Women's 400 metres world record progression
Introduction 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.
Record progression 1957–1976  Time Auto Athlete Nationality Location of race Date57.0yMarlene Mathews Sydney, Australia6 January 195757.0yMarise ChamberlainChristchurch, New Zealand16 February 195756.3yNancy BoyleSydney, Australia24 February 195755.2Polina LazarevaMoscow, Soviet Union10 May 195754.0Mariya ItkinaMinsk, Soviet Union8 June 195753.6Mariya ItkinaMoscow, Soviet Union6 July 195753.4+Mariya ItkinaKrasnodar, Soviet Union12 September 195953.4Mariya ItkinaBelgrade, Yugoslavia14 September 196251.9Shin Geum-DanPyongyang, North Korea23 October 196251.751.72Nicole DuclosAthens, Greece18 September 196951.751.74Colette BessonAthens, Greece18 September 196951.051.02Marilyn NeufvilleEdinburgh, Scotland23 July 197051.051.08Monika ZehrtParis, France4 July 197249.9Irena SzewińskaWarsaw, Poland22 June 1974(y) indicates time for 440 yards (402.34 metres), ratified as a record for this event(+) plus sign denotes en route time during longer raceThe "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. Time Athlete Nationality Location of race DateDuration of record50.14Riitta SalinRome, Italy4 September 197449.77Christina BrehmerDresden, East Germany9 May 197649.75Irena SzewińskaBydgoszcz, Poland22 June 197649.29Irena SzewińskaMontreal, Canada29 July 197649.19Marita KochLeipzig, East Germany2 July 197849.03Marita KochPotsdam, East Germany19 August 197848.94Marita KochPrague, Czechoslovakia31 August 197848.89Marita KochPotsdam, East Germany29 July 197948.60Marita KochTurin, Italy4 August 197948.16Marita KochAthens, Greece8 September 198247.99Jarmila KratochvílováHelsinki, Finland10 August 198347.60Marita KochCanberra, Australia6 October 1985
References