2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 400 metres


The men's 400 metres at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships took place on 2 and 3 March 2018.

Summary

For the first time ever in a World Championship, every runner in a single preliminary heat was disqualified. It was the third heat, where first returning silver medalist Abdalelah Haroun false started himself out of the heat. Then, in the process of winning the heat, #5 runner of all time Bralon Taplin broke from his lane too early. The other three remaining runners, Austris Karpinskis, Alonzo Russell and Steven Gayle followed his lead and also broke too early. 2012 Champion Nery Brenes also found himself disqualified after winning the fifth heat. With two place qualifiers missing, it opened the door for Juander Santos and Mikhail Litvin to take the extra time qualification positions in the semi-final round.
In the final, Óscar Husillos was given the advantageous lane 6 starting position. With a fast start and aggressive first lap, Husillos was first to the break line and used it to deftly close the door and take the lead with a lap to go. Inside of him in lane 4, Pavel Maslák held the advantage over Luguelín Santos in lane 5 as they got squeezed by Husillos. Santos tried to force his way around Maslák, making Maslák hold out his harm to protect his position, but Santos took the second position in chase of Husillos. Behind them, Michael Cherry tried but was unable to get around Maslák. Three meters further back, Aldrich Bailey was also trying to catch Cherry but unable to make progress, with Deon Lendore chasing two metres back. As they reached the final straightaway, Santos made one final run at Husillos, who desperately leaned for the finish line in an impressive 44.92. Everyone held their position except Baily, who eased up on the final straightaway, passed by Lendore just before the line.
In an additional case of aggressive enforcement of the rulebook in this event, Husillos and Santos were disqualified for lane violations, giving Maslák his third consecutive championship, Cherry the silver and Bailey letting Lendore pass at the end cost him a bronze medal that Lendore will receive. The disqualifications were booed by the crowd but were upheld by video evidence on appeal. If it were allowed to stand, Husillos time would be the #6 performance of all time, and the European record.

Results

Heats

The heats were started on 2 March at 11:20.
RankHeatLaneNameNationalityTimeNotes
126Luka Janežič46.45Q
265Óscar Husillos46.51Q
315Jakub Krzewina46.57Q
416Deon Lendore46.68Q
556Aldrich Bailey46.77Q
666Pavel Maslák46.80Q
755Lee Thompson46.81Q
863Luguelín Santos46.83q
964Yousef Karam46.86q
1025Javon Francis46.87Q
1124Chidi Okezie46.91q
1223Asa Guevara46.92q
1313Lucas Búa46.96q
1454Patrik Šorm46.99q
1545Michael Cherry46.99Q
1614Juander Santos47.02q
1746Rafał Omelko47.13Q
1843Mikhail Litvin47.16q
1944Vitalii Butrym47.45
2012Michael Anthony Rasmijn49.20NR
2161Davron Atabaev49.20SB
2221Kelvin Delvin Ramírez49.88SB
2322Tikie Terry Mael49.92PB
2442Mohamed Naail49.98NR
2562Narek Ghukasyan51.02PB
35Abdalelah Haroun162.8
36Bralon Taplin163.3
32Austris Karpinskis163.3
34Alonzo Russell163.3
33Steven Gayle163.3
53Nery Brenes163.3
52Mazen Alyasen

Semifinal

The semifinals were started on 2 March at 21:06.
RankHeatLaneNameNationalityTimeNotes
125Óscar Husillos45.69Q
226Michael Cherry45.73Q
313Luguelín Santos46.31Q, SB
434Pavel Maslák46.32Q
516Aldrich Bailey46.33Q
636Deon Lendore46.33Q
735Luka Janežič46.37
824Rafał Omelko46.39
915Jakub Krzewina46.69
1014Javon Francis46.73
1122Juander Santos46.83PB
1221Asa Guevara46.91
1312Patrik Šorm47.04
1423Lee Thompson47.14
1511Lucas Búa47.14
1631Mikhail Litvin47.94
1732Chidi Okezie48.53
33Yousef Karam

Final

The final was started on 3 March at 20:20.
RankNameNationalityTimeNotes
Pavel Maslák45.47SB
Michael Cherry45.84
Deon Lendore46.37
4Aldrich Bailey46.44
Óscar HusillosDQ163.3
Luguelín SantosDQ163.3