How many hurdles are in an Olympic 400m hurdles race?
Answer
10 hurdles
An Olympic 400-meter hurdles race contains 10 hurdles. Athletes begin from starting blocks, remain in their lanes, and clear the barriers during one complete lap of the outdoor track.
The event was standardized for the 1900 Paris Olympics. Its layout includes a 45-meter run-up to the first hurdle, 35 meters between each hurdle, and a 40-meter run from the final hurdle to the finish. Those distances add up to exactly 400 meters.
Men’s hurdles are 91.4 centimeters high, while women’s hurdles are 76.2 centimeters high. Knocking down a hurdle no longer automatically disqualifies a runner, although contact usually costs time and disrupts rhythm. The race is especially demanding because athletes must balance sprint speed with a consistent stride pattern between barriers.
The men’s Olympic event dates to 1900, while the women’s 400-meter hurdles was added in 1984. It is distinct from the 110-meter hurdles, which has 10 barriers on a straight course.