 4

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
17Robert Maćkowiak  Poland0.19445.01Q, PB
24Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa0.44045.15Q
35Daniel Caines  Great Britain0.16145.37Q, PB
43Sanderlei Claro Parrela  Brazil0.30245.55Q
52Marc Raquil  France0.22445.56
61Alejandro Cardenas  Mexico0.13945.66
78Sunday Bada  Nigeria0.22645.83
86Ibrahim Ismail Muftah  Qatar0.54945.96

Overall results for quarterfinals

RankAthleteNationHeatLanePlaceTimeQual.Record
1Alvin Harrison  United States36144.25 sQ
2Robert Maćkowiak  Poland47145.01 sQPB
3Davian Clarke  Jamaica23145.06 sQSB
4Gregory Haughton  Jamaica34245.08 sQ
5Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa44245.15 sQ
6Michael Johnson  United States14145.31 sQ
7Hamdan O Al-Bishi  Saudi Arabia26345.35 sQ
Alessandro Attene  Italy37345.35 sQPB
Antonio Pettigrew  United States24245.35 sQ
10Daniel Caines  Great Britain45345.37 sQPB
11Patrick Dwyer  Australia38445.38 sQ
12Danny McFarlane  Jamaica28445.40 sQ
13Piotr Haczek  Poland11245.43 sQPB
Avard Moncur  Bahamas15345.43 sQ
15Casey Vincent  Australia18445.45 sQ
16Eric Milazar  Mauritius17545.52 s
17David Canal  Spain13745.54 s
Sugath Thilakaratne  Sri Lanka16645.54 s
19Sanderlei Claro Parrela  Brazil43445.50 sQ
20Marc Raquil  France42545.56 s
21Arnaud Malherbe  South Africa12845.59 s
22Ibrahima Wade  France27545.61 s
23Alejandro Cardenas  Mexico41645.66 s
Dmitriy Golovastov  Russia31545.66 s
25Davis Kamoga  Uganda22645.74 s
26Christopher Brown  Bahamas35645.76 s
27Sunday Bada  Nigeria48745.83 s
28Ibrahim Ismail Muftah  Qatar46845.96 s
29David Kirui  Kenya25746.00 s
30Soufiene Labidi  Tunisia32746.01 s
31Jun Osakada  Japan21846.15 s
32Jude Monye  Nigeria33846.32 s

Semifinals

Semifinal 1

Semifinal 1

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
16Alvin Harrison  United States0.22044.53Q
25Michael Johnson  United States0.16444.65Q
33Gregory Haughton  Jamaica0.25844.93Q
42Sanderlei Claro Parrela  Brazil0.21245.17Q
58Avard Moncur  Bahamas0.19845.18
64Piotr Haczek  Poland0.47045.66
71Patrick Dwyer  Australia0.17645.70
87Hamdan O Al-Bishi  Saudi Arabia0.17945.98

Semifinal 2

RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
14Antonio Pettigrew  United States0.49945.24Q
27Danny McFarlane  Jamaica0.25345.38Q
35Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa0.52945.52Q
46Robert Maćkowiak  Poland0.19245.53Q
58Daniel Caines  Great Britain0.16845.55
62Casey Vincent  Australia0.22945.61
71Alessandro Attene  Italy0.22146.41
3Davian Clarke  Jamaica0.270DNF

Overall results for semifinals

RankAthleteNationHeatLanePlaceTimeQual.Record
1Alvin Harrison  United States16144.53 sQ
2Michael Johnson  United States15244.65 sQ
3Gregory Haughton  Jamaica13344.93 sQ
4Sanderlei Claro Parrela  Brazil12445.17 sQ
5Avard Moncur  Bahamas18545.18 s
6Antonio Pettigrew  United States24145.24 sQ
7Danny McFarlane  Jamaica27245.38 sQ
8Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa25345.52 sQ
9Robert Maćkowiak  Poland26445.53 sQ
10Daniel Caines  Great Britain28545.55 s
11Casey Vincent  Australia22645.61 s
12Piotr Haczek  Poland14645.66 s
13Patrick Dwyer  Australia11745.70 s
14Hamdan O Al-Bishi  Saudi Arabia17845.98 s
15Alessandro Attene  Italy21746.41 s
-Davian Clarke  Jamaica23DNF

Final

The finish of the race
RankLaneAthleteNationReactionTimeNotes
6Michael Johnson  United States0.61043.84
4Alvin Harrison  United States0.49044.40
8Gregory Haughton  Jamaica0.34644.70SB
42Sanderlei Claro Parrela  Brazil0.28045.01
51Robert Maćkowiak  Poland0.23245.14
67Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa0.44245.26
73Danny McFarlane  Jamaica0.33245.55
5Antonio Pettigrew  United States0.57645.42 DSQ

References