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200 m is a sprint running event. It is less popular than the 100 m, and often attracts runners from that event who wish to "double up" and claim both titles. This feat has been achieved eight times at the Olympic Games, the last by Carl Lewis in 1984. An Olympic double of 200 m and 400 m was first achieved by Valerie Brisco-Hooks in 1984, and later by Michael Johnson and Marie-José Perec in 1996.
On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. To most trained runners, this is a pure power race. A slightly shorter race, run on a straight track, was the first recorded event at the Ancient Olympics.
Updated May 122006. Note that the fastest time represents an average speed of 10.35 m/s (or 37.267 km/h), faster than the average speed for the current 100 m world record (9.77 s, average speed 10.24 m/s).
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