2018 European Athletics Championships – Women's 400 metres
The women's 400 metres at the 2018 European Athletics Championships was held over three rounds at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany, on 8, 9, and 11 August 2018. It was the nineteenth time this event was contested at the European Athletics Championships. Athletes could qualify by achieving the entry standard of 53.40 seconds or by their ranking in selected athletics meetings. Forty-two athletes from twenty-one nations competed in the event.
Thirty-two athletes competed in round 1, where fourteen athletes advanced to the semi-finals. Ten athletes with a bye in the first round joined them there. Eight athletes qualified for the final, which was won by Justyna Święty-Ersetic of Poland in 50.41 seconds, followed by Maria Belimpasaki of Greece in second place in a national record of 50.45 seconds and Lisanne de Witte in third place in a national record of 50.77 seconds.
Background
.jpg)
At the European Athletics Championships, the women's 400 metres had been contested eighteen times before 2018, at every edition since its introduction in 1958. In the event, athletes run one lap on a 400-metre athletics track in designated lanes.
At the start of the 2018 championships, Marita Koch of East Germany held the European and world record of 47.60 s set in 1985 and the championship record of 48.16 s set in 1982. Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas had run the world leading time of 48.97 s on 20 July 2018 and Léa Sprunger of Switzerland had run the European leading time of 50.52 s on 1 July 2018. Libania Grenot of Italy was the defending champion, having won the 2016 title in 50.73 s.
The event was held at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. It was built for the 1936 Summer Olympics and renovated in 2000–2004. During the 2018 European Athletics Championships, it had a capacity of 55,000 spectators.
Qualification
For this event, the qualification period was from 1 January 2017 until 30 July 2018. Athletes could qualify by running the entry standard of 53.40 s or faster, by finishing in the top three of a European Athletics Premium meeting, by winning a European Athletics Classic meeting, or by wildcard for the previous European champion. When a nation had no qualified athletes in the event, it could enter one unqualified athlete to be accepted at the discretion of European Athletics. Up to three athletes from one nation could participate, or four in case one had received a wildcard.
Results
Round 1
Thirty-two athletes from twenty nations competed in the four heats of round 1 on 8 August, which started at 11:30 (UTC+2) in the morning. The first two athletes in each heat (Q) and the next six fastest athletes of the rest (q) advanced to the semi-finals. Six athletes set a personal best (PB) during this round.
Semi-finals
.jpg)
.jpg)
Twenty-four athletes – ten who had a bye in round 1 and qualified directly based on their season's bests and fourteen who qualified in the first round – from sixteen nations competed in the three heats of the semi-finals on 9 August, that started at 19:50 (UTC+2) in the evening. The first two athletes in each heat (Q) and the next two fastest athletes of the rest (q) qualified for the final. Laviai Nielsen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Iga Baumgart-Witan of Poland set personal bests (PB) during this round.
- *Athletes who received a bye to the semifinals
Final
.jpg)
.jpg)
Eight athletes from six nations competed in the final on 11 August at 20:12 (UTC+2) in the evening. Around 300 metres into the race, coming out of the second bend, Maria Belimpasaki of Greece was in the lead, followed by Justyna Święty-Ersetic of Poland and Laviai Nielsen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in second and third position, respectively, and Lisanne de Witte of the Netherlands in fourth position. At the finish, Święty-Ersetic moved into the winning position passing Belimpasaki, who tumbled over the line and finished second. Nielsen had fallen back to fourth place, while De Witte had moved up to third. Święty-Ersetic won the gold medal in a European leading time (EL) of 50.41 s, Belimpasaki won silver in a Greek national record (NR) of 50.45 s, and De Witte won bronze in a Dutch national record (NR) of 50.77 s. Outside the medals, Iga Baumgart-Witan of Poland ran a personal best.
Cathal Dennehy, reporting for the IAAF, wrote that Święty-Ersetic "produced a stunning performance to snatch gold in the dying strides of the women's 400m". Tadeusz Kądziela of the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza called Święty-Ersetic's performance a "phenomenal run".
The medalists were interviewed about the race. Święty-Ersetic said: "This time is amazing. It is the second-fastest time in the Polish history and also the first European gold for our country at this distance so it means a lot. Even Irena Szewińska who passed away this year got only bronze so it is very emotional and important for me." Belimpasaki said: "I tried very hard, I felt good and I went on to win with a good mentality. I lost my stride in the last meters and fell." De Witte said: "I went for a medal. Beforehand I said to my sister: you go and run. I was so nervous. I'm really happy with bronze."