Women's 400 metres world record progression


The first world record in the 400 m for women was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation, now known as the International Association of Athletics Federations, 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.

Record progression 1957–1976

TimeAutoAthleteNationalityLocation of raceDate
57.0yMarlene MathewsSydney, Australia6 January 1957
57.0yMarise ChamberlainChristchurch, New Zealand16 February 1957
56.3yNancy BoyleSydney, Australia24 February 1957
55.2Polina LazarevaMoscow, Soviet Union10 May 1957
54.0Mariya ItkinaMinsk, Soviet Union8 June 1957
53.6Mariya ItkinaMoscow, Soviet Union6 July 1957
53.4+Mariya ItkinaKrasnodar, Soviet Union12 September 1959
53.4Mariya ItkinaBelgrade, Yugoslavia14 September 1962
51.9Shin Geum-DanPyongyang, North Korea23 October 1962
51.751.72Nicole DuclosAthens, Greece18 September 1969
51.751.74Colette BessonAthens, Greece18 September 1969
51.051.02Marilyn NeufvilleEdinburgh, Scotland23 July 1970
51.051.08Monika ZehrtParis, France4 July 1972
49.9Irena SzewińskaWarsaw, Poland22 June 1974

indicates time for 440 yards, ratified as a record for this event
plus sign denotes en route time during longer race
The "Time" column indicates the ratified mark; the "Auto" column indicates a fully automatic time that was also recorded in the event when hand-timed marks were used for official records, or which was the basis for the official mark, rounded to the 10th of a second, depending on the rules then in place.

Record progression from 1975

From 1975, the IAAF accepted separate automatically electronically timed records for events up to 400 metres. Starting January 1, 1977, the IAAF required fully automatic timing to the hundredth of a second for these events.
Riitta Salin's 50.14 from 1974 was the fastest recorded result to that time.
TimeAthleteNationalityLocation of raceDate
50.14Riitta SalinRome, Italy4 September 1974
49.77Christina BrehmerDresden, East Germany9 May 1976
49.75Irena SzewińskaBydgoszcz, Poland22 June 1976
49.29Irena SzewińskaMontreal, Canada29 July 1976
49.19Marita KochLeipzig, East Germany2 July 1978
49.03Marita KochPotsdam, East Germany19 August 1978
48.94Marita KochPrague, Czechoslovakia31 August 1978
48.89Marita KochPotsdam, East Germany29 July 1979
48.60Marita KochTurin, Italy4 August 1979
48.16Marita KochAthens, Greece8 September 1982
47.99Jarmila KratochvílováHelsinki, Finland10 August 1983
47.60Marita KochCanberra, Australia6 October 1985