| | Event type
400 metres, Men
| Date | 12 – 14 August 2016 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, Engenho de Dentro, Rio de Janeiro |
| Participants | 53 from 35 countries |
The two dominant 400 metre runners over the last few years had been Grenadian Kirani James and American LaShawn Merritt. Merritt was Olympic gold medallist in 2008, and World Champion in 2009 and 2013, while James was 2011 World Champion and 2012 Olympic Champion. At the 2015 World Championships, both were upset by South African Wayde van Niekerk. The Rio Olympic final was expected to be a battle between the three, but most expected the battle to be between James and Merritt.
James and Merritt were in the first semi-final and pushed hard, James winning in 44.02 to Merritt’s 44.21. In the second semi van Niekerk trailed Trinidadian Machel Cedenio, who ran 44.39 to van Niekerk’s 44.45.
In the final, James and van Niekerk, running in lane eight, led on the first turn, but Merritt took the lead at 200 metres, passing in 20.4. On the final turn, van Niekerk powered ahead, reaching 300 metres in 31.0 to 31.2 for his two adversaries. Many thought he had gone too hard and would struggle on the run-in, but he never slowed, increasing his lead and finishing his gold medal run in a world record time of 43.03, with James second in 43.76, and Merritt taking bronze in 43.85. Cedenio finished fourth in a national record time of 44.01.
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2910 | Wayde van Niekerk |  RSA | 45.26 (1 h3) | 44.45 (2 h2) | 43.03 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 2539 | Kirani James |  GRN | 44.93 (1 h6) | 44.02 (1 h1) | 43.76 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 3090 | LaShawn Merritt |  USA | 45.28 (1 h5) | 44.21 (2 h1) | 43.85 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 2977 | Machel Cedenio |  TTO | 44.98 (1 h1) | 44.39 (1 h2) | 44.01 (4) | |||
| 5 | 2125 | Karabo Sibanda |  BOT | 45.56 (3 h2) | 44.47 (3 h1) | 44.25 (5) | |||
| 6 | 2171 | Ali Khamis |  BRN | 45.12 (1 h7) | 44.49 (3 h3) | 44.36 (6) | |||
| 7 | 2540 | Bralon Taplin | GRN | 45.15 (1 h2) | 44.44 (1 h3) | 44.45 (7) | |||
| 8 | 2461 | Matt Hudson-Smith |  GBR | 45.26 (3 h6) | 44.48 (2 h3) | 44.61 (8) | |||
| 3 h2 r2/3 | 2304 | Pavel Maslák |  CZE | 45.54 (5 h7) | 45.06 (3 h2) | – | |||
| 4 h1 r2/3 | 2327 | Luguelín Santos |  DOM | 45.61 (2 h3) | 44.71 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 4 h2 r2/3 | 2929 | Luka Janežič |  SLO | 45.33 (2 h4) | 45.07 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 4 h3 r2/3 | 3093 | Gil Roberts | USA | 45.27 (2 h1) | 44.65 (4 h3) | – | |||
| 5 h1 r2/3 | 2620 | Javon Francis |  JAM | 45.88 (3 h3) | 44.96 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 5 h2 r2/3 | 3102 | David Verburg | USA | 45.48 (4 h6) | 45.61 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 5 h3 r2/3 | 2065 | Steven Gardiner |  BAH | 45.24 (2 h7) | 44.72 (5 h3) | – | |||
| 6 h1 r2/3 | 2262 | Nery Brenes |  CRC | 45.53 (2 h2) | 45.02 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 6 h2 r2/3 | 2623 | Rusheen McDonald | JAM | 45.22 (2 h6) | 46.12 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 6 h3 r2/3 | 2275 | Yoandys Lescay |  CUB | 45.36 (3 h1) | 45.00 (6 h3) | – | |||
| 7 h1 r2/3 | 2780 | Liemarvin Bonevacia |  NED | 45.49 (3 h7) | 45.03 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 7 h2 r2/3 | 2880 | Abdalelah Haroun |  QAT | 45.76 (2 h5) | 46.66 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h3 r2/3 | 2849 | Rafał Omelko |  POL | 45.54 (4 h7) | 45.28 (7 h3) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r2/3 | 2980 | Lalonde Gordon | TTO | 45.24 (1 h4) | 45.13 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h3 r2/3 | 2121 | Isaac Makwala | BOT | 45.91 (3 h5) | 46.60 (8 h3) | – | |||
| DNS r2/3 | 2126 | Baboloki Thebe | BOT | 45.41 (3 h4) | – (DNS h2) | – | |||
| 4 h1 r1/3 | 2617 | Fitzroy Dunkley | JAM | 45.66 (4 h1) | – | – | |||
| 4 h2 r1/3 | 2600 | Matteo Galvan |  ITA | 46.07 (4 h2) | – | – | |||
| 4 h3 r1/3 | 2088 | Jonathan Borlée |  BEL | 46.01 (4 h3) | – | – | |||
| 4 h4 r1/3 | 2063 | Chris Brown | BAH | 45.56 (4 h4) | – | – | |||
| 4 h5 r1/3 | 3027 | Vitaliy Butrym |  UKR | 45.92 (4 h5) | – | – | |||
| 5 h1 r1/3 | 2089 | Kévin Borlée | BEL | 45.90 (5 h1) | – | – | |||
| 5 h2 r1/3 | 2679 | Raymond Kibet |  KEN | 46.15 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 5 h3 r1/3 | 2685 | Alphas Leken Kishoyian | KEN | 46.74 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 5 h4 r1/3 | 2472 | Martyn Rooney | GBR | 45.60 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 5 h5 r1/3 | 2587 | Donald Sanford |  ISR | 46.06 (5 h5) | – | – | |||
| 5 h6 r1/3 | 2547 | Winston George |  GUY | 45.77 (5 h6) | – | – | |||
| 6 h1 r1/3 | 3115 | Alberth Bravo |  VEN | 46.15 (6 h1) | – | – | |||
| 6 h2 r1/3 | 2816 | Mehboob Ali |  PAK | 48.37 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 6 h3 r1/3 | 3122 | Brandon Valentine-Parris |  VIN | 47.62 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 6 h4 r1/3 | 2663 | Julian Walsh |  JPN | 46.37 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 6 h5 r1/3 | 2982 | Deon Lendore | TTO | 46.15 (6 h5) | – | – | |||
| 6 h6 r1/3 | 2254 | Diego Palomeque |  COL | 46.48 (6 h6) | – | – | |||
| 6 h7 r1/3 | 2572 | Mohammad Anas Yahiya |  IND | 45.95 (6 h7) | – | – | |||
| 7 h1 r1/3 | 2697 | Alexander Sampao | KEN | 46.62 (7 h1) | – | – | |||
| 7 h2 r1/3 | 2217 | Bachir Mahamat |  CHA | 48.59 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 7 h4 r1/3 | 2321 | Gustavo Cuesta | DOM | 46.92 (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| 7 h5 r1/3 | 2147 | Hederson Estefani |  BRA | 46.68 (7 h5) | – | – | |||
| 7 h7 r1/3 | 2792 | Orukpe Eraiyokan |  NGR | 47.42 (7 h7) | – | – | |||
| 8 h1 r1/3 | 2801 | Djibo Idrissa Ousseini |  NIG | 50.06 (8 h1) | – | – | |||
| 8 h4 r1/3 | 2885 | James Nyang Chiengjiek |  EOR | 52.89 (8 h4) | – | – | |||
| 8 h7 r1/3 | 2642 | Yuzo Kanemaru | JPN | 48.38 (8 h7) | – | – | |||
| AC h2 r1/3 | 2333 | Anas Beshr |  EGY | – (DQ h2) | – | – | |||
| AC h3 r1/3 | 2073 | Alonzo Russell | BAH | – (DQ h3) | – | – | |||
| AC h6 r1/3 | 2160 | Abubakar Abbas | BRN | – (DQ h6) | – | – |
Round One (12 August 2016)
Top three in each heat and next three fastest advanced to the semi-finals.
Heat #1 (21:05)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Machel Cedenio | TTO | 44.98 | 0.179 | |||
| 2 | 7 | Gil Roberts | USA | 45.27 | 0.168 | |||
| 3 | 4 | Yoandys Lescay | CUB | 45.36 | 0.199 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Fitzroy Dunkley | JAM | 45.66 | 0.176 | |||
| 5 | 3 | Kévin Borlée | BEL | 45.90 | 0.138 | |||
| 6 | 5 | Alberth Bravo | VEN | 46.15 | 0.205 | |||
| 7 | 1 | Alexander Sampao | KEN | 46.62 | 0.199 | |||
| 8 | 8 | Djibo Idrissa Ousseini | NIG | 50.06 | 0.173 |
Heat #2 (21:13)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Bralon Taplin | GRN | 45.15 | 0.162 | |||
| 2 | 2 | Nery Brenes | CRC | 45.53 | 0.151 | |||
| 3 | 7 | Karabo Sibanda | BOT | 45.56 | 0.166 | |||
| 4 | 1 | Matteo Galvan | ITA | 46.07 | 0.154 | |||
| 5 | 3 | Raymond Kibet | KEN | 46.15 | 0.234 | |||
| 6 | 6 | Mehboob Ali | PAK | 48.37 | 0.212 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Bachir Mahamat | CHA | 48.59 | 0.188 | |||
| 5 | Anas Beshr | EGY | – | [0.141] | 1 |
Heat #3 (21:21)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Wayde van Niekerk | RSA | 45.26 | 0.147 | |||
| 2 | 2 | Luguelín Santos | DOM | 45.61 | 0.148 | |||
| 3 | 8 | Javon Francis | JAM | 45.88 | 0.172 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Jonathan Borlée | BEL | 46.01 | 0.162 | |||
| 5 | 3 | Alphas Leken Kishoyian | KEN | 46.74 | 0.147 | |||
| 6 | 5 | Brandon Valentine-Parris | VIN | 47.62 | 0.144 | |||
| 4 | Alonzo Russell | BAH | – | [0.159] |
Heat #4 (21:29)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Lalonde Gordon | TTO | 45.24 | 0.153 | |||
| 2 | 4 | Luka Janežič | SLO | 45.33 | 0.148 | |||
| 3 | 6 | Baboloki Thebe | BOT | 45.41 | 0.155 | |||
| 4 | 1 | Chris Brown | BAH | 45.56 | 0.147 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Martyn Rooney | GBR | 45.60 | 0.154 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Julian Walsh | JPN | 46.37 | 0.149 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Gustavo Cuesta | DOM | 46.92 | 0.143 | |||
| 8 | 3 | James Nyang Chiengjiek | EOR | 52.89 | 0.213 |
Heat #5 (21:37)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | LaShawn Merritt | USA | 45.28 | 0.235 | |||
| 2 | 3 | Abdalelah Haroun | QAT | 45.76 | 0.190 | |||
| 3 | 6 | Isaac Makwala | BOT | 45.91 | 0.242 | |||
| 4 | 2 | Vitaliy Butrym | UKR | 45.92 | 0.166 | |||
| 5 | 4 | Donald Sanford | ISR | 46.06 | 0.163 | |||
| 6 | 5 | Deon Lendore | TTO | 46.15 | 0.201 | |||
| 7 | 7 | Hederson Estefani | BRA | 46.68 | 0.234 |
Heat #6 (21:45)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Kirani James | GRN | 44.93 | 0.156 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Rusheen McDonald | JAM | 45.22 | 0.179 | |||
| 3 | 2 | Matt Hudson-Smith | GBR | 45.26 | 0.142 | |||
| 4 | 3 | David Verburg | USA | 45.48 | 0.167 | |||
| 5 | 7 | Winston George | GUY | 45.77 | 0.186 | |||
| 6 | 8 | Diego Palomeque | COL | 46.48 | 0.159 | |||
| 4 | Abubakar Abbas | BRN | – | [0.192] |
Heat #7 (21:53)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Ali Khamis | BRN | 45.12 | 0.161 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Steven Gardiner | BAH | 45.24 | 0.149 | |||
| 3 | 8 | Liemarvin Bonevacia | NED | 45.49 | 0.142 | |||
| 4 | 5 | Rafał Omelko | POL | 45.54 | 0.177 | |||
| 5 | 4 | Pavel Maslák | CZE | 45.54 | 0.183 | |||
| 6 | 6 | Mohammad Anas Yahiya | IND | 45.95 | 0.158 | |||
| 7 | 2 | Orukpe Eraiyokan | NGR | 47.42 | 0.180 | |||
| 8 | 3 | Yuzo Kanemaru | JPN | 48.38 | 0.144 |
Semi-Finals (13 August 2016)
Top two in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final.
Heat #1 (20:30)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Kirani James | GRN | 44.02 | 0.144 | |||
| 2 | 6 | LaShawn Merritt | USA | 44.21 | 0.271 | |||
| 3 | 2 | Karabo Sibanda | BOT | 44.47 | 0.174 | |||
| 4 | 7 | Luguelín Santos | DOM | 44.71 | 0.155 | |||
| 5 | 1 | Javon Francis | JAM | 44.96 | 0.170 | |||
| 6 | 5 | Nery Brenes | CRC | 45.02 | 0.181 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Liemarvin Bonevacia | NED | 45.03 | 0.166 | |||
| 8 | 3 | Lalonde Gordon | TTO | 45.13 | 0.157 |
Heat #2 (20:37)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Machel Cedenio | TTO | 44.39 | 0.243 | |||
| 2 | 3 | Wayde van Niekerk | RSA | 44.45 | 0.156 | |||
| 3 | 2 | Pavel Maslák | CZE | 45.06 | 0.185 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Luka Janežič | SLO | 45.07 | 0.154 | |||
| 5 | 1 | David Verburg | USA | 45.61 | 0.159 | |||
| 6 | 4 | Rusheen McDonald | JAM | 46.12 | 0.182 | |||
| 7 | 7 | Abdalelah Haroun | QAT | 46.66 | 0.173 | |||
| 8 | Baboloki Thebe | BOT | – | – |
Heat #3 (20:44)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Bralon Taplin | GRN | 44.44 | 0.171 | |||
| 2 | 8 | Matt Hudson-Smith | GBR | 44.48 | 0.143 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Ali Khamis | BRN | 44.49 | 0.145 | |||
| 4 | 4 | Gil Roberts | USA | 44.65 | 0.151 | |||
| 5 | 5 | Steven Gardiner | BAH | 44.72 | 0.156 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Yoandys Lescay | CUB | 45.00 | 0.216 | |||
| 7 | 2 | Rafał Omelko | POL | 45.28 | 0.164 | |||
| 8 | 1 | Isaac Makwala | BOT | 46.60 | 0.173 |
Final (14 August 2016 — 22:00)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | Reaction Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Wayde van Niekerk | RSA | 43.03 | 0.181 | |||
| 2 | 6 | Kirani James | GRN | 43.76 | 0.134 | |||
| 3 | 5 | LaShawn Merritt | USA | 43.85 | 0.204 | |||
| 4 | 3 | Machel Cedenio | TTO | 44.01 | 0.203 | |||
| 5 | 1 | Karabo Sibanda | BOT | 44.25 | 0.164 | |||
| 6 | 2 | Ali Khamis | BRN | 44.36 | 0.148 | |||
| 7 | 4 | Bralon Taplin | GRN | 44.45 | 0.181 | |||
| 8 | 7 | Matt Hudson-Smith | GBR | 44.61 | 0.138 |