| | Event type

400 metres, Men

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	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	3205	LaShawn Merritt	USA	44.96 (1 h5)	44.12 (1 h3)	43.75 (1)	Gold
2	3253	Jeremy Wariner	USA	45.23 (1 h7)	44.15 (1 h1)	44.74 (2)	Silver
3	3209	David Neville	USA	45.22 (2 h1)	44.91 (2 h2)	44.80 (3)	Bronze
4	1095	Chris Brown	BAH	44.79 (1 h2)	44.59 (2 h1)	44.84 (4)
5	1733	Leslie Djhone	FRA	45.12 (1 h1)	44.79 (1 h2)	45.11 (5)
6	1830	Martyn Rooney	GBR	45.00 (1 h4)	44.60 (2 h3)	45.12 (6)
7	3023	Renny Quow	TTO	45.13 (2 h6)	44.82 (4 h3)	45.22 (7)
8	2955	Johan Wissman	SWE	44.81 (3 h2)	44.64 (3 h3)	45.39 (8)
3 h1 r2/3	1124	Kévin Borlée	BEL	45.43 (4 h1)	44.88 (3 h1)	–
3 h2 r2/3	1049	Joel Milburn	AUS	44.80 (2 h2)	45.06 (3 h2)	–
4 h1 r2/3	1436	Nery Brenes	CRC	45.36 (1 h3)	44.94 (4 h1)	–
4 h2 r2/3	2166	Ricardo Chambers	JAM	45.22 (3 h4)	45.09 (4 h2)	–
5 h1 r2/3	2504	Saul Weigopwa	NGR	45.19 (2 h5)	45.02 (5 h1)	–
5 h2 r2/3	1123	Jonathan Borlée	BEL	45.25 (4 h5)	45.11 (5 h2)	–
5 h3 r2/3	1412	Gary Kikaya	COD	44.89 (4 h2)	44.94 (5 h3)	–
6 h1 r2/3	1486	William Collazo	CUB	45.37 (3 h1)	45.06 (6 h1)	–
6 h2 r2/3	2505	Godday James	NGR	45.49 (2 h3)	45.24 (6 h2)	–
6 h3 r2/3	1096	Michael Mathieu	BAH	45.17 (3 h6)	45.56 (6 h3)	–
7 h1 r2/3	2065	Tabarie Henry	ISV	45.36 (2 h7)	45.19 (7 h1)	–
7 h2 r2/3	1098	Andretti Bain	BAH	45.96 (3 h3)	45.52 (7 h2)	–
7 h3 r2/3	1059	Sean Wroe	AUS	45.17 (2 h4)	45.56 (7 h3)	–
8 h1 r2/3	2097	Claudio Licciardello	ITA	45.25 (3 h5)	45.64 (8 h1)	–
8 h2 r2/3	1838	Andrew Steele	GBR	44.94 (1 h6)	45.59 (8 h2)	–
8 h3 r2/3	1134	Cédric Van Branteghem	BEL	45.54 (3 h7)	45.81 (8 h3)	–
4 h3 r1/3	1684	Niko Verekauta	FIJ	46.32 (4 h3)	–	–
4 h4 r1/3	1543	Erison Hurtault	DMA	46.10 (4 h4)	–	–
4 h6 r1/3	2149	Michael Blackwood	JAM	45.56 (4 h6)	–	–
4 h7 r1/3	2052	David Gillick	IRL	45.83 (4 h7)	–	–
5 h1 r1/3	3316	Talkmore Nyongani	ZIM	45.89 (5 h1)	–	–
5 h2 r1/3	2179	Sanjay Ayre	JAM	45.66 (5 h2)	–	–
5 h3 r1/3	1226	Fernando de Almeida	BRA	46.60 (5 h3)	–	–
5 h4 r1/3	3131	Andrés Silva	URU	46.34 (5 h4)	–	–
5 h5 r1/3	3022	Ato Modibo	TTO	45.63 (5 h5)	–	–
5 h6 r1/3	1289	Tyler Christopher	CAN	45.67 (5 h6)	–	–
5 h7 r1/3	2770	Maksim Dyldin	RUS	46.03 (5 h7)	–	–
6 h1 r1/3	2474	Éric Milazar	MRI	46.06 (6 h1)	–	–
6 h2 r1/3	1546	Arismendy Peguero	DOM	46.28 (6 h2)	–	–
6 h3 r1/3	3320	Lewis Banda	ZIM	46.76 (6 h3)	–	–
6 h4 r1/3	1513	Rudolf Götz	CZE	46.38 (6 h4)	–	–
6 h5 r1/3	1967	Alleyne Francique	GRN	46.15 (6 h5)	–	–
6 h6 r1/3	1969	Joel Phillip	GRN	46.30 (6 h6)	–	–
6 h7 r1/3	3076	Mykhailo Knysh	UKR	46.28 (6 h7)	–	–
7 h1 r1/3	1203	Gakologelwang Masheto	BOT	46.29 (7 h1)	–	–
7 h2 r1/3	2891	Ivano Bucci	SMR	48.54 (7 h2)	–	–
7 h3 r1/3	2269	Vincent Mumo	KEN	46.79 (7 h3)	–	–
7 h4 r1/3	2188	Yuzo Kanemaru	JPN	46.39 (7 h4)	–	–
7 h5 r1/3	1428	Geiner Mosquera	COL	46.59 (7 h5)	–	–
7 h6 r1/3	2682	Félix Martínez	PUR	46.46 (7 h6)	–	–
7 h7 r1/3	1137	Mathieu Gnanligo	BEN	47.10 (7 h7)	–	–
8 h2 r1/3	1351	Liu Xiaosheng	CHN	53.11 (8 h2)	–	–
8 h3 r1/3	2913	Nagmeldin Ali	SUD	47.12 (8 h3)	–	–
8 h5 r1/3	2350	Siraj Williams	LBR	47.89 (8 h5)	–	–
8 h6 r1/3	2578	Daniel Dąbrowski	POL	47.83 (8 h6)	–	–
8 h7 r1/3	2908	Naiel d’Almeida	STP	49.08 (8 h7)	–	–
DQ	2768	Denis Alekseyev	RUS	[45.52] (DQ h1)	–	–		1
DNS	1199	California Molefe	BOT	– (DNS h4)	–	–

Round One

Date	18 August 2008
Format	Top three in each heat and next three fastest advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)	Reaction Time
1	1095	Chris Brown	BAH	44.79	0.205	Q
2	1049	Joel Milburn	AUS	44.80	0.155	Q
3	2955	Johan Wissman	SWE	44.81	0.229	Q
4	1412	Gary Kikaya	COD	44.89	0.184	q
5	1838	Andrew Steele	GBR	44.94	0.248	Q
6	3205	LaShawn Merritt	USA	44.96	0.214	Q
7	1830	Martyn Rooney	GBR	45.00	0.207	Q
8	1733	Leslie Djhone	FRA	45.12	0.190	Q
9	3023	Renny Quow	TTO	45.13	0.266	Q
=10	1059	Sean Wroe	AUS	45.17	0.182	Q
=10	1096	Michael Mathieu	BAH	45.17	0.193	Q
12	2504	Saul Weigopwa	NGR	45.19	0.172	Q
=13	3209	David Neville	USA	45.22	0.189	Q
=13	2166	Ricardo Chambers	JAM	45.22	0.211	Q
15	3253	Jeremy Wariner	USA	45.23	0.253	Q
16	2097	Claudio Licciardello	ITA	45.25	0.186	Q
17	1123	Jonathan Borlée	BEL	45.25	0.225	q
=18	1436	Nery Brenes	CRC	45.36	0.196	Q
=18	2065	Tabarie Henry	ISV	45.36	0.165	Q
20	1486	William Collazo	CUB	45.37	0.180	Q
21	1124	Kévin Borlée	BEL	45.43	0.149	q
22	2505	Godday James	NGR	45.49	0.200	Q
23	1134	Cédric Van Branteghem	BEL	45.54	0.203	Q
24	2149	Michael Blackwood	JAM	45.56	0.204
25	3022	Ato Modibo	TTO	45.63	0.195
26	2179	Sanjay Ayre	JAM	45.66	0.177
27	1289	Tyler Christopher	CAN	45.67	0.172
28	2052	David Gillick	IRL	45.83	0.275
29	3316	Talkmore Nyongani	ZIM	45.89	0.249
30	1098	Andretti Bain	BAH	45.96	0.225	Q
31	2770	Maksim Dyldin	RUS	46.03	0.194
32	2474	Éric Milazar	MRI	46.06	0.209
33	1543	Erison Hurtault	DMA	46.10	0.246
34	1967	Alleyne Francique	GRN	46.15	0.215
=35	1546	Arismendy Peguero	DOM	46.28	0.236
=35	3076	Mykhailo Knysh	UKR	46.28	0.260
37	1203	Gakologelwang Masheto	BOT	46.29	0.183
38	1969	Joel Phillip	GRN	46.30	0.198
39	1684	Niko Verekauta	FIJ	46.32	0.161
40	3131	Andrés Silva	URU	46.34	0.265
41	1513	Rudolf Götz	CZE	46.38	0.157
42	2188	Yuzo Kanemaru	JPN	46.39	0.225
43	2682	Félix Martínez	PUR	46.46	0.347
44	1428	Geiner Mosquera	COL	46.59	0.268
45	1226	Fernando de Almeida	BRA	46.60	0.158
46	3320	Lewis Banda	ZIM	46.76	0.244
47	2269	Vincent Mumo	KEN	46.79	0.212
48	1137	Mathieu Gnanligo	BEN	47.10	0.207
49	2913	Nagmeldin Ali	SUD	47.12	0.247
50	2578	Daniel Dąbrowski	POL	47.83	0.260
51	2350	Siraj Williams	LBR	47.89	0.288
52	2891	Ivano Bucci	SMR	48.54	0.209
53	2908	Naiel d’Almeida	STP	49.08	0.178
54	1351	Liu Xiaosheng	CHN	53.11	0.245
DQ	2768	Denis Alekseyev	RUS	[45.52]	[0.299]		2
DNS	1199	California Molefe	BOT	–	–

Heat #1

Time	9:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	1733	Leslie Djhone	FRA	45.12	0.190	Q
2	3209	David Neville	USA	45.22	0.189	Q
3	1486	William Collazo	CUB	45.37	0.180	Q
4	1124	Kévin Borlée	BEL	45.43	0.149	q
5	3316	Talkmore Nyongani	ZIM	45.89	0.249
6	2474	Éric Milazar	MRI	46.06	0.209
7	1203	Gakologelwang Masheto	BOT	46.29	0.183
DQ	2768	Denis Alekseyev	RUS	[45.52]	[0.299]		3

Heat #2

Time	9:08

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	1095	Chris Brown	BAH	44.79	0.205	Q
2	1049	Joel Milburn	AUS	44.80	0.155	Q
3	2955	Johan Wissman	SWE	44.81	0.229	Q
4	1412	Gary Kikaya	COD	44.89	0.184	q
5	2179	Sanjay Ayre	JAM	45.66	0.177
6	1546	Arismendy Peguero	DOM	46.28	0.236
7	2891	Ivano Bucci	SMR	48.54	0.209
8	1351	Liu Xiaosheng	CHN	53.11	0.245

Heat #3

Time	9:16

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	1436	Nery Brenes	CRC	45.36	0.196	Q
2	2505	Godday James	NGR	45.49	0.200	Q
3	1098	Andretti Bain	BAH	45.96	0.225	Q
4	1684	Niko Verekauta	FIJ	46.32	0.161
5	1226	Fernando de Almeida	BRA	46.60	0.158
6	3320	Lewis Banda	ZIM	46.76	0.244
7	2269	Vincent Mumo	KEN	46.79	0.212
8	2913	Nagmeldin Ali	SUD	47.12	0.247

Heat #4

Time	9:24

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	1830	Martyn Rooney	GBR	45.00	0.207	Q
2	1059	Sean Wroe	AUS	45.17	0.182	Q
3	2166	Ricardo Chambers	JAM	45.22	0.211	Q
4	1543	Erison Hurtault	DMA	46.10	0.246
5	3131	Andrés Silva	URU	46.34	0.265
6	1513	Rudolf Götz	CZE	46.38	0.157
7	2188	Yuzo Kanemaru	JPN	46.39	0.225
DNS	1199	California Molefe	BOT	–	–

Heat #5

Time	9:32

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	3205	LaShawn Merritt	USA	44.96	0.214	Q
2	2504	Saul Weigopwa	NGR	45.19	0.172	Q
3	2097	Claudio Licciardello	ITA	45.25	0.186	Q
4	1123	Jonathan Borlée	BEL	45.25	0.225	q
5	3022	Ato Modibo	TTO	45.63	0.195
6	1967	Alleyne Francique	GRN	46.15	0.215
7	1428	Geiner Mosquera	COL	46.59	0.268
8	2350	Siraj Williams	LBR	47.89	0.288

Heat #6

Time	9:40

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	1838	Andrew Steele	GBR	44.94	0.248	Q
2	3023	Renny Quow	TTO	45.13	0.266	Q
3	1096	Michael Mathieu	BAH	45.17	0.193	Q
4	2149	Michael Blackwood	JAM	45.56	0.204
5	1289	Tyler Christopher	CAN	45.67	0.172
6	1969	Joel Phillip	GRN	46.30	0.198
7	2682	Félix Martínez	PUR	46.46	0.347
8	2578	Daniel Dąbrowski	POL	47.83	0.260

Heat #7

Time	9:48

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	3253	Jeremy Wariner	USA	45.23	0.253	Q
2	2065	Tabarie Henry	ISV	45.36	0.165	Q
3	1134	Cédric Van Branteghem	BEL	45.54	0.203	Q
4	2052	David Gillick	IRL	45.83	0.275
5	2770	Maksim Dyldin	RUS	46.03	0.194
6	3076	Mykhailo Knysh	UKR	46.28	0.260
7	1137	Mathieu Gnanligo	BEN	47.10	0.207
8	2908	Naiel d’Almeida	STP	49.08	0.178

Semi-Finals

Date	19 August 2008
Format	Top two in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)	Reaction Time
1	3205	LaShawn Merritt	USA	44.12	0.187	Q
2	3253	Jeremy Wariner	USA	44.15	0.224	Q
3	1095	Chris Brown	BAH	44.59	0.244	Q
4	1830	Martyn Rooney	GBR	44.60	0.126	Q
5	2955	Johan Wissman	SWE	44.64	0.211	q
6	1733	Leslie Djhone	FRA	44.79	0.159	Q
7	3023	Renny Quow	TTO	44.82	0.204	q
8	1124	Kévin Borlée	BEL	44.88	0.162
9	3209	David Neville	USA	44.91	0.190	Q
=10	1436	Nery Brenes	CRC	44.94	0.169
=10	1412	Gary Kikaya	COD	44.94	0.187
12	2504	Saul Weigopwa	NGR	45.02	0.168
=13	1486	William Collazo	CUB	45.06	0.191
=13	1049	Joel Milburn	AUS	45.06	0.187
15	2166	Ricardo Chambers	JAM	45.09	0.220
16	1123	Jonathan Borlée	BEL	45.11	0.191
17	2065	Tabarie Henry	ISV	45.19	0.165
18	2505	Godday James	NGR	45.24	0.185
19	1098	Andretti Bain	BAH	45.52	0.196
20	1096	Michael Mathieu	BAH	45.56	0.203
21	1059	Sean Wroe	AUS	45.56	0.205
22	1838	Andrew Steele	GBR	45.59	0.216
23	2097	Claudio Licciardello	ITA	45.64	0.259
24	1134	Cédric Van Branteghem	BEL	45.81	0.199

Heat #1

Time	21:45

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	3253	Jeremy Wariner	USA	44.15	0.224	Q
2	1095	Chris Brown	BAH	44.59	0.244	Q
3	1124	Kévin Borlée	BEL	44.88	0.162
4	1436	Nery Brenes	CRC	44.94	0.169
5	2504	Saul Weigopwa	NGR	45.02	0.168
6	1486	William Collazo	CUB	45.06	0.191
7	2065	Tabarie Henry	ISV	45.19	0.165
8	2097	Claudio Licciardello	ITA	45.64	0.259

Heat #2

Time	21:52

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	1733	Leslie Djhone	FRA	44.79	0.159	Q
2	3209	David Neville	USA	44.91	0.190	Q
3	1049	Joel Milburn	AUS	45.06	0.187
4	2166	Ricardo Chambers	JAM	45.09	0.220
5	1123	Jonathan Borlée	BEL	45.11	0.191
6	2505	Godday James	NGR	45.24	0.185
7	1098	Andretti Bain	BAH	45.52	0.196
8	1838	Andrew Steele	GBR	45.59	0.216

Heat #3

Time	21:59

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	3205	LaShawn Merritt	USA	44.12	0.187	Q
2	1830	Martyn Rooney	GBR	44.60	0.126	Q
3	2955	Johan Wissman	SWE	44.64	0.211	q
4	3023	Renny Quow	TTO	44.82	0.204	q
5	1412	Gary Kikaya	COD	44.94	0.187
6	1096	Michael Mathieu	BAH	45.56	0.203
7	1059	Sean Wroe	AUS	45.56	0.205
8	1134	Cédric Van Branteghem	BEL	45.81	0.199

Final Round

Date	21 August 2008 — 21:20

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time
1	3205	LaShawn Merritt	USA	43.75	0.318
2	3253	Jeremy Wariner	USA	44.74	0.209
3	3209	David Neville	USA	44.80	0.293
4	1095	Chris Brown	BAH	44.84	0.231
5	1733	Leslie Djhone	FRA	45.11	0.164
6	1830	Martyn Rooney	GBR	45.12	0.208	4
7	3023	Renny Quow	TTO	45.22	0.201
8	2955	Johan Wissman	SWE	45.39	0.218