400 meter sprint for Men at Olympics

400 meter Sprint for Men at Olympics: The 400 meter sprint is the longest sprint event. The length of the race is same as the length of an outdoor track. The length of the inside lane of an outdoor track is exactly 400 meter.

The runners are spread out at the starting point to ensure that they all run equal distance of 400 meter. The athletes running the 400 meter sprint event need to be very flexible and have excellent pace and speed. As this is a long high sped event, during the 400 meter race, the athletes often face with problems like muscle pull or numbness of muscles. The athletics follow different tactics to perform better in the event. Generally, after leaving the starting block, the athletes run very hard up to the first curve. Then, the runners slow up a bit and after crossing the second curve of the track, they sprint for the finishing line in the last 100 meter.

400 meter Sprint for Men in Summer Olympics: The 400 meter sprint event, which is the longest sprint event in the history of track and field athletics, has always been held in the Summer Games. The 400 meter sprint event was introduced to the Olympics in the very first modern Summer Games, held in 1896 at Athens. Since then, the event has been held in every Olympics. The athletes of the United States of America have been the dominating figure in the 400 meter event, since its advent.

Rules for 400 meter Sprint for Men at Olympics: The International Association of Athletics Federations or IAAF has set some rules for the track and field athletic events. The fundamental rules for the 400 meter sprint event in the international competitions are as follows -

• When the number of competitors is such that a single race cannot be held, the preliminary heats are arranged. Every participant has to compete in the heats. Those qualifying in the heats can only move forward to the next round.
• A sprinter will be warned after the first false start he takes. If there is one more false start, the athlete has to leave the competition.
• The IAAF has fixed the length of the track. The width of each lane is also specified by the organization.
• Running inside the inner curve of the track, or stepping on the inner line of the track is not permitted by the IAAF.
• An athlete once outside the track boundary cannot join the race again.
• The running records made on the track made of the substance enduring the running spikes are only accepted.
• The athlete, who fails to make it to the finishing line, is not given any credit, even if he runs with a greater speed than the winner.
• The time of the event is measured using a standard automatic timing device.
• The IAAF has fixed the radius of the outside lane of the track at a maximum of 50 meter.

Medal Winners in the 400 meter Sprint for Men at Olympics:

Name	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Michael JOHNSON	USA	2	0	0
Jeremy WARINER	USA	1	1	0
Steve LEWIS	USA	1	1	0
Kirani JAMES	GRN	1	0	0
Lashawn MERRITT	USA	1	0	0
Quincy WATTS	USA	1	0	0

The American athletes have excelled in the 400 meter sprint event through out the history of the track event. Some sprinters who have won international titles in the event are Roger Black, Lee Evans, Michael Johnson, Alberto Juantorena, Archie Williams, Eric Liddell, Jeremy Wariner, Butch Reynolds, Quincy Watts, Danny Everett, Steve Lewis, Larry James, Alvin Harrison, Wyndham Halswelle, Jerome Young, Alonzo Babers, Viktor Markin, Vincent Matthews, Michael Larrabee and Otis Davis.

Trivia: In the 1908 London Summer Games, the final of the 400 meter sprint event had to be re-run. The British athlete Wyndham Halswelle was obstructed by John Carpenter, the American runner. The other two American participants refused to compete in the re-run. As a consequence, the final was a walkover for Wyndham Halswelle and he won gold medal in the event.

In the 2000 Sydney Summer Games, Michael Johnson successfully defended his Olympic title in the 400 meter sprint event.

Track events 100 meter sprint for men 100 meter sprint for women 200 meter sprint for men 200 meter sprint for women 400 meter sprint for men 400 meter sprint for women 800 meter event for men 800 meter event for women 1500 meter event for men 1500 meter event for women 5000 meter event for men 5000 meter event for women 10000 meter event for men 10000 meter event for women Marathon for women Women 80-meter hurdle Women 100-meter hurdle Women 400-meter hurdle 3000 meter steeplechase for Women 110 meter hurdle for men 400 meter hurdle for men 3000 meter steeplechase for men 4x100 meter relay event for men 4x100 meter relay event for women 4x400 meter relay event for men 4x400 meter relay event for women

Field events Long Jump for men Long Jump for women Triple Jump for men Triple Jump for women High Jump for men High Jump for women Shot Put for men Shot Put for women Discus Throw for men Discus Throw for women Hammer Throw for men Hammer Throw for women Javelin Throw for men Javelin Throw for women Road events Introduction Marathon for men Marathon for women 20 kilometer walking event for men 20 kilometer walking event for women 50 kilometer walking event for men Combined events Decathlon for men Heptathlon for women

Obsolete Track and Field athletic events
60 Meters sprint 200 Meter Hurdles 2500 Meter Steeplechase 2590 Meter Steeplechase 3200 Meter Steeplechase 4000 Meter Steeplechase Medley Relay 3000 Meter Team Race 5000 Meter Team Race 3 Mile Team Race 4 Mile Team Race 3000 Meter Walk 10 Kilometer Walk 10 Mile Walk	Triathlon Pentathlon Standing Long Jump Standing Triple Jump Standing High Jump 56 Pound Weight Throw Two Handed Shot Put Greek Discus Two Handed Discus Throw Freestyle Javelin Two Handed Javelin Throw Individual Cross County Team Cross Country