Last Updated on January 4, 2023 by Andrew Pirie
Marita Koch unbreakable record in the women’s 400m 47.60
Marita Koch of East Germany has held the Women’s World Record in the 400m for 35 years. And set it at the Old Bruce Stadium in Canberra, Australia (now used for Rugby League, team sports), 605m above sea level. And set it at the World Cup of Athletics. Also, at this meet, the East German set a 4×100 World Record that stood until the 2012 London Olympics. Koch’s time is considered far out of reach for today’s athletes.
Standing at 1.71m or 5’6 (relatively short for a 400 elite women’s runner today), Koch ran from Lane 2. Her hand times splits were 11.3 for the 100, 22.4 for 200, and 34.1 for 300m.
Koch had exceptional speed as a young child. And even was beating Boys much older than herself in sprint races in school.
Koch was an Olympic Champion in 1980 at the Moscow Olympics and won 3 Golds and a silver at the 1983 World Championships. Koch broke the world record four times in the 200m and 7 times in the 400m.
400m Progression (born 1957)
- 1975 (18) 51.60
- 1976 (19) 50.19
- 1977 49.53
- 1978 48.94
- 1979 48.60
- 1980 48.88
- 1981 49.27
- 1982 48.16
- 1984 48.16
- 1985 47.60
- 1986 48.22
‘
200m Progression
- 1976 (19) 22.70
- 1977 22.36
- 1978 22.06
- 1979 21.71
- 1980 22.34
- 1981 21.76
- 1983 21.82
- 1984 21.71
- 1985 21.78
- 1986 22.20
‘
100m Progression
- 1977 11.28
- 1978 11.16
- 1980 10.99
- 1982 11.01
- 1983 10.83
- 1984 11.19
- 1985 10.97
‘
All-Time List Women’s 400m
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47.60 | Marita Koch | East Germany | 6 October 1985 | Canberra | |
| 2 | 47.99 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia | 10 August 1983 | Helsinki | |
| 3 | 48.14 | Salwa Eid Naser | Bahrain | 3 October 2019 | Doha | [20] |
| 4 | 48.25 | Marie-José Pérec | France | 29 July 1996 | Atlanta | |
| 5 | 48.27 | Olga Vladykina | Soviet Union | 6 October 1985 | Canberra | |
| 6 | 48.37 | Shaunae Miller-Uibo | Bahamas | 3 October 2019 | Doha | [20] |
| 7 | 48.59 | Taťána Kocembová | Czechoslovakia | 10 August 1983 | Helsinki | |
| 8 | 48.63 | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 29 July 1996 | Atlanta | |
| 9 | 48.70 | Sanya Richards | United States | 16 September 2006 | Athens | |
| 10 | 48.83 | Valerie Brisco-Hooks | United States | 6 August 1984 | Los Angeles |
Marita Koch Sources:
- https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2000-09-14-0009140205-story.html
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/athletics/2019/10/04/salwa-eid-nasers-astonishing-world-400m-performance-has-blown/
- https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/34454487
- https://germanroadraces.de/?post_eng=european-athletics-eaa-news-marita-koch-reflects-on-her-25-years-as-the-400m-world-record-holder
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Andrew was elected Vice President of the Association of Track and Field Statisticians in 2020 after being a member for 7 years.
He has worked as a PSC Consultant and Research Assistant from 2013-2015, Consultant, and Sprint Coach at Zamboanga Sports Academy from 2015-2017. And Currently is Consultant Coach with VMUF 2021-
Current editor and chief of Pinoyathletics.info, and has recently done consultancy work for Ayala Corp evaluating the Track and Field Program.
Coaches Sprints, Middle and Jump events he is Level 3 Athletics Australia Coaching Certification in Sprints and Hurdles.
Currently working towards a Masters Degree in Education.
He can be contacted on [email protected]
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