OLYMPIC GAMES | ATHLETICS
What is the 100m, 200m and 400m track and field Olympic and world record?
Day seven of the Olympic Games brings with it the track and field events, some of the most anticipated spectacles in Paris.
As happens every time they come round, the Olympic Games are providing millions of moments that will go down in history. Day seven of the Paris 2024 Games introduces the track and field events, which always prove to be hugely popular.
Over the years, we have seen some ferocious running records broken, with the 100m, 200m and 400m sprints always a fan favourite.
The sport of racing at the Olympics can see its history traced right back to 1896, in Athens. The official story goes that in order to commemorate the legend of Pheidippides who supposedly ran from Marathon to Athens, a 40-kilometre (24.9 mile) run was included on the first Olympic program.
Spiridon Louis, a shepherd from outside of Athens”, writes the official website, “took the lead with four kilometers (2.5 miles) to go and entered the stadium first. To the elation of some 100,000 spectators, including Prince George and Prince Constantine of Greece, who ran alongside Louis as he crossed the finish line, Louis become the first Olympic marathon champion and a national hero”.
Who holds the men’s 100m sprint world record?
Usain Bolt ran 100 metres in the time it too you to read the opening two lines of this article. The Jamaican smashed the previous world record of 9.69 seconds, putting in a 9.58 at the Berlin World Athletics Championships in 2009.
As for the Olympic record, Mr Bolt holds that one as well: he ran a 9.63 at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
To be honest, there’s nothing to say about the great man that hasn’t already been said, so I’ll just leave you with the video of his feat:
Who holds the 200m world record?
This record goes to a sprinter you may have heard of, called Usain Bolt. The Jamaican ran the 19:19 second time in - you guessed it - Berlin 2009. He beat the previous record of 19:30 seconds set by... Usain Bolt, at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, just one year earlier.
That time, he ran a 19:30 in China, the previous Olympic and world record.
Who holds the 400m world record?
South Africa’s Wade Van Niekerk set a new world record and won gold in the men’s 400m sprint in Rio 2016, putting in an astounding time of 43.03. Quite frankly, I don’t know how Usain Bolt looks at himself in the mirror every morning...
Track an Field events will run from August 1 to August 11, 2024. Morning sessions typically start around 4:00 a.m. ET / 1:00 a.m. PT. Evening sessions begin at approximately 1:00 p.m ET / 10:00 a.m. PT.
The following channels will be broadcasting the game live in the US: NBC, USA Network, Peacock. Watch Team USA Track & Field events live stream on FuboTV (free trial available).