These are the official results of the Men's 400 metres

400 metres

The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...

event at the 1968 Summer Olympics

Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics

At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, 36 athletics events were contested, 24 for men and 12 for women. There were a total number of 1031 participating athletes from 93 countries....

in Mexico City

Mexico City

Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...

. The competition was held on 16 & 18 of October.
Times are listed as both hand timing and automatic timing. Hand timing was the official time used in the 1968 Olympics.

Heats

The top four runners in each of the eight heats, advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Heat one

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Lee Evans Lee Evans (athlete) Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....		45.3	45.40
2	Claver Kamanya		45.7	45.74
3	Christian Nicolau		45.7	45.77
4	Sam Bugri		45.8	45.88
5	Manfred Kinder Manfred Kinder Manfred Kinder is a West German former athlete who mainly competed in the 400 metres.He was born in Königsberg....		46.9	46.95
6	Ezra Burnham		47.9	47.94

Heat two

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Andrzej Badeński Andrzej Badenski Andrzej Badenski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won a bronze medal in 400 metres run at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and multiple relay medals. He became European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres twice, in 1968 and in 1971.-Career:He was born in Warszawa and represented...		45.5	45.52
2	Clifton Forbes Clifton Forbes Clifton Forbes was an Olympic athlete, who represented Jamaica at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Later he served as a manager for teams to the Olympic, Commonwealth, Pan American, Central America and Caribbean Games, and a trainer of the Sunshine Girls.-References:* * *...		45.7	45.75
3	Larry James Larry James George Lawrence "Larry" James was an American track athlete.-Biography:James was born on November 6, 1947, in Mount Pleasant, New York, and took up track in seventh grade...		48.8	45.83
4	Daniel Rudisha Daniel Rudisha Daniel Rudisha is a retired Kenyan athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for Kenya in the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico City in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the silver medal with his team mates Munyoro Nyamau, Naftali Bon and Charles Asati.Rudisha lives in Kilgoris...		46.9	46.96
5	Angelo Hussein		47.7	47.80
6	Victor Asirvatham		48.0	48.02

Heat three

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou is a retired Senegalese athlete who competed in the 400 metres. He participated at three Olympic Games, and finished fourth at the 1968 Olympics, running in a national record of 45.01 seconds. He won a silver medal at the 1965 All-Africa Games.His sister is the grandmother of 400...		45.3	45.39
2	Tegegne Bezabeh		45.5	45.60
3	Ron Freeman Ron Freeman Ronald J. Freeman II is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1968 Summer Olympics....		45.6	45.67
4	Rodobaldo Díaz		46.4	46.48
5	Ramon Magariños		46.9	46.92
6	Anthony Egwunyenga		47.3	47.37
7	Francisco Menocal		49.1	49.14

Heat four

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Martin Jellinghaus Martin Jellinghaus Martin Jellinghaus is a West German former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....		46.4	46.50
2	Pedro Grajales		46.7	46.73
3	Michael Zerbes		46.8	46.84
4	Ross MacKenzie Ross Mackenzie Ross MacKenzie is a Scottish footballer who currently plays for Richmond Kickers in the USL Professional Division.-College and Amateur:...		47.0	47.05
5	Howard Davies Howard Davies Howard Davies is the name of:* Howard Davies , Wales rugby union international* Sir Howard Davies , Former Director of the London School of Economics and former British financial regulator...		47.2	47.30
6	Jacques Pennewaert		48.5	48.55
7	José Astacio		52.9	52.92

Heat five

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Amos Omolo		45.8	45.85
2	Munyoro Nyamau		45.9	45.91
3	Jean-Claude Nallet		45.9	45.93
4	Helmar Müller Helmar Müller Helmer Müller is a West German former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for West Germany in the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Manfred Kinder, Gerhard Hennige and Martin Jellinghaus.He...		45.9	45.98
5	José Jacinto Hidalgo		46.3	46.32
6	Carlos Martínez		47.2	47.28
7	Tony Harper		49.1	49.18

Heat six

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Jan Werner Jan Werner (athlete) Jan Werner was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres.He was born in Brzeziny and represented the club AZS Warszawa. At the 1966 European Championships he finished fourth in the 200 metres and won the 4 x 400 metres relay together with Edmund Borowski, Stanislaw Gredzinski and...		45.9	45.97
2	Martin Winbolt-Lewis		46.2	46.27
3	Mamman Makama		46.4	46.49
4	Sergio Bello		46.5	46.54
5	Eddy Téllez		46.7	46.80
6	Noel Carroll Noël Carroll Noël Carroll is an American philosopher considered to be one of the leading figures in contemporary philosophy of art. Although Professor Carroll is best known for his work in the philosophy of film, he works in general on philosophy of art, theory of media, and also philosophy of history...		46.8	46.83
7	José L’Oficial		47.9	47.93

Heat seven

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Naftali Bon Naftali Bon Naftali Bon was a Kenyan athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for Kenya in the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico City in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the silver medal with his team mates Daniel Rudisha, Munyoro Nyamau and Charles Asati.-References:...		46.2	46.21
2	Jan Balachowski Jan Balachowski Jan Balachowski is a retired Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres.He was born in Kraków and represented the club Cracovia Kraków...		46.2	46.23
3	Musa Dogon Yaro		46.2	46.24
4	Gilles Bertould Gilles Bertould Gilles Bertould is a French former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for a France in the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Daniel Velasques, Francis Kerbiriou, and Jacques Carette.He is...		46.3	46.31
5	Don Domansky Don Domansky Don Domansky is a retired track and field athlete, who represented Canada at two Summer Olympics in the 400 metres. He won the bronze medal in this event at the 1967 Pan American Games.-References:...		46.4	46.46
6	Melesio Piña		46.8	46.81
7	Leslie Miller		46.9	46.99
8	Yoyaga Dit Coulibaly		50.0	50.11

Heat eight

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Wolfgang Müller		46.6	46.66
2	Colin Campbell		46.6	46.66
3	Sergio Ottolina		46.7	46.78
4	Juan Carlos Dyrzka		47.0	47.02
5	George Simon		47.9	47.95
6	Omar Ghizlat		48.2	48.23
7	Kun Min-Mu		49.0	49.07

Quarterfinals

The top three runners in each of the four heats, advanced to the semifinal round.

Heat one

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou is a retired Senegalese athlete who competed in the 400 metres. He participated at three Olympic Games, and finished fourth at the 1968 Olympics, running in a national record of 45.01 seconds. He won a silver medal at the 1965 All-Africa Games.His sister is the grandmother of 400...		45.5	45.56
2	Larry James Larry James George Lawrence "Larry" James was an American track athlete.-Biography:James was born on November 6, 1947, in Mount Pleasant, New York, and took up track in seventh grade...		45.7	45.77
3	Claver Kamanya		46.0	46.03
4	Ross MacKenzie Ross Mackenzie Ross MacKenzie is a Scottish footballer who currently plays for Richmond Kickers in the USL Professional Division.-College and Amateur:...		46.1	46.15
5	Musa Dogon Yaro		46.1	46.19
6	Colin Campbell		46.3	46.35
7	Naftali Bon Naftali Bon Naftali Bon was a Kenyan athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for Kenya in the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico City in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the silver medal with his team mates Daniel Rudisha, Munyoro Nyamau and Charles Asati.-References:...		46.3	46.39
8	Sergio Bello		46.8	46.84

Heat two

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Amos Omolo		45.3	45.33
2	Lee Evans Lee Evans (athlete) Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....		45.5	45.54
3	Munyoro Nyamau		46.1	46.12
4	Wolfgang Müller		46.2	46.32
5	Jan Balachowski Jan Balachowski Jan Balachowski is a retired Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres.He was born in Kraków and represented the club Cracovia Kraków...		46.3	46.33
6	Rodobaldo Díaz		46.3	46.38
7	Juan Carlos Dyrzka		46.8	46.85
-	Christian Nicolau		DNS

Heat three

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Jan Werner Jan Werner (athlete) Jan Werner was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres.He was born in Brzeziny and represented the club AZS Warszawa. At the 1966 European Championships he finished fourth in the 200 metres and won the 4 x 400 metres relay together with Edmund Borowski, Stanislaw Gredzinski and...		45.6	45.63
2	Martin Jellinghaus Martin Jellinghaus Martin Jellinghaus is a West German former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....		45.9	46.00
3	Tegegne Bezabeh		46.0	46.02
4	Sam Bugri		46.0	46.08
5	Clifton Forbes Clifton Forbes Clifton Forbes was an Olympic athlete, who represented Jamaica at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Later he served as a manager for teams to the Olympic, Commonwealth, Pan American, Central America and Caribbean Games, and a trainer of the Sunshine Girls.-References:* * *...		46.2	46.29
6	Daniel Rudisha Daniel Rudisha Daniel Rudisha is a retired Kenyan athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for Kenya in the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico City in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the silver medal with his team mates Munyoro Nyamau, Naftali Bon and Charles Asati.Rudisha lives in Kilgoris...		47.6	47.68
7	Gilles Bertould Gilles Bertould Gilles Bertould is a French former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for a France in the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Daniel Velasques, Francis Kerbiriou, and Jacques Carette.He is...		48.9	48.91
-	Sergio Ottolina		DNS

Heat four

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Ron Freeman Ron Freeman Ronald J. Freeman II is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1968 Summer Olympics....		45.3	45.31
2	Andrzej Badeński Andrzej Badenski Andrzej Badenski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won a bronze medal in 400 metres run at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and multiple relay medals. He became European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres twice, in 1968 and in 1971.-Career:He was born in Warszawa and represented...		45.6	45.60
3	Helmar Müller Helmar Müller Helmer Müller is a West German former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for West Germany in the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Manfred Kinder, Gerhard Hennige and Martin Jellinghaus.He...		45.7	45.78
4	Jean-Claude Nallet		45.7	45.80
5	Martin Winbolt-Lewis		45.9	45.91
6	Michael Zerbes		46.1	46.19
7	Mamman Makama		46.4	46.41
8	Pedro Grajales		46.5	46.53

Semifinals

Top four in each of the two heats advanced to the final round.

Heat one

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)
1	Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou is a retired Senegalese athlete who competed in the 400 metres. He participated at three Olympic Games, and finished fourth at the 1968 Olympics, running in a national record of 45.01 seconds. He won a silver medal at the 1965 All-Africa Games.His sister is the grandmother of 400...		45.1	45.17
2	Ron Freeman Ron Freeman Ronald J. Freeman II is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1968 Summer Olympics....		45.4	45.47
3	Andrzej Badeński Andrzej Badenski Andrzej Badenski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won a bronze medal in 400 metres run at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and multiple relay medals. He became European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres twice, in 1968 and in 1971.-Career:He was born in Warszawa and represented...		45.4	45.50
4	Tegegne Bezabeh		45.5	45.60
5	Sam Burgi		45.9	45.92
6	Helmar Müller Helmar Müller Helmer Müller is a West German former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for West Germany in the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Manfred Kinder, Gerhard Hennige and Martin Jellinghaus.He...		46.2	46.22
7	Claver Kamanya		46.2	46.22
8	Wolfgang Müller		48.3	48.37

Heat two

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)	Notes
1	Lee Evans Lee Evans (athlete) Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....		44.8	44.83	OR
2	Larry James Larry James George Lawrence "Larry" James was an American track athlete.-Biography:James was born on November 6, 1947, in Mount Pleasant, New York, and took up track in seventh grade...		44.9	44.88
3	Martin Jellinghaus Martin Jellinghaus Martin Jellinghaus is a West German former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....		44.9	45.06
4	Amos Omolo		45.4	45.52
5	Jan Werner Jan Werner (athlete) Jan Werner was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres.He was born in Brzeziny and represented the club AZS Warszawa. At the 1966 European Championships he finished fourth in the 200 metres and won the 4 x 400 metres relay together with Edmund Borowski, Stanislaw Gredzinski and...		45.7	45.75
6	Munyoro Nyamau		46.3	46.37
7	Jean-Claude Nallet		49.0	49.01
8	Ross MacKenzie Ross Mackenzie Ross MacKenzie is a Scottish footballer who currently plays for Richmond Kickers in the USL Professional Division.-College and Amateur:...		49.2	49.28

Final

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time (hand)	Time (auto)	Notes
	Lee Evans Lee Evans (athlete) Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....		43.8	43.86	WR
	Larry James Larry James George Lawrence "Larry" James was an American track athlete.-Biography:James was born on November 6, 1947, in Mount Pleasant, New York, and took up track in seventh grade...		43.9	43.97
	Ron Freeman Ron Freeman Ronald J. Freeman II is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1968 Summer Olympics....		44.4	44.41
4	Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou Amadou Gakou is a retired Senegalese athlete who competed in the 400 metres. He participated at three Olympic Games, and finished fourth at the 1968 Olympics, running in a national record of 45.01 seconds. He won a silver medal at the 1965 All-Africa Games.His sister is the grandmother of 400...		45.0	45.01
5	Martin Jellinghaus Martin Jellinghaus Martin Jellinghaus is a West German former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....		45.3	45.33
6	Tegegne Bezabeh		45.4	45.42
7	Andrzej Badeński Andrzej Badenski Andrzej Badenski was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won a bronze medal in 400 metres run at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and multiple relay medals. He became European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres twice, in 1968 and in 1971.-Career:He was born in Warszawa and represented...		45.4	45.42
8	Amos Omolo		47.6	47.61

Reference

• Sports-reference
• Official report