The women's 400 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in four rounds at the Stade de France in Paris, France, between 5 and 9 August 2024. This was the sixteenth time that the women's 400 metres was contested at the Summer Olympics. A total of 48 athletes were able to qualify for the event by entry standard or ranking.
Summary
Tokyo champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo was back to defend her championship, but she didn't have any recent results to look competitive a year and a half after giving birth. Returning silver medalist Marileidy Paulino was back as the 2023 World Champion. Those same two finished in the same order in 2022. The bronze medalist Allyson Felix retired with the most medals in history. Silver in 2023 Natalia Kaczmarek had several top times of the year. Sada Williams was 2022 and 2023 bronze medalist. Going further back, Salwa Eid Naser #3 of all time set while winning the 2019 World Championship, also the 2017 silver medalist, was back after a "whereabouts" drug suspension. Nickisha Pryce came in as the World Leader, part of the remarkable University of Arkansas program that also included Amber Anning. The 21-year-old Irish prodigy, recent European silver medalist and former NCAA champion, Rhasidat Adeleke was also in the reckoning.
Miller-Uibo did not get out of the heats. After a long college season, Pryce did not make through the semi-final round.
In the final, Naser got off to the fastest start, Alexis Holmes and Anning slightly behind. Onto the backstretch, rocking her head, Paulino moved closer to Naser, getting even to the stagger and ahead by 200 metres. Through the turn Rhasidat Adeleke asserted herself into third. Coming onto the home stretch, Paulino had a big lead over Nasser, holding it until letting off the gas 10 meters before the finish. Adeleke had vanquished everyone else except Kaczmarek. With 50 meters to go, Kaczmarek accelerated and Adeleke struggled. Anning sensed blood and accelerated to try to nip Adeleke at the line, but she ran out of track.[2]
Paulino's 48.17 broke Marie-José Pérec's 28 year old Olympic record and her own National Record. Anning also set a new British Record. All eight finalists finished under 50 seconds for the first time ever.[3]
For the women's 400 metres event, the qualification period is between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.[8] 48 athletes are able to qualify for the event, with a maximum of three athletes per nation, by running the entry standard of 50.95 seconds or faster or by their World Athletics Ranking for this event.[8]
Results
Heats
The heats are scheduled to be held on 5 August, starting at 11:55 (UTC+2) in the morning. 48 athletes qualified for the first round by qualification time or world ranking.[1][9] Qualification: First 3 in each heat (Q) advance to the semi-finals, all others (Re) advance to the repechage round (except DNS, DNF, DQ)