| | Event type
400 metres, Men
| Date | 17 – 19 October 1964 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Kokuritsu Kyogijo, Shinjuku, Tokyo |
| Participants | 50 from 33 countries |
The best 400 runner in 1964 was probably Henry Carr, but he chose to run only the 200, in which he won the gold medal. Ulis Williams had won the AAU title in 1962-63 and was likely the favorite until the Olympic Trials. There, he finished second to Mike Larrabee, who won the event in a world-record equaling 44.9. Britain’s Robbie Brightwell was also a challenger, having won the 1962 European Championship, as was Trinidad’s Wendell Mottley. In the final, Mottley led thru 200 metres over Poland’s Andrzej Badeński. Larrabee was almost in last place but pulled up to fifth at 300 metres, and then closed quickly to catch Mottley 10 metres from the line, Badeński holding on for the bronze medal. Brightwell was disappointed to be out of the medals, but his fiancé, Ann Packer, would win gold for the family in the women’s 800. Williams was never a factor in the final.
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | QF | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 709 | Mike Larrabee |  USA | 46.8 (1 h6) | 46.5 (1 h3) | 46.0 (1 h2) | 45.1 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 613 | Wendell Mottley |  TTO | 45.9 (1 h1) | 45.8 (1 h1) | 45.9 (2 h1) | 45.2 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 495 | Andrzej Badeński |  POL | 46.4 (1 h3) | 46.5 (1 h2) | 46.2 (2 h2) | 45.6 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 153 | Robbie Brightwell |  GBR | 46.1 (2 h1) | 47.1 (3 h3) | 45.7 (1 h1) | 45.7 (4) | |||
| 5 | 710 | Ulis Williams | USA | 46.2 (1 h4) | 46.9 (2 h4) | 46.2 (3 h1) | 46.0 (5) | |||
| 6 | 154 | Tim Graham | GBR | 48.4 (4 h2) | 46.8 (3 h2) | 46.5 (4 h2) | 46.0 (6) | |||
| 7 | 9 | Peter Vassella |  AUS | 46.7 (4 h4) | 46.5 (4 h1) | 46.5 (4 h1) | 46.3 (7) | |||
| 8 | 614 | Edwin Skinner | TTO | 46.5 (2 h4) | 46.9 (1 h4) | 46.5 (3 h2) | 46.8 (8) | |||
| 5 h1 r3/4 | 199 | Jörg Jüttner |  GER | 47.0 (3 h3) | 47.2 (4 h3) | 46.7 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 5 h2 r3/4 | 708 | Ollan Cassell | USA | 46.8 (1 h5) | 46.2 (2 h1) | 46.6 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 6 h1 r3/4 | 376 | Laurie Khan |  JAM | 47.2 (3 h7) | 46.9 (4 h2) | 47.0 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 6 h2 r3/4 | 57 | Bill Crothers |  CAN | 46.8 (2 h5) | 46.7 (2 h2) | 46.9 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h1 r3/4 | 96 | Tegegne Bezabeh |  ETH | 46.7 (3 h4) | 47.2 (3 h4) | 47.1 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 7 h2 r3/4 | 612 | Kent Bernard | TTO | 46.8 (1 h2) | 46.7 (2 h3) | 47.1 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r3/4 | 121 | Jean-Pierre Boccardo |  FRA | 46.6 (3 h1) | 46.3 (3 h1) | 47.1 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h2 r3/4 | 269 | James Addy |  GHA | 47.2 (3 h5) | 47.3 (4 h4) | 47.6 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 5 h1 r2/4 | 581 | Peter Laeng |  SUI | 47.1 (3 h6) | 46.7 (5 h1) | – | – | |||
| 5 h2 r2/4 | 83 | Josef Trousil |  TCH | 47.0 (1 h7) | 47.2 (5 h2) | – | – | |||
| 5 h3 r2/4 | 377 | Rupert Hoilett | JAM | 47.5 (4 h3) | 47.6 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 5 h4 r2/4 | 155 | Adrian Metcalfe | GBR | 46.7 (2 h3) | 47.8 (5 h4) | – | – | |||
| 6 h1 r2/4 | 346 | Sergio Bello |  ITA | 47.5 (2 h2) | 46.9 (6 h1) | – | – | |||
| 6 h2 r2/4 | 201 | Johannes Schmitt | GER | 46.9 (5 h4) | 47.2 (6 h2) | – | – | |||
| 6 h3 r2/4 | 7 | Gary Eddy | AUS | 46.9 (4 h1) | 47.6 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 6 h4 r2/4 | 77 | Pedro Grajales |  COL | 47.2 (4 h5) | 47.8 (6 h4) | – | – | |||
| 7 h1 r2/4 | 268 | Ebenezer Quartey | GHA | 47.1 (2 h6) | 47.0 (7 h1) | – | – | |||
| 7 h2 r2/4 | 8 | Ken Roche | AUS | 47.4 (5 h6) | 48.0 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 7 h3 r2/4 | 386 | Wilson Kiprugut |  KEN | 47.1 (2 h7) | 47.7 (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 7 h4 r2/4 | 644 | Viktor Bychkov |  URS | 47.3 (5 h5) | 47.9 (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| 8 h1 r2/4 | 477 | Muhammad Sadiq |  PAK | 47.3 (6 h4) | 48.0 (8 h1) | – | – | |||
| 8 h2 r2/4 | 645 | Grigory Sverbetov | URS | 47.3 (4 h6) | 48.0 (8 h2) | – | – | |||
| 8 h3 r2/4 | 643 | Vadim Arkhipchuk | URS | 47.7 (3 h2) | 47.9 (8 h3) | – | – | |||
| 4 h7 r1/4 | 498 | Ireneusz Kluczek | POL | 47.3 (4 h7) | – (DNS h4) | – | – | |||
| 5 h1 r1/4 | 497 | Stanisław Swatowski | POL | 47.6 (5 h1) | – | – | – | |||
| 5 h2 r1/4 | 488 | Arsenio Jazmin |  PHI | 49.9 (5 h2) | – | – | – | |||
| 5 h3 r1/4 | 633 | Amos Omolo |  UGA | 47.6 (5 h3) | – | – | – | |||
| 5 h7 r1/4 | 772 | Hortensio Fucil |  VEN | 47.9 (5 h7) | – | – | – | |||
| 6 h1 r1/4 | 289 | István Gyulai |  HUN | 48.0 (6 h1) | – | – | – | |||
| 6 h3 r1/4 | 1 | Juan Carlos Dyrzka |  ARG | 48.3 (6 h3) | – | – | – | |||
| 6 h5 r1/4 | 200 | Jürgen Kalfelder | GER | 47.7 (6 h5) | – | – | – | |||
| 6 h6 r1/4 | 597 | Somsak Thongsuk |  THA | 48.9 (6 h6) | – | – | – | |||
| 6 h7 r1/4 | 789 | Hirotada Hayase |  JPN | 48.5 (6 h7) | – | – | – | |||
| 7 h1 r1/4 | 427 | Didier Mejía |  MEX | 48.1 (7 h1) | – | – | – | |||
| 7 h3 r1/4 | 547 | Amadou Gakou |  SEN | 50.1 (7 h3) | – | – | – | |||
| 7 h4 r1/4 | 773 | Víctor Maldonado | VEN | 47.7 (7 h4) | – | – | – | |||
| 7 h5 r1/4 | 367 | Fatogoma Coulibaly |  CIV | 47.8 (7 h5) | – | – | – | |||
| 7 h6 r1/4 | 333 | Jassim Karim |  IRQ | 49.5 (7 h6) | – | – | – | |||
| 7 h7 r1/4 | 282 | William Hill |  HKG | 48.7 (7 h7) | – | – | – | |||
| 8 h3 r1/4 | 592 | Daniel Thomas |  TAN | 50.4 (8 h3) | – | – | – | |||
| 8 h4 r1/4 | 35 | Jacques Pennewaert |  BEL | 47.7 (8 h4) | – | – | – | |||
| 8 h7 r1/4 | 329 | Hossein Ghafourizadeh |  IRI | 50.8 (8 h7) | – | – | – | |||
| 395 | Jang Jong-Gil |  KOR | – (DNS h1) | – | – | – | ||||
| 274 | Brobbey Mensah | GHA | – (DNS h2) | – | – | – | ||||
| 375 | George Kerr | JAM | – (DNS h5) | – | – | – | ||||
| 405 | Wesley Johnson |  LBR | – (DNS h2) | – | – | – | ||||
| 430 | Dulamyn Amarsanaa |  MGL | – (DNS h2) | – | – | – |
Round One
| Date | 17 October 1964 — 10:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top four in each heat and next four fastest advanced to the quarter-finals. |
Heat #1
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 613 | Wendell Mottley | TTO | 45.9 | 45.94 | ||
| 2 | 153 | Robbie Brightwell | GBR | 46.1 | 46.13 | ||
| 3 | 121 | Jean-Pierre Boccardo | FRA | 46.6 | 46.63 | ||
| 4 | 7 | Gary Eddy | AUS | 46.9 | 46.92 | ||
| 5 | 497 | Stanisław Swatowski | POL | 47.6 | – | ||
| 6 | 289 | István Gyulai | HUN | 48.0 | – | ||
| 7 | 427 | Didier Mejía | MEX | 48.1 | – | ||
| 395 | Jang Jong-Gil | KOR | – | – |
Heat #2
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 612 | Kent Bernard | TTO | 46.8 | 46.80 | ||
| 2 | 346 | Sergio Bello | ITA | 47.5 | 47.54 | ||
| 3 | 643 | Vadim Arkhipchuk | URS | 47.7 | 47.70 | ||
| 4 | 154 | Tim Graham | GBR | 48.4 | – | ||
| 5 | 488 | Arsenio Jazmin | PHI | 49.9 | – | ||
| 274 | Brobbey Mensah | GHA | – | – | |||
| 405 | Wesley Johnson | LBR | – | – | |||
| 430 | Dulamyn Amarsanaa | MGL | – | – |
Heat #3
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 495 | Andrzej Badeński | POL | 46.4 | 46.46 | ||
| 2 | 155 | Adrian Metcalfe | GBR | 46.7 | 46.79 | ||
| 3 | 199 | Jörg Jüttner | GER | 47.0 | 47.06 | ||
| 4 | 377 | Rupert Hoilett | JAM | 47.5 | 47.50 | ||
| 5 | 633 | Amos Omolo | UGA | 47.6 | 47.65 | ||
| 6 | 1 | Juan Carlos Dyrzka | ARG | 48.3 | – | ||
| 7 | 547 | Amadou Gakou | SEN | 50.1 | – | ||
| 8 | 592 | Daniel Thomas | TAN | 50.4 | – |
Heat #4
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 710 | Ulis Williams | USA | 46.2 | 46.20 | ||
| 2 | 614 | Edwin Skinner | TTO | 46.5 | 46.50 | ||
| 3 | 96 | Tegegne Bezabeh | ETH | 46.7 | 46.73 | ||
| 4 | 9 | Peter Vassella | AUS | 46.7 | 46.77 | ||
| 5 | 201 | Johannes Schmitt | GER | 46.9 | 46.90 | ||
| 6 | 477 | Muhammad Sadiq | PAK | 47.3 | – | ||
| 7 | 773 | Víctor Maldonado | VEN | 47.7 | – | ||
| 8 | 35 | Jacques Pennewaert | BEL | 47.7 | – |
Heat #5
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 708 | Ollan Cassell | USA | 46.8 | 46.81 | ||
| 2 | 57 | Bill Crothers | CAN | 46.8 | 46.86 | ||
| 3 | 269 | James Addy | GHA | 47.2 | 47.27 | ||
| 4 | 77 | Pedro Grajales | COL | 47.2 | 47.28 | ||
| 5 | 644 | Viktor Bychkov | URS | 47.3 | 47.32 | ||
| 6 | 200 | Jürgen Kalfelder | GER | 47.7 | 47.77 | ||
| 7 | 367 | Fatogoma Coulibaly | CIV | 47.8 | – | ||
| 375 | George Kerr | JAM | – | – |
Heat #6
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 709 | Mike Larrabee | USA | 46.8 | 46.88 | ||
| 2 | 268 | Ebenezer Quartey | GHA | 47.1 | 47.12 | ||
| 3 | 581 | Peter Laeng | SUI | 47.1 | 47.12 | ||
| 4 | 645 | Grigory Sverbetov | URS | 47.3 | 47.37 | ||
| 5 | 8 | Ken Roche | AUS | 47.4 | 47.43 | ||
| 6 | 597 | Somsak Thongsuk | THA | 48.9 | – | ||
| 7 | 333 | Jassim Karim | IRQ | 49.5 | – |
Heat #7
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 83 | Josef Trousil | TCH | 47.0 | 47.04 | ||
| 2 | 386 | Wilson Kiprugut | KEN | 47.1 | 47.04 | ||
| 3 | 376 | Laurie Khan | JAM | 47.2 | 47.25 | ||
| 4 | 498 | Ireneusz Kluczek | POL | 47.3 | 47.35 | ||
| 5 | 772 | Hortensio Fucil | VEN | 47.9 | 47.95 | ||
| 6 | 789 | Hirotada Hayase | JPN | 48.5 | – | ||
| 7 | 282 | William Hill | HKG | 48.7 | – | ||
| 8 | 329 | Hossein Ghafourizadeh | IRI | 50.8 | – |
Quarter-Finals
| Date | 17 October 1964 — 15:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top four in each heat advanced to the semi-finals. |
Heat #1
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 613 | Wendell Mottley | TTO | 45.8 | 45.88 | ||
| 2 | 708 | Ollan Cassell | USA | 46.2 | 46.24 | ||
| 3 | 121 | Jean-Pierre Boccardo | FRA | 46.3 | 46.34 | ||
| 4 | 9 | Peter Vassella | AUS | 46.5 | 46.55 | ||
| 5 | 581 | Peter Laeng | SUI | 46.7 | 46.72 | ||
| 6 | 346 | Sergio Bello | ITA | 46.9 | 46.93 | ||
| 7 | 268 | Ebenezer Quartey | GHA | 47.0 | 47.06 | ||
| 8 | 477 | Muhammad Sadiq | PAK | 48.0 | – |
Heat #2
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 495 | Andrzej Badeński | POL | 46.5 | 46.51 | ||
| 2 | 57 | Bill Crothers | CAN | 46.7 | 46.73 | ||
| 3 | 154 | Tim Graham | GBR | 46.8 | 46.83 | ||
| 4 | 376 | Laurie Khan | JAM | 46.9 | 46.97 | ||
| 5 | 83 | Josef Trousil | TCH | 47.2 | 47.22 | ||
| 6 | 201 | Johannes Schmitt | GER | 47.2 | 47.24 | ||
| 7 | 8 | Ken Roche | AUS | 48.0 | – | ||
| 8 | 645 | Grigory Sverbetov | URS | 48.0 | – |
Heat #3
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 709 | Mike Larrabee | USA | 46.5 | 46.57 | ||
| 2 | 612 | Kent Bernard | TTO | 46.7 | 46.73 | ||
| 3 | 153 | Robbie Brightwell | GBR | 47.1 | 47.15 | ||
| 4 | 199 | Jörg Jüttner | GER | 47.2 | 47.22 | ||
| 5 | 377 | Rupert Hoilett | JAM | 47.6 | 47.60 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Gary Eddy | AUS | 47.6 | 47.65 | ||
| 7 | 386 | Wilson Kiprugut | KEN | 47.7 | – | ||
| 8 | 643 | Vadim Arkhipchuk | URS | 47.9 | – |
Heat #4
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 614 | Edwin Skinner | TTO | 46.9 | 46.90 | ||
| 2 | 710 | Ulis Williams | USA | 46.9 | 46.96 | ||
| 3 | 96 | Tegegne Bezabeh | ETH | 47.2 | 47.23 | ||
| 4 | 269 | James Addy | GHA | 47.3 | 47.37 | ||
| 5 | 155 | Adrian Metcalfe | GBR | 47.8 | 47.81 | ||
| 6 | 77 | Pedro Grajales | COL | 47.8 | 47.86 | ||
| 7 | 644 | Viktor Bychkov | URS | 47.9 | 47.91 | ||
| 498 | Ireneusz Kluczek | POL | – | – |
Semi-Finals
| Date | 18 October 1964 — 15:20 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top four in each heat advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (automatic) | Time (hand) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 153 | Robbie Brightwell | GBR | 45.79 | 45.7 | ||
| 2 | 613 | Wendell Mottley | TTO | 45.96 | 45.9 | ||
| 3 | 709 | Mike Larrabee | USA | 46.02 | 46.0 | ||
| 4 | 495 | Andrzej Badeński | POL | 46.21 | 46.2 | ||
| 5 | 710 | Ulis Williams | USA | 46.29 | 46.2 | ||
| 6 | 614 | Edwin Skinner | TTO | 46.50 | 46.5 | ||
| 7 | 9 | Peter Vassella | AUS | 46.52 | 46.5 | ||
| 8 | 154 | Tim Graham | GBR | 46.53 | 46.5 | ||
| 9 | 708 | Ollan Cassell | USA | 46.69 | 46.6 | ||
| 10 | 199 | Jörg Jüttner | GER | 46.78 | 46.7 | ||
| 11 | 57 | Bill Crothers | CAN | 46.96 | 46.9 | ||
| 12 | 376 | Laurie Khan | JAM | 47.0 | – | ||
| 13 | 612 | Kent Bernard | TTO | 47.08 | 47.1 | ||
| 14 | 96 | Tegegne Bezabeh | ETH | 47.1 | – | ||
| 15 | 121 | Jean-Pierre Boccardo | FRA | 47.1 | – | ||
| 16 | 269 | James Addy | GHA | 47.67 | 47.6 |
Heat #1
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 153 | Robbie Brightwell | GBR | 45.7 | 45.79 | ||
| 2 | 613 | Wendell Mottley | TTO | 45.9 | 45.96 | ||
| 3 | 710 | Ulis Williams | USA | 46.2 | 46.29 | ||
| 4 | 9 | Peter Vassella | AUS | 46.5 | 46.52 | ||
| 5 | 199 | Jörg Jüttner | GER | 46.7 | 46.78 | ||
| 6 | 376 | Laurie Khan | JAM | 47.0 | – | ||
| 7 | 96 | Tegegne Bezabeh | ETH | 47.1 | – | ||
| 8 | 121 | Jean-Pierre Boccardo | FRA | 47.1 | – |
Heat #2
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 709 | Mike Larrabee | USA | 46.0 | 46.02 | ||
| 2 | 495 | Andrzej Badeński | POL | 46.2 | 46.21 | ||
| 3 | 614 | Edwin Skinner | TTO | 46.5 | 46.50 | ||
| 4 | 154 | Tim Graham | GBR | 46.5 | 46.53 | ||
| 5 | 708 | Ollan Cassell | USA | 46.6 | 46.69 | ||
| 6 | 57 | Bill Crothers | CAN | 46.9 | 46.96 | ||
| 7 | 612 | Kent Bernard | TTO | 47.1 | 47.08 | ||
| 8 | 269 | James Addy | GHA | 47.6 | 47.67 |
Final Round
| Date | 19 October 1964 — 13:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time (Hand) | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 709 | Mike Larrabee | USA | 45.1 | 45.15 | ||
| 2 | 613 | Wendell Mottley | TTO | 45.2 | 45.24 | ||
| 3 | 495 | Andrzej Badeński | POL | 45.6 | 45.64 | ||
| 4 | 153 | Robbie Brightwell | GBR | 45.7 | 45.75 | ||
| 5 | 710 | Ulis Williams | USA | 46.0 | 46.01 | ||
| 6 | 154 | Tim Graham | GBR | 46.0 | 46.08 | ||
| 7 | 9 | Peter Vassella | AUS | 46.3 | 46.32 | ||
| 8 | 614 | Edwin Skinner | TTO | 46.8 | – |