200 metres hurdles


The 200 metres hurdles is a rarely run hurdling event in track and field competitions. Sometimes, this event is referred to as the low hurdles. It was run twice in the Summer Olympics, in 1900 and 1904.

All-time top 25

RankTimeTypeWindAthleteNationalityDatePlaceRef
121.9y straight+1.4Don StyronUnited States2 April 1960Baton Rouge
222.10straight+2.0Andy TurnerGreat Britain15 May 2011Manchester
222.10straight+1.8L. J. van ZylSouth Africa9 May 2015Manchester
422.1y straightnwElias GilbertUnited States17 May 1958Raleigh
522.2y straight+1.4David SimeUnited States5 May 1956Durham, NC
522.2y straight+1.3Ancel RobinsonUnited States15 June 1957Austin
522.2y straightnwCalvin CooleyUnited States16 April 1960Abilene
822.26straight+2.0Bershawn JacksonUnited States15 May 2011Manchester
922.3y AstraightnwHarrison DillardUnited States21 June 1947Salt Lake City
922.3y straightnwFran WashingtonUnited States17 May 1958Raleigh
922.3y straightnwDick HowardUnited States16 April 1960Abilene
922.3y straightnwIrvin RobersonUnited States27 May 1961Modesto
1322.4y straightnwRalph BostonUnited States28 May 1960Fort Campbell
1422.48straightnwJohnny DutchUnited States26 May 2017Manchester
1522.5y straightnwFred WolcottUnited States8 June 1940Princeton
1522.5y straightnwWilliam PorterUnited States21 June 1947Salt Lake City
1522.5y straightnwCraig DixonUnited States9 April 1949Los Angeles
1522.5y straightnwRod PerryUnited States14 June 1957Austin
1522.5y straightnwHayes JonesUnited States30 May 1959Austin
1522.5y straightnwRex StuckerUnited States21 May 1960Ames
1522.5y straightnwRex CawleyUnited States15 April 1961Tempe
1522.5y straightnwJohn BetheaUnited States3 June 1962Baltimore
1522.5 bend+1.2Martin LauerWest Germany7 July 1959Zürich
2422.55bendnwLaurent OttozItaly31 May 1995Milan
2422.55straight+0.3Eric FutchUnited States20 May 2018Boston

Women

RankTimeTypeWindAthleteNationalityDatePlaceRef
124.8 bend+0.4Yadisleidy PedrosoItaly6 April 2013Caserta
225.05straight+1.0Meghan BeesleyGreat Britain17 May 2014Manchester
325.31straight+0.5Katarina Johnson-ThompsonGreat Britain9 May 2015Manchester
425.6 bend–0.7Patricia GirardFrance23 August 2001Nantes
525.7 bend–1.5Pam Kilborn-RyanAustralia25 November 1971Melbourne
625.74straight–1.1Perri Shakes-DraytonGreat Britain25 May 2013Manchester
725.79bend+0.5Noemi ZbärenSwitzerland17 May 2014Basel
725.79bend–0.6Lauren WellsAustralia21 January 2017Canberra
925.8 bend+0.6Annelie Jahns-ErdhardtEast Germany5 July 1970Erfurt
925.8 bend–0.9Teresa SukniewiczPoland9 August 1970Warsaw
925.80straight+0.6Ebony MorrisonUnited States20 May 2018Boston
1225.81bend–1.5Zuzana HejnováCzech Republic13 September 2017Kutné Hoře
1325.84straight+1.0Eilidh ChildGreat Britain17 May 2014Manchester
1425.86straight+1.0Denisa RosolováCzech Republic17 May 2014Manchester
1525.88straight+0.3Shamier LittleUnited States16 June 2019Boston
1625.9 bendnwValeria BufanuRomania21 October 1970Bucharest
1625.90straight+1.0Dalilah MuhammadUnited States17 May 2014Manchester
1826.0 bendnwDanuta SraszynskaPoland9 August 1970Warsaw
1926.05straight+0.3Rhonda WhyteJamaica16 June 2019Boston
2026.1 bendnwPat HawkinsUnited States10 July 1971Bakersfield
2126.11bend–0.9Line KlosterNorway11 June 2020Oslo
2226.12straight–0.2Gianna WoodruffPanama4 June 2017Boston
2226.12straight+0.3Cassandra TateUnited States16 June 2019Boston
2426.16straight+0.3Zeney van der WaltSouth Africa16 June 2019Boston
2526.2 bendnwChi ChengTaiwan25 May 1969Walnut

Masters athletics

The event is the official distance for the M80+ and W70+ divisions of Masters athletics. The height for all hurdles in these age groups is 27" and arrangement of the hurdles is different from the previous version. The distance to the first hurdle is 20 metres, which corresponds with the markings for the last half of a 400 metres hurdle race, standard on most tracks. Because, like the flat 200 metres, the race only covers half a standard track, a wind reading is required.

27-inch hurdles

The idea of using 27-inch hurdles was introduced in Europe in 2000. The increment does not exist on standard hurdles, which caused resistance from some NGBs, but the rules were adopted worldwide. Many modern hurdles will not go to that height or would at least require modification to cut the hurdle. Most facilities that have spent thousands of dollars to buy regulation hurdles would certainly not let their hurdles be damaged like this. Since it is a requirement, major championship meets have purchased a few sets of modern modified hurdles, which then creates the logistical problem of shipping these few hurdles between meets in order for the competitors to have an opportunity to race over proper hurdles. As a substitute, many older hurdle designs are easier to modify to get to the proper height and most facilities are less protective of the old, rusty hurdles in the junk pile. Also many training hurdles will go to 27 inches and lower.

Records

After setting the world record for the 300 metres hurdles during its last year on the official program at age 80, at age 81, Canadian Earl Fee set the still standing world record of 36.95 at the NCCWMA Regional Championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico on September 5, 2010. Almost four years later, Fee also set the M85 record of 42.70 in the same meet, this time being held in San Jose, Costa Rica on August 23, 2014. The M90 record of 51.31 was set a month earlier by American Ralph Maxwell with the benefit of high altitude in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA at the Rocky Mountain Masters Games.
Australian Marge Allison holds the W70 record of 36.71, set August 12, 2015 in Lyon, France at the 2015 World Masters Athletics Championships. Allison also holds the W65 record set four years earlier at the same championships. Canadian Christa Bortignon set the W75 record of 39.89 at a domestic meet in Kamloops, British Columbia on May 18, 2013. American sprinting legend Irene Obera learned hurdles sufficiently to set the W80 record 42.24 on July 20, 2014 at the USATF Masters Championships in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.