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Unlike most sprint events, the historical development of the men’s 400 metres was shaped by three parallel traditions. During the nineteenth century, the 440 yards (402.34m) was the standard long sprint throughout Britain and much of the English-speaking world, while the metric 400 metres gradually gained international recognition. At the same time, races were contested both on straight tracks and around the bends of oval tracks, reflecting the wide variety of athletics facilities in use before the standardisation of the modern 400-metre track.

Before the establishment of the IAAF and the introduction of an official World Record ratification system, performances over 440 yards and 400 metres were often regarded as equivalent because of the small difference in distance. Nevertheless, records achieved on straight tracks and on curved tracks represented distinct competitive conditions. Straight tracks eliminated the technical demands of running bends and generally produced faster performances, while curved races required athletes to maintain speed and rhythm through one or more turns, making direct comparisons between the two formats difficult.

The straight 440 yards and 400 metres developed mainly in Britain and continental Europe, where long cinder straights allowed athletes to complete the entire race without negotiating a bend. These performances steadily improved throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and established the first recognised world-best marks over the distance. Meanwhile, curved races became increasingly common in North America, where quarter-mile and longer oval tracks formed the basis of organised athletics. As stadium design evolved and standardised oval tracks became the norm, curved races gradually emerged as the preferred format for international competition.

Because both layouts remained in widespread use during the first half of the twentieth century, the IAAF initially recognised World Records achieved on both straight and curved tracks. Only in 1960 did the governing body officially discontinue separate recognition of straight-track records, by which time virtually all major championships were contested on the standard 400-metre oval. The modern World Record progression therefore reflects the final stage of a historical evolution that began with the 440 yards and continued through decades of parallel development on straight and curved tracks before converging into the format used today

400m Men World Record Progression – Data Table

Only records ratified by the IAAF/World Athletics achieved in 400m or 440 yards races (440y=402.34m) in curve track are listed in the data table

Mark	Athlete	Country	Date	City	Competition	Note
43.03	Wayde Van Niekerk	RSA	14/8/2016	Rio de Janeiro	Olympic Games
43.18	Michael Johnson	USA	26/8/1999	Sevilla	World Championships
43.29	Harry (Butch) Reynolds	USA	17/8/1988	Zürich	Weltklasse Z?rich
44.5y	John Smith	USA	26/6/1971	Eugene	AAU Championships
44.7y	Curtis Mills	USA	21/6/1969	Knoxville	NCAA Championships
43.8/43.86	Lee Evans	USA	18/10/1968	Ciudad de México	The XIX Olympic Games	Since 30/8/1974 separate world records lists for manually and electronically measures times were establisjed
44.1	Larry James	USA	14/9/1968	Echo Summit	Echo Summit Meeting
44.5/44.8y	Tommie Smith	USA	20/5/1967	San Jose	San Jose State Invitational	automatic timing
44.9	Mike Larrabee	USA	12/9/1964	Los Angeles	US Olympic Trials
44.9	Adolph Plummer	USA	25/5/1963	Tempe	WAC Champs
44.9	Otis Davis	USA	6/9/1960	Roma	The XVII Olympic Games
44.9	Carl Kaufmann	FRG	6/9/1960	Roma	The XVII Olympic Games
45.7y	Glenn Davis	USA	14/6/1958	Berkeley	NCAA Championships
45.8y	Glenn Davis	USA	24/5/1958	Lafayette	"Big 10" Championships
45.2	Lou Jones	USA	30/6/1956	Los Angeles	US Olympic Trials
45.8y	Jim Lee	USA	26/5/1956	Modesto	California Relays
45.4	Lou Jones	USA	18/3/1955	Ciudad de México	Pan American Games
45.8	George Rhoden	JAM	22/8/1950	Eskilstuna	International Meeting
45.9	Herb McKenley	JAM	2/7/1948	Milwaukee	AAU Championships
46.0y	Herb McKenley	JAM	5/6/1948	Berkeley	Pacific AAU
46.3y	Herb McKenley	JAM	28/6/1947	Berkeley	Pacific Coast Conference
46.0	Grover Klemmer	USA	29/6/1941	Philadelphia	AAU Championships
46.4y	Grover Klemmer	USA	31/5/1941	Berkeley	Pacific Coast Conference
46.0	Rudolf Harbig	GER	12/8/1939	Frankfurt	International Meeting
46.1	Archie Williams	USA	19/6/1936	Chicago	NCAA Championships
46.2	Bill Carr	USA	5/8/1932	Los Angeles	The X Olympic Games
46.4y	Ben Eastman	USA	26/3/1932	Stanford	Los Angeles AC - Stanford University
47.4y	Vic Williams	USA	30/5/1931	Philadelphia	IC4A Champs
47.4y	Ben Eastman	USA	16/5/1931	Stanfrord	California Intercollege
47.0	Bud Spencer	USA	12/5/1928	Stanford	Pacific AAU Ch.
47.6	Eric Liddell	GBR	11/7/1924	Paris	The VIII Olympic Games	The record was ratified despite the better 440 yd. record of 1916. On 07.08.1926 deleted by the IAAF ( Stephan M?ller: 2025)
47.4	Ted E. Meredith	USA	27/5/1916	Cambridge MA	IC4A Champs
48.2	Charles Reidpath	USA	13/7/1912	Stockholm	The V Olympic Games	The record was ratified despite the better 440 yd. record of 1900 ( Stephan M?ller: 2025)
47.8y	Maxey W. Long	USA	29/9/1900	New York	NY AC Fall Handicap Games

See also: [Men’s 200m WR Progression][Men’s 100m WR Progression]