Women's 400 metres world record progression
Updated: 12/20/2025, 2:05:10 PM Wikipedia source
The first world record in the 400 m for women (athletics) was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation, now known as the World Athletics, in 1957. To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 27 world records in the event. Their 2009 record progression list, however, lists 26 records.
Tables
Women's indoor 400 metres world record progression · Indoor
Manual timing
Manual timing
Time
Manual timing
59.2
59.2
Time
59.2
Athlete
Nadezhda Smirnova
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Leningrad
Date
March 17, 1951
58.6
58.6
Time
58.6
Athlete
Polina Solopova
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Leningrad
Date
March 1, 1953
58.1
58.1
Time
58.1
Athlete
Helga Henning
Nationality
West Germany
Location of race
Stuttgart
Date
March 11, 1961
56.5*
56.5*
Time
56.5*
Athlete
Margarete Buscher
Nationality
West Germany
Location of race
Berlin West
Date
March 9, 1963
56.5
56.5
Time
56.5
Athlete
Helga Henning
Nationality
West Germany
Location of race
Berlin West
Date
March 9, 1963
55.8y
55.8y
Time
55.8y
Athlete
Judith Pollock
Nationality
Australia
Location of race
San Francisco
Date
January 9, 1965
55.6y
55.6y
Time
55.6y
Athlete
Judith Pollock
Nationality
Australia
Location of race
Boston
Date
January 16, 1965
55.6y
55.6y
Time
55.6y
Athlete
Judith Pollock
Nationality
Australia
Location of race
New York
Date
January 28, 1965
54.0
54.0
Time
54.0
Athlete
Janell Smith
Nationality
United States
Location of race
Berlin West
Date
April 7, 1965
54.0*
54.0*
Time
54.0*
Athlete
Colette Besson
Nationality
France
Location of race
Belgrade
Date
March 8, 1969
Automatic timing
Automatic timing
Time
Automatic timing
55.29
55.29
Time
55.29
Athlete
Natalia Pechonkina
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Madrid
Date
March 9, 1968
53.01
53.01
Time
53.01
Athlete
Marylin Neufville
Nationality
Jamaica
Location of race
Wien
Date
March 14, 1970
52.44
52.44
Time
52.44
Athlete
Nadezhda Ilyina
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Göteborg
Date
March 10, 1974
52.28
52.28
Time
52.28
Athlete
Rita Wilden
Nationality
West Germany
Location of race
Dortmund
Date
February 7, 1976
52.26
52.26
Time
52.26
Athlete
Rita Wilden
Nationality
West Germany
Location of race
Munich
Date
February 22, 1976
51.80
51.80
Time
51.80
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Milan
Date
February 24, 1977
51.57
51.57
Time
51.57
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Milan
Date
February 24, 1977
51.14
51.14
Time
51.14
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
San Sebastian
Date
March 13, 1977
49.64
49.64
Time
49.64
Athlete
Jarmila Kratochvilova
Nationality
Czechoslovakia
Location of race
Wien
Date
January 28, 1981
49.59
49.59
Time
49.59
Athlete
Jarmila Kratochvilova
Nationality
Czechoslovakia
Location of race
Milan
Date
March 7, 1982
49.26
49.26
Time
49.26
Athlete
Femke Bol
Nationality
Netherlands
Location of race
Apeldoorn
Date
February 19, 2023
49.24
49.24
Time
49.24
Athlete
Femke Bol
Nationality
Netherlands
Location of race
Apeldoorn
Date
February 18, 2024
49.17
49.17
Time
49.17
Athlete
Femke Bol
Nationality
Netherlands
Location of race
Glasgow
Date
March 2, 2024
| Time | Athlete | Nationality | Location of race | Date |
| Manual timing | ||||
| 59.2 | Nadezhda Smirnova | Soviet Union | Leningrad | March 17, 1951 |
| 58.6 | Polina Solopova | Soviet Union | Leningrad | March 1, 1953 |
| 58.1 | Helga Henning | West Germany | Stuttgart | March 11, 1961 |
| 56.5* | Margarete Buscher | West Germany | Berlin West | March 9, 1963 |
| 56.5 | Helga Henning | West Germany | Berlin West | March 9, 1963 |
| 55.8y | Judith Pollock | Australia | San Francisco | January 9, 1965 |
| 55.6y | Judith Pollock | Australia | Boston | January 16, 1965 |
| 55.6y | Judith Pollock | Australia | New York | January 28, 1965 |
| 54.0 | Janell Smith | United States | Berlin West | April 7, 1965 |
| 54.0* | Colette Besson | France | Belgrade | March 8, 1969 |
| Automatic timing | ||||
| 55.29 | Natalia Pechonkina | Soviet Union | Madrid | March 9, 1968 |
| 53.01 | Marylin Neufville | Jamaica | Wien | March 14, 1970 |
| 52.44 | Nadezhda Ilyina | Soviet Union | Göteborg | March 10, 1974 |
| 52.28 | Rita Wilden | West Germany | Dortmund | February 7, 1976 |
| 52.26 | Rita Wilden | West Germany | Munich | February 22, 1976 |
| 51.80 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Milan | February 24, 1977 |
| 51.57 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Milan | February 24, 1977 |
| 51.14 | Marita Koch | East Germany | San Sebastian | March 13, 1977 |
| 49.64 | Jarmila Kratochvilova | Czechoslovakia | Wien | January 28, 1981 |
| 49.59 | Jarmila Kratochvilova | Czechoslovakia | Milan | March 7, 1982 |
| 49.26 | Femke Bol | Netherlands | Apeldoorn | February 19, 2023 |
| 49.24 | Femke Bol | Netherlands | Apeldoorn | February 18, 2024 |
| 49.17 | Femke Bol | Netherlands | Glasgow | March 2, 2024 |
· Outdoor › Record progression 1957–1974
57.0y
57.0y
Time
57.0y
Athlete
Marlene Mathews
Nationality
Australia
Location of race
Sydney, Australia
Date
6 January 1957
57.0y
57.0y
Time
57.0y
Athlete
Marise Chamberlain
Nationality
New Zealand
Location of race
Christchurch, New Zealand
Date
16 February 1957
56.3y
56.3y
Time
56.3y
Athlete
Nancy Boyle
Nationality
Australia
Location of race
Sydney, Australia
Date
24 February 1957
55.2
55.2
Time
55.2
Athlete
Polina Lazareva
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Moscow, Soviet Union
Date
10 May 1957
54.0
54.0
Time
54.0
Athlete
Mariya Itkina
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Minsk, Soviet Union
Date
8 June 1957
53.6
53.6
Time
53.6
Athlete
Mariya Itkina
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Moscow, Soviet Union
Date
6 July 1957
53.4+
53.4+
Time
53.4+
Athlete
Mariya Itkina
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Krasnodar, Soviet Union
Date
12 September 1959
53.4
53.4
Time
53.4
Athlete
Mariya Itkina
Nationality
Soviet Union
Location of race
Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Date
14 September 1962
51.9
51.9
Time
51.9
Athlete
Shin Geum-Dan
Nationality
North Korea
Location of race
Pyongyang, North Korea
Date
23 October 1962
51.7
51.7
Time
51.7
Auto
51.72
Athlete
Nicole Duclos
Nationality
France
Location of race
Athens, Greece
Date
18 September 1969
51.7
51.7
Time
51.7
Auto
51.74
Athlete
Colette Besson
Nationality
France
Location of race
Athens, Greece
Date
18 September 1969
51.0
51.0
Time
51.0
Auto
51.02
Athlete
Marilyn Neufville
Nationality
Jamaica
Location of race
Edinburgh, Scotland
Date
23 July 1970
51.0
51.0
Time
51.0
Auto
51.08
Athlete
Monika Zehrt
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Paris, France
Date
4 July 1972
49.9
49.9
Time
49.9
Athlete
Irena Szewińska
Nationality
Poland
Location of race
Warsaw, Poland
Date
22 June 1974
| Time | Auto | Athlete | Nationality | Location of race | Date |
| 57.0y | Marlene Mathews | Australia | Sydney, Australia | 6 January 1957 | |
| 57.0y | Marise Chamberlain | New Zealand | Christchurch, New Zealand | 16 February 1957 | |
| 56.3y | Nancy Boyle | Australia | Sydney, Australia | 24 February 1957 | |
| 55.2 | Polina Lazareva | Soviet Union | Moscow, Soviet Union | 10 May 1957 | |
| 54.0 | Mariya Itkina | Soviet Union | Minsk, Soviet Union | 8 June 1957 | |
| 53.6 | Mariya Itkina | Soviet Union | Moscow, Soviet Union | 6 July 1957 | |
| 53.4+ | Mariya Itkina | Soviet Union | Krasnodar, Soviet Union | 12 September 1959 | |
| 53.4 | Mariya Itkina | Soviet Union | Belgrade, Yugoslavia | 14 September 1962 | |
| 51.9 | Shin Geum-Dan | North Korea | Pyongyang, North Korea | 23 October 1962 | |
| 51.7 | 51.72 | Nicole Duclos | France | Athens, Greece | 18 September 1969 |
| 51.7 | 51.74 | Colette Besson | France | Athens, Greece | 18 September 1969 |
| 51.0 | 51.02 | Marilyn Neufville | Jamaica | Edinburgh, Scotland | 23 July 1970 |
| 51.0 | 51.08 | Monika Zehrt | East Germany | Paris, France | 4 July 1972 |
| 49.9 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | Warsaw, Poland | 22 June 1974 |
· Outdoor › Record progression from 1975
50.14
50.14
Time
50.14
Athlete
Riitta Salin
Nationality
Finland
Location of race
Rome, Italy
Date
4 September 1974
Duration of record
1 year, 8 months and 5 days
49.77
49.77
Time
49.77
Athlete
Christina Brehmer
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Dresden, East Germany
Date
9 May 1976
Duration of record
1 month and 13 days
49.75
49.75
Time
49.75
Athlete
Irena Szewińska
Nationality
Poland
Location of race
Bydgoszcz, Poland
Date
22 June 1976
Duration of record
1 month and 7 days
49.29
49.29
Time
49.29
Athlete
Irena Szewińska
Nationality
Poland
Location of race
Montreal, Canada
Date
29 July 1976
Duration of record
1 year, 11 months and 3 days
49.19
49.19
Time
49.19
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Leipzig, East Germany
Date
2 July 1978
Duration of record
1 month and 17 days
49.03
49.03
Time
49.03
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Potsdam, East Germany
Date
19 August 1978
Duration of record
12 days
48.94
48.94
Time
48.94
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Date
31 August 1978
Duration of record
10 months and 29 days
48.89
48.89
Time
48.89
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Potsdam, East Germany
Date
29 July 1979
Duration of record
6 days
48.60
48.60
Time
48.60
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Turin, Italy
Date
4 August 1979
Duration of record
3 years, 1 month and 4 days
48.16
48.16
Time
48.16
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Athens, Greece
Date
8 September 1982
Duration of record
11 months and 2 days
47.99
47.99
Time
47.99
Athlete
Jarmila Kratochvílová
Nationality
Czechoslovakia
Location of race
Helsinki, Finland
Date
10 August 1983
Duration of record
2 years, 1 month and 26 days
47.60*
47.60*
Time
47.60*
Athlete
Marita Koch
Nationality
East Germany
Location of race
Canberra, Australia
Date
6 October 1985
Duration of record
40 years, 2 months and 14 days
| Time | Athlete | Nationality | Location of race | Date | Duration of record |
| 50.14 | Riitta Salin | Finland | Rome, Italy | 4 September 1974 | 1 year, 8 months and 5 days |
| 49.77 | Christina Brehmer | East Germany | Dresden, East Germany | 9 May 1976 | 1 month and 13 days |
| 49.75 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 22 June 1976 | 1 month and 7 days |
| 49.29 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | Montreal, Canada | 29 July 1976 | 1 year, 11 months and 3 days |
| 49.19 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Leipzig, East Germany | 2 July 1978 | 1 month and 17 days |
| 49.03 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Potsdam, East Germany | 19 August 1978 | 12 days |
| 48.94 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Prague, Czechoslovakia | 31 August 1978 | 10 months and 29 days |
| 48.89 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Potsdam, East Germany | 29 July 1979 | 6 days |
| 48.60 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Turin, Italy | 4 August 1979 | 3 years, 1 month and 4 days |
| 48.16 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Athens, Greece | 8 September 1982 | 11 months and 2 days |
| 47.99 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia | Helsinki, Finland | 10 August 1983 | 2 years, 1 month and 26 days |
| 47.60* | Marita Koch | East Germany | Canberra, Australia | 6 October 1985 | 40 years, 2 months and 14 days |
References
- "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009"https://web.archive.org/web/20110629134819/http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/15/63/20090706014834_httppostedfile_p345-688_11303.pdf
- trackfield.brinkster.nethttp://trackfield.brinkster.net/RecProg_All.asp?RecCode=WI&EventCode=WA3&Gender=W&P=R
- Yahoo! Sportshttps://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/article/can-sydney-mclaughlin-levrone-break-a-controversial-world-record-long-thought-to-be-unbreakable-132456003.html
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/sep/18/sydney-mclaughlin-levrone-fastest-womens-400m-40-years-world-athletics-championship-gold