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Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres

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Men's 400 metres
at the Games of the XXVI Olympiad
VenueCentennial Olympic Stadium
Dates26 July 1996 (heats)
27 July 1996 (quarter-finals)
28 July 1996 (semi-finals)
29 July 1996 (final)
Competitors62 from 42 nations
Winning time43.49 OR
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Michael Johnson
 United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Roger Black
 Great Britain
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Davis Kamoga
 Uganda
← 1992
2000 →
Official Video Highlights
@ 1:50

The men's 400 metres event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia took place between 26 and 29 July. There were 62 competitors from 42 countries.[1][2] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress.

The event was won by Michael Johnson of the United States. A few days later, Johnson would become the only man to win both the 400 metres and the 200 metres in the same Olympics. Johnson's 400 metres victory in Atlanta was the first of his two wins; he would become the only man to repeat as gold medalist in the event when he won again in 2000. More generally, his win was the fourth in what would ultimately be 7 consecutive American victories stretching from 1984 to 2008 and the 16th overall title in the event by the United States. Roger Black's silver medal was Great Britain's first in the event since 1936; Davis Kamoga's bronze was Uganda's first in the event ever.

Background

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This was the 23rd appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The only two finalists from 1992 to return were bronze medalist Samson Kitur of Kenya and seventh-place finisher Ibrahim Ismail Muftah of Qatar. Michael Johnson of the United States was the clear favorite, having won the last two world championships. His countryman Butch Reynolds had come in second both times, as well as having won silver in the 1988 Olympics. Roger Black of Great Britain, 1991 world championship runner-up, 1986 and 1990 European champion, and 1994 European runner-up, was probably the strongest non-American challenger.[2]

Algeria, Comoros, Cyprus, Saint Lucia, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, and Yemen appeared in this event for the first time. The United States made its 22nd appearance, most of any nation, having missed only the boycotted 1980 Games.

Competition format

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The competition retained the basic four-round format from 1920. The "fastest loser" system, introduced in 1964, was used for the first round. There were 8 first-round heats, each with 7 or 8 runners. The top three runners in each heat advanced, along with the next eight fastest overall (in contrast to previous instances where there were 8 heats, which used a top-four with no-fastest-loser rule). The 32 quarterfinalists were divided into 4 quarterfinals with 8 runners each; the top four athletes in each quarterfinal heat advanced to the semifinals, with no "fastest loser" spots. The semifinals featured 2 heats of 8 runners each. The top four runners in each semifinal heat advanced, making an eight-man final.[2][3]

Records

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These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics.

World record  Butch Reynolds (USA) 43.29 Zürich, Switzerland 17 August 1988
Olympic record  Quincy Watts (USA) 43.50 Barcelona, Spain 5 August 1992

In the final Michael Johnson set a new Olympic record by 0.01 seconds with 43.49 seconds.

Schedule

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Following the 1984 schedule, the event was held on four separate days, with each round being on a different day.

All times are Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4)

Date Time Round
Friday, 26 July 1996 19:00 Round 1
Saturday, 27 July 1996 19:55 Quarterfinals
Sunday, 28 July 1996 20:26 Semifinals
Monday, 29 July 1996 21:10 Final

Results

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Round 1

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Heat 1

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 3 Roger Black  Great Britain 45.28 Q
2 2 Neil de Silva  Trinidad and Tobago 45.34 Q
3 1 Štefan Balošák  Slovakia 45.86 Q
4 6 Jude Monye  Nigeria 46.10 q
5 7 Michael Joubert  Australia 46.30
6 5 Kossi Akoto  Togo 46.94
8 Moustafa Abdel Naser  Libya DSQ
4 Amar Hecini  Algeria DSQ

Heat 2

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 5 Davian Clarke  Jamaica 45.54 Q
2 7 Sanderlei Parrela  Brazil 45.60 Q
3 1 Troy Douglas  Bermuda 45.61 Q
4 6 Charles Gitonga  Kenya 45.62 q
5 2 Piotr Rysiukiewicz  Poland 46.07 q
6 3 Mohamed Hamed Al-Bishi  Saudi Arabia 46.82
7 8 Ivan Jean-Marie  Saint Lucia 47.13
8 4 Hassan Abdou  Comoros 50.17

Heat 3

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 6 Alvin Harrison  United States 44.69 Q
2 5 Ibrahim Ismail Muftah  Qatar 45.61 Q
3 2 Paul Greene  Australia 46.12 Q
4 8 Shigekazu Omori  Japan 46.30
5 3 Laurent Clerc  Switzerland 46.42
6 4 Shon Ju-Il  South Korea 46.74
7 7 Subul Babo  Papua New Guinea 48.15
1 Justice Dipeba  Botswana DNS

Heat 4

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 6 Eswort Coombs  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 45.84 Q
2 5 Jean-Louis Rapnouil  France 45.93 Q
3 3 Du'aine Ladejo  Great Britain 46.27 Q
4 2 Troy McIntosh  Bahamas 46.42
5 7 Valdinei da Silva  Brazil 46.61
6 1 Richard Jones  Guyana 46.99
7 4 Mpho Morobe  Lesotho 47.54
8 8 Mohamed Amir  Maldives 49.67

Heat 5

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 8 Sugath Thilakaratne  Sri Lanka 45.79 Q
2 3 Michael Johnson  United States 45.80 Q
3 6 Alejandro Cárdenas  Mexico 45.85 Q
4 1 Bobang Phiri  South Africa 45.94 q
5 5 Kennedy Ochieng  Kenya 45.99 q
6 2 Euripidis Dimosthenous  Cyprus 46.76
7 4 Emmanuel Rubayiza  Rwanda 49.20
7 Francis Ogola  Uganda DNF

Heat 6

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 7 Butch Reynolds  United States 45.42 Q
2 3 Arnaud Malherbe  South Africa 45.75 Q
3 6 Tawanda Chiwira  Zimbabwe 45.89 Q
4 5 Mathias Rusterholz  Switzerland 45.92 q
5 1 Dawda Jallow  The Gambia 46.73
6 4 Eugene Farrell  Ireland 47.18
7 2 Casimiro Asumu Nze  Equatorial Guinea 50.14
8 Ibrahim Hassan  Ghana DNF

Heat 7

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 1 Clement Chukwu  Nigeria 45.18 Q
2 8 Samson Kitur  Kenya 45.39 Q
3 5 Michael McDonald  Jamaica 45.50 Q
4 6 Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa 45.89 q
5 4 Osmar dos Santos  Brazil 46.16
6 2 Robert Guy  Trinidad and Tobago 46.80
7 7 Martial Biguet  Central African Republic 48.92
8 3 Anwar Mohamed Ali  Yemen 50.81

Heat 8

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 2 Sunday Bada  Nigeria 45.19 Q
2 7 Iwan Thomas  Great Britain 45.22 Q
3 1 Davis Kamoga  Uganda 45.56 Q
4 5 Roxbert Martin  Jamaica 46.01 q
5 8 Mark Ladbrook  Australia 46.28
6 6 Carl Oliver  Bahamas 47.41
7 3 Kimitene Biyago  Chad 48.88
4 Ibrahim Ouédraogo  Burkina Faso DNS

Eliminated in heats

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Ranks are unofficial.

Rank Athlete Nation Time
33 Osmar dos Santos  Brazil 46.16
34 Mark Ladbrook  Australia 46.28
35 Michael Joubert  Australia 46.30
Shigekazu Omori  Japan 46.30
37 Troy McIntosh  Bahamas 46.42
Laurent Clerc  Switzerland 46.42
39 Valdinei da Silva  Brazil 46.61
40 Richard Jones  Guyana 46.69
41 Dawda Jallow  The Gambia 46.73
42 Shon Ju-Il  South Korea 46.74
43 Evripides Demosthenous  Cyprus 46.76
44 Robert Guy  Trinidad and Tobago 46.80
45 Mohamed Hamed Al-Bishi  Saudi Arabia 46.82
46 Kossi Akoto  Togo 46.94
47 Ivan Jean-Marie  Saint Lucia 47.13
48 Eugene Farrell  Ireland 47.18
49 Carl Oliver  Bahamas 47.41
50 Mpho Morobe  Lesotho 47.54
51 Subul Babo  Papua New Guinea 48.15
52 Kimitene Biyago  Chad 48.88
53 Martial Biguet  Central African Republic 48.92
54 Emmanuel Rubayiza  Rwanda 49.20
55 Mohamed Amir  Maldives 49.67
56 Casimiro Asumu Nze  Equatorial Guinea 50.14
57 Hassan Abdou  Comoros 50.17
58 Anwar Mohamed Ali  Yemen 50.81
Ibrahim Hassan  Ghana DNF
Francis Ogola  Uganda DNF
Moustafa Abdel Naser  Libya DSQ
Amar Hecini  Algeria DSQ
Ibrahim Ouédraogo  Burkina Faso DNS
Justice Dipeba  Botswana DNS

Quarterfinals

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The quarterfinals were held on 27 July 1996. The top four in each heat advanced to the semifinals.

Quarterfinal 1

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 3 Sunday Bada  Nigeria 44.88 Q
2 4 Davian Clarke  Jamaica 44.98 Q
3 6 Samson Kitur  Kenya 45.03 Q
4 2 Troy Douglas  Bermuda 45.26 Q
5 5 Arnaud Malherbe  South Africa 45.26
6 7 Tawanda Chiwira  Zimbabwe 45.38
7 8 Mathias Rusterholz  Switzerland 45.72
8 1 Piotr Rysiukiewicz  Poland 46.19

Quarterfinal 2

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 3 Roger Black  Great Britain 44.72 Q
2 4 Ibrahim Ismail Muftah  Qatar 44.96 Q
3 5 Butch Reynolds  United States 45.21 Q
4 8 Štefan Balošák  Slovakia 45.32 Q
5 7 Alejandro Cárdenas  Mexico 45.33
6 1 Bobang Phiri  South Africa 45.51
7 6 Sanderlei Parrela  Brazil 45.72
8 2 Kennedy Ochieng  Kenya 45.72

Quarterfinal 3

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 6 Michael Johnson  United States 44.62 Q
2 7 Roxbert Martin  Jamaica 44.74 Q
3 8 Davis Kamoga  Uganda 44.82 Q
4 4 Neil de Silva  Trinidad and Tobago 45.02 Q
5 3 Clement Chukwu  Nigeria 45.24
6 2 Du'aine Ladejo  Great Britain 45.62
7 5 Sugath Thilakaratne  Sri Lanka 45.78
8 1 Paul Greene  Australia 46.22

Quarterfinal 4

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 4 Alvin Harrison  United States 44.79 Q
2 6 Iwan Thomas  Great Britain 45.04 Q
3 7 Michael McDonald  Jamaica 45.26 Q
4 5 Eswort Coombs  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 45.43 Q
5 3 Jean-Louis Rapnouil  France 45.74
6 1 Hendrick Mokganyetsi  South Africa 46.48
2 Jude Monye  Nigeria DNF
8 Charles Gitonga  Kenya DNS

Eliminated in quarterfinals

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Ranks are unofficial.

Rank Athlete Nation Time
17 Clement Chukwu  Nigeria 45.24
18 Arnaud Malherbe  South Africa 45.26
19 Alejandro Cardenas  Mexico 45.33
20 Tawanda Chiwira  Zimbabwe 45.38
21 Bobang Phiri  South Africa 45.51
22 Du'aine Ladejo  Great Britain 45.62
23 Sanderlei Parrela  Brazil 45.72
24 Mathias Rusterholz  Switzerland 45.72
25 Kennedy Ochieng  Kenya 45.72
26 Jean-Louis Rapnouil  France 45.74
27 Sugath Thilakaratne  Sri Lanka 45.78
28 Piotr Rysiukiewicz  Poland 46.19
29 Paul Greene  Australia 46.22
30 Hendrik Mokganyetsi  South Africa 46.48
31 Jude Monye  Nigeria DNF
32 Charles Gitonga  Kenya DNS

Semifinals

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The semifinals were held on 28 July 1996. The top four in each heat advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 4 Roger Black  Great Britain 44.69 Q
2 3 Davian Clarke  Jamaica 44.87 Q
3 6 Ibrahim Ismail Muftah  Qatar 45.02 Q
4 5 Alvin Harrison  United States 45.04 Q
5 2 Samson Kitur  Kenya 45.17
6 7 Štefan Balošák  Slovakia 45.59
7 8 Troy Douglas  Bermuda 46.33
1 Butch Reynolds  United States DNF

Semifinal 2

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 5 Michael Johnson  United States 44.59 Q
2 6 Roxbert Martin  Jamaica 44.81 Q
3 1 Davis Kamoga  Uganda 44.85 Q
4 3 Iwan Thomas  Great Britain 45.01 Q
5 4 Sunday Bada  Nigeria 45.30
6 8 Eswort Coombs  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 45.36
7 2 Michael McDonald  Jamaica 45.48
8 7 Neil de Silva  Trinidad and Tobago 45.56

Eliminated in semifinals

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Ranks are unofficial.

Rank Athlete Nation Time
9 Samson Kitur  Kenya 45.17
10 Sunday Bada  Nigeria 45.30
11 Eswort Coombs  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 45.36
12 Michael McDonald  Jamaica 45.48
13 Neil de Silva  Trinidad and Tobago 45.56
14 Štefan Balošák  Slovakia 45.59
15 Troy Douglas  Bermuda 46.33
16 Butch Reynolds  United States DNF

Final

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The final was held on 29 July 1996.

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes
1st place, gold medalist(s) 4 Michael Johnson  United States 43.49 OR
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 3 Roger Black  Great Britain 44.41
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 2 Davis Kamoga  Uganda 44.53
4 1 Alvin Harrison  United States 44.62
5 8 Iwan Thomas  Great Britain 44.70
6 5 Roxbert Martin  Jamaica 44.83
7 6 Davian Clarke  Jamaica 44.99
7 Ibrahim Ismail Muftah  Qatar DNF

See also

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Women's 400 metres

References

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  1. ^ "Athletics at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games: Men's 400 metres". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "400 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  3. ^ Official Report, vol. 3, pp. 72–73.
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