| Date | 18 – 21 August 2008 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Beijing Guojia Tiyuchang, Beijing Aolinpike Gongyuan, Beijing |
| Participants | 55 from 40 countries |
Since 2004 the world’s best one-lap runner was Jeremy Wariner. He was the defending gold medalist and had won the World Championships in 2005 and 2007. But his 2008 season had shown some chinks in his armor. Early in the year he split from his long-time coach, Clyde Hart, and track experts thought this might hurt him. Whether it had an effect or not could not be known for sure, but LaShawn Merritt, who Wariner had defeated 11 straight times over the past 3 years, moved up to challenge his title as the best 400 runner. Early in the year, Merritt finally defeated Wariner in Berlin, and he repeated that at the US Olympic Trials. They were the two heavy favorites. In the final, they were close coming to the final straight, but Merritt had far more left, pulling away to win easily by almost a full second, the largest margin of victory at the Olympics in this event since 1896. Wariner did shut down some in the straight but held on for the silver medal. The bronze medal looked like it would go to Bahamian Chris Brown. But America’s David Neville closed quickly down the stretch and dove at the line, edging Brown and completing an American sweep of the medals.
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaShawn Merritt |  USA | 44.96 (1 h5) | 44.12 (1 h3) | 43.75 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | Jeremy Wariner | USA | 45.23 (1 h7) | 44.15 (1 h1) | 44.74 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | David Neville | USA | 45.22 (2 h1) | 44.91 (2 h2) | 44.80 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | Chris Brown |  BAH | 44.79 (1 h2) | 44.59 (2 h1) | 44.84 (4) | |||
| 5 | Leslie Djhone |  FRA | 45.12 (1 h1) | 44.79 (1 h2) | 45.11 (5) | |||
| 6 | Martyn Rooney |  GBR | 45.00 (1 h4) | 44.60 (2 h3) | 45.12 (6) | |||
| 7 | Renny Quow |  TTO | 45.13 (2 h6) | 44.82 (4 h3) | 45.22 (7) | |||
| 8 | Johan Wissman |  SWE | 44.81 (3 h2) | 44.64 (3 h3) | 45.39 (8) | |||
| 3 h1 r2/3 | Kévin Borlée |  BEL | 45.43 (4 h1) | 44.88 (3 h1) | – | |||
| 3 h2 r2/3 | Joel Milburn |  AUS | 44.80 (2 h2) | 45.06 (3 h2) | – | |||
| 4 h1 r2/3 | Nery Brenes |  CRC | 45.36 (1 h3) | 44.94 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 4 h2 r2/3 | Ricardo Chambers |  JAM | 45.22 (3 h4) | 45.09 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 5 h1 r2/3 | Saul Weigopwa |  NGR | 45.19 (2 h5) | 45.02 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 5 h2 r2/3 | Jonathan Borlée | BEL | 45.25 (4 h5) | 45.11 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 5 h3 r2/3 | Gary Kikaya |  COD | 44.89 (4 h2) | 44.94 (5 h3) | – | |||
| 6 h1 r2/3 | William Collazo |  CUB | 45.37 (3 h1) | 45.06 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 6 h2 r2/3 | Godday James | NGR | 45.49 (2 h3) | 45.24 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 6 h3 r2/3 | Michael Mathieu | BAH | 45.17 (3 h6) | 45.56 (6 h3) | – | |||
| 7 h1 r2/3 | Tabarie Henry |  ISV | 45.36 (2 h7) | 45.19 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 7 h2 r2/3 | Andretti Bain | BAH | 45.96 (3 h3) | 45.52 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h3 r2/3 | Sean Wroe | AUS | 45.17 (2 h4) | 45.56 (7 h3) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r2/3 | Claudio Licciardello |  ITA | 45.25 (3 h5) | 45.64 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h2 r2/3 | Andrew Steele | GBR | 44.94 (1 h6) | 45.59 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 8 h3 r2/3 | Cédric Van Branteghem | BEL | 45.54 (3 h7) | 45.81 (8 h3) | – | |||
| 4 h3 r1/3 | Niko Verekauta |  FIJ | 46.32 (4 h3) | – | – | |||
| 4 h4 r1/3 | Erison Hurtault |  DMA | 46.10 (4 h4) | – | – | |||
| 4 h6 r1/3 | Michael Blackwood | JAM | 45.56 (4 h6) | – | – | |||
| 4 h7 r1/3 | David Gillick |  IRL | 45.83 (4 h7) | – | – | |||
| 5 h1 r1/3 | Talkmore Nyongani |  ZIM | 45.89 (5 h1) | – | – | |||
| 5 h2 r1/3 | Sanjay Ayre | JAM | 45.66 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 5 h3 r1/3 | Fernando de Almeida |  BRA | 46.60 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 5 h4 r1/3 | Andrés Silva |  URU | 46.34 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 5 h5 r1/3 | Ato Modibo | TTO | 45.63 (5 h5) | – | – | |||
| 5 h6 r1/3 | Tyler Christopher |  CAN | 45.67 (5 h6) | – | – | |||
| 5 h7 r1/3 | Maksim Dyldin |  RUS | 46.03 (5 h7) | – | – | |||
| 6 h1 r1/3 | Éric Milazar |  MRI | 46.06 (6 h1) | – | – | |||
| 6 h2 r1/3 | Arismendy Peguero |  DOM | 46.28 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 6 h3 r1/3 | Lewis Banda | ZIM | 46.76 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 6 h4 r1/3 | Rudolf Götz |  CZE | 46.38 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 6 h5 r1/3 | Alleyne Francique |  GRN | 46.15 (6 h5) | – | – | |||
| 6 h6 r1/3 | Joel Phillip | GRN | 46.30 (6 h6) | – | – | |||
| 6 h7 r1/3 | Mykhailo Knysh |  UKR | 46.28 (6 h7) | – | – | |||
| 7 h1 r1/3 | Gakologelwang Masheto |  BOT | 46.29 (7 h1) | – | – | |||
| 7 h2 r1/3 | Ivano Bucci |  SMR | 48.54 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 7 h3 r1/3 | Vincent Mumo |  KEN | 46.79 (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 7 h4 r1/3 | Yuzo Kanemaru |  JPN | 46.39 (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| 7 h5 r1/3 | Geiner Mosquera |  COL | 46.59 (7 h5) | – | – | |||
| 7 h6 r1/3 | Félix Martínez |  PUR | 46.46 (7 h6) | – | – | |||
| 7 h7 r1/3 | Mathieu Gnanligo |  BEN | 47.10 (7 h7) | – | – | |||
| 8 h2 r1/3 | Liu Xiaosheng |  CHN | 53.11 (8 h2) | – | – | |||
| 8 h3 r1/3 | Nagmeldin Ali |  SUD | 47.12 (8 h3) | – | – | |||
| 8 h5 r1/3 | Siraj Williams |  LBR | 47.89 (8 h5) | – | – | |||
| 8 h6 r1/3 | Daniel Dąbrowski |  POL | 47.83 (8 h6) | – | – | |||
| 8 h7 r1/3 | Naiel d’Almeida |  STP | 49.08 (8 h7) | – | – | |||
| Denis Alekseyev | RUS | [45.52] (DQ h1) | – | – | 1 | |||
| California Molefe | BOT | – (DNS h4) | – | – |
| Date | 18 August 2008 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 3 in each heat and next three fastest advanced to the semi-finals. |
| Time | 9:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leslie Djhone | FRA | 45.12 | 0.190 | ||
| 2 | David Neville | USA | 45.22 | 0.189 | ||
| 3 | William Collazo | CUB | 45.37 | 0.180 | ||
| 4 | Kévin Borlée | BEL | 45.43 | 0.149 | ||
| 5 | Talkmore Nyongani | ZIM | 45.89 | 0.249 | ||
| 6 | Éric Milazar | MRI | 46.06 | 0.209 | ||
| 7 | Gakologelwang Masheto | BOT | 46.29 | 0.183 | ||
| Denis Alekseyev | RUS | [45.52] | [0.299] | 3 |
| Time | 9:08 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Brown | BAH | 44.79 | 0.205 | ||
| 2 | Joel Milburn | AUS | 44.80 | 0.155 | ||
| 3 | Johan Wissman | SWE | 44.81 | 0.229 | ||
| 4 | Gary Kikaya | COD | 44.89 | 0.184 | ||
| 5 | Sanjay Ayre | JAM | 45.66 | 0.177 | ||
| 6 | Arismendy Peguero | DOM | 46.28 | 0.236 | ||
| 7 | Ivano Bucci | SMR | 48.54 | 0.209 | ||
| 8 | Liu Xiaosheng | CHN | 53.11 | 0.245 |
| Time | 9:16 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nery Brenes | CRC | 45.36 | 0.196 | ||
| 2 | Godday James | NGR | 45.49 | 0.200 | ||
| 3 | Andretti Bain | BAH | 45.96 | 0.225 | ||
| 4 | Niko Verekauta | FIJ | 46.32 | 0.161 | ||
| 5 | Fernando de Almeida | BRA | 46.60 | 0.158 | ||
| 6 | Lewis Banda | ZIM | 46.76 | 0.244 | ||
| 7 | Vincent Mumo | KEN | 46.79 | 0.212 | ||
| 8 | Nagmeldin Ali | SUD | 47.12 | 0.247 |
| Time | 9:24 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martyn Rooney | GBR | 45.00 | 0.207 | ||
| 2 | Sean Wroe | AUS | 45.17 | 0.182 | ||
| 3 | Ricardo Chambers | JAM | 45.22 | 0.211 | ||
| 4 | Erison Hurtault | DMA | 46.10 | 0.246 | ||
| 5 | Andrés Silva | URU | 46.34 | 0.265 | ||
| 6 | Rudolf Götz | CZE | 46.38 | 0.157 | ||
| 7 | Yuzo Kanemaru | JPN | 46.39 | 0.225 | ||
| California Molefe | BOT | – | – |
| Time | 9:32 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaShawn Merritt | USA | 44.96 | 0.214 | ||
| 2 | Saul Weigopwa | NGR | 45.19 | 0.172 | ||
| 3 | Claudio Licciardello | ITA | 45.25 | 0.186 | ||
| 4 | Jonathan Borlée | BEL | 45.25 | 0.225 | ||
| 5 | Ato Modibo | TTO | 45.63 | 0.195 | ||
| 6 | Alleyne Francique | GRN | 46.15 | 0.215 | ||
| 7 | Geiner Mosquera | COL | 46.59 | 0.268 | ||
| 8 | Siraj Williams | LBR | 47.89 | 0.288 |
| Time | 9:40 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Steele | GBR | 44.94 | 0.248 | ||
| 2 | Renny Quow | TTO | 45.13 | 0.266 | ||
| 3 | Michael Mathieu | BAH | 45.17 | 0.193 | ||
| 4 | Michael Blackwood | JAM | 45.56 | 0.204 | ||
| 5 | Tyler Christopher | CAN | 45.67 | 0.172 | ||
| 6 | Joel Phillip | GRN | 46.30 | 0.198 | ||
| 7 | Félix Martínez | PUR | 46.46 | 0.347 | ||
| 8 | Daniel Dąbrowski | POL | 47.83 | 0.260 |
| Time | 9:48 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremy Wariner | USA | 45.23 | 0.253 | ||
| 2 | Tabarie Henry | ISV | 45.36 | 0.165 | ||
| 3 | Cédric Van Branteghem | BEL | 45.54 | 0.203 | ||
| 4 | David Gillick | IRL | 45.83 | 0.275 | ||
| 5 | Maksim Dyldin | RUS | 46.03 | 0.194 | ||
| 6 | Mykhailo Knysh | UKR | 46.28 | 0.260 | ||
| 7 | Mathieu Gnanligo | BEN | 47.10 | 0.207 | ||
| 8 | Naiel d’Almeida | STP | 49.08 | 0.178 |
| Date | 19 August 2008 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 2 in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaShawn Merritt | USA | 44.12 | 0.187 | ||
| 2 | Jeremy Wariner | USA | 44.15 | 0.224 | ||
| 3 | Chris Brown | BAH | 44.59 | 0.244 | ||
| 4 | Martyn Rooney | GBR | 44.60 | 0.126 | ||
| 5 | Johan Wissman | SWE | 44.64 | 0.211 | ||
| 6 | Leslie Djhone | FRA | 44.79 | 0.159 | ||
| 7 | Renny Quow | TTO | 44.82 | 0.204 | ||
| 8 | Kévin Borlée | BEL | 44.88 | 0.162 | ||
| 9 | David Neville | USA | 44.91 | 0.190 | ||
| =10 | Nery Brenes | CRC | 44.94 | 0.169 | ||
| =10 | Gary Kikaya | COD | 44.94 | 0.187 | ||
| 12 | Saul Weigopwa | NGR | 45.02 | 0.168 | ||
| =13 | William Collazo | CUB | 45.06 | 0.191 | ||
| =13 | Joel Milburn | AUS | 45.06 | 0.187 | ||
| 15 | Ricardo Chambers | JAM | 45.09 | 0.220 | ||
| 16 | Jonathan Borlée | BEL | 45.11 | 0.191 | ||
| 17 | Tabarie Henry | ISV | 45.19 | 0.165 | ||
| 18 | Godday James | NGR | 45.24 | 0.185 | ||
| 19 | Andretti Bain | BAH | 45.52 | 0.196 | ||
| 20 | Michael Mathieu | BAH | 45.56 | 0.203 | ||
| 21 | Sean Wroe | AUS | 45.56 | 0.205 | ||
| 22 | Andrew Steele | GBR | 45.59 | 0.216 | ||
| 23 | Claudio Licciardello | ITA | 45.64 | 0.259 | ||
| 24 | Cédric Van Branteghem | BEL | 45.81 | 0.199 |
| Time | 21:45 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremy Wariner | USA | 44.15 | 0.224 | ||
| 2 | Chris Brown | BAH | 44.59 | 0.244 | ||
| 3 | Kévin Borlée | BEL | 44.88 | 0.162 | ||
| 4 | Nery Brenes | CRC | 44.94 | 0.169 | ||
| 5 | Saul Weigopwa | NGR | 45.02 | 0.168 | ||
| 6 | William Collazo | CUB | 45.06 | 0.191 | ||
| 7 | Tabarie Henry | ISV | 45.19 | 0.165 | ||
| 8 | Claudio Licciardello | ITA | 45.64 | 0.259 |
| Time | 21:52 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leslie Djhone | FRA | 44.79 | 0.159 | ||
| 2 | David Neville | USA | 44.91 | 0.190 | ||
| 3 | Joel Milburn | AUS | 45.06 | 0.187 | ||
| 4 | Ricardo Chambers | JAM | 45.09 | 0.220 | ||
| 5 | Jonathan Borlée | BEL | 45.11 | 0.191 | ||
| 6 | Godday James | NGR | 45.24 | 0.185 | ||
| 7 | Andretti Bain | BAH | 45.52 | 0.196 | ||
| 8 | Andrew Steele | GBR | 45.59 | 0.216 |
| Time | 21:59 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaShawn Merritt | USA | 44.12 | 0.187 | ||
| 2 | Martyn Rooney | GBR | 44.60 | 0.126 | ||
| 3 | Johan Wissman | SWE | 44.64 | 0.211 | ||
| 4 | Renny Quow | TTO | 44.82 | 0.204 | ||
| 5 | Gary Kikaya | COD | 44.94 | 0.187 | ||
| 6 | Michael Mathieu | BAH | 45.56 | 0.203 | ||
| 7 | Sean Wroe | AUS | 45.56 | 0.205 | ||
| 8 | Cédric Van Branteghem | BEL | 45.81 | 0.199 |
| Date | 21 August 2008 — 21:20 |
|---|
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaShawn Merritt | USA | 43.75 | 0.318 | ||
| 2 | Jeremy Wariner | USA | 44.74 | 0.209 | ||
| 3 | David Neville | USA | 44.80 | 0.293 | ||
| 4 | Chris Brown | BAH | 44.84 | 0.231 | ||
| 5 | Leslie Djhone | FRA | 45.11 | 0.164 | ||
| 6 | Martyn Rooney | GBR | 45.12 | 0.208 | 4 | |
| 7 | Renny Quow | TTO | 45.22 | 0.201 | ||
| 8 | Johan Wissman | SWE | 45.39 | 0.218 |
