The women's 400 metres hurdles at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 17, 18 and 20 August.

In the four major championships between 2004 and 2008, the twelve available medals were won by eleven different athletes. Yuliya Pechonkina was the only athlete to reach the podium twice in that period, having won the 2005 World Championships and won the silver at the same event two years later. With such a quick turnover, it was expected that new athletes would again be possible medallists, especially as Pechonkina and reigning champion Jana Pittman-Rawlinson had withdrawn prior to the competition.Hurdler Pechonkina to miss Berlin. BBC Sport (2009-08-08). Retrieved on 2009-08-24.Pittman-Rawlinson out of Worlds. BBC Sport (2009-07-26). Retrieved on 2009-08-09. However, 2005 medallist Lashinda Demus appeared to be a likely contender, having set the world-leading time of 52.63 seconds a month before the competition (significantly faster than any other athlete at that point in the season). Angela Moroșanu, Josanne Lucas were amongst the season's fastest hurdlers, but the gold and silver medallists from the Beijing Olympics, Melaine Walker and Sheena Tosta had not shown strong form.Jalava, Mirko (2009-08-09). Women's 400m Hurdles - PREVIEW. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-24. Archived 2009-09-08.

Demus and Moroşanu recorded the fastest times on the first day of the competition, which saw no surprise eliminations. Kaliese Spencer was the third fastest, making her seem a possible finalist.Jalava, Mirko (2009-08-17). Event Report - Women's 400m Hurdles - Heats . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-24. Reigning Olympic champion Walker was the fastest in the semi-finals, with Lucas the second fastest in a national record time. Spencer, winner of the second race, was initially disqualified but was reinstated upon review.Jalava, Mirko (2009-08-19). Event Report - Women's 400m Hurdles - Semi-Final . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-24.Tucker, Elton (2009-08-19). Shericka does it again - 400-metre runner produces her best for a silver medal. Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved on 2009-08-24. 2009-09-08. Amaka Ogoegbunam, a Nigerian athlete, tested positive for metenolone (an anabolic steroid) after the semi-finals, becoming the second athlete of the competition to fail a drugs test after Jamel Chatbi.Turner, Chris (2009-08-21). IAAF DAILY MEDIA BRIEFING - Aug 21 - Berlin 2009. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-22. Archived 2009-09-08.

In the final race, Demus and Walker started fastest, with Lucas and Spencer not far behind. Demus took the lead near the final stretch but took the last two hurdles badly, allowing Walker to pass her to take the gold medal. Walker's time of 52.42 s was a Championship record and North American record, and only 0.08 seconds away from Pechonkina's world record. Bronze medallist Lucas had improved her national record by a significant amount (0.78 seconds) and fourth placed Spencer had set a new personal best.Jalava, Mirko (2009-08-20). Event Report - Women's 400m Hurdles - Final . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-24.

Walker had won despite modest performances in the season prior to the competition, while Demus failed to match her world-leading time she had set at the Herculis meeting in Monaco. Walker's run, which capped an Olympic and World double, was the second fastest in the history of the event. Josanne Lucas had significantly improved over the course of a year, knocking two seconds off her personal best, demonstrating her potential as a future medallist.Butcher, Pat (2009-08-20). Berlin 2009 - Day 6 SUMMARY - 20 Aug . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-24.Biography Lucas Josanne. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-24. 2009-09-08.

Medalists GoldSilverBronzeMelaine WalkerLashinda DemusJosanne Lucas

Records before the Championships World record52.34Tula, Russia8 August 2003Championship record52.61Gothenburg, Sweden11 August 1995World leading52.63Monaco28 July 2009African record52.90Sevilla, Spain25 August 1999Asian record53.96Beijing, China9 September 1993North American record52.61Gothenburg, Sweden11 August 1995South American record55.84Belém, Brazil24 May 2009European record52.34Tula, Russia8 August 2003Oceanian record53.17Seoul, South Korea28 September 1988

Qualification standards A timeB time 55.50 56.55

Schedule Date Time RoundAugust 17, 2009 18:15 HeatsAugust 18, 2009 20:15 SemifinalsAugust 20, 2009 20:15 Final

Results

Heats Qualification: First 4 in each heat(Q) and the next 4 fastest(q) advance to the semifinals.

Rank Heat Name Nationality Time Notes 1 5 Lashinda Demus 54.66 Q 2 4 Angela Moroșanu 54.70 Q 3 1 Kaliese Spencer 55.12 Q 4 3 Melaine Walker 55.17 Q 5 4 Tiffany Ross-Williams 55.25 Q 6 2 Nickiesha Wilson 55.37 Q 7 3 Natalya Antyukh 55.40 Q 8 1 Josanne Lucas 55.41 Q 9 1 Huang Xiaoxiao 55.52 Q, SB 10 2 Anna Jesień 55.57 Q 11 5 Anastasiya Rabchenyuk 55.63 Q 12 4 Zuzana Hejnová 55.68 Q 13 2 Eilidh Child 55.96 Q 14 2 Sheena Tosta 56.00 Q 15 1 Vania Stambolova 56.01 Q 16 2 Ieva Zunda 56.05 q, SB 17 5 Natalya Ivanova 56.11 Q 18 4 Elena Churakova 56.13 q 19 3 Perri Shakes-Drayton 56.49 Q 20 3 Sara Petersen 56.51 Q 21 4 Élodie Ouédraogo 56.60 q, SB 22 5 Muizat Ajoke Odumosu 56.62 Q 23 5 Jonna Tilgner 56.73 q 24 1 Satomi Kubokura 56.91 25 3 Michelle Carey 56.91 26 2 Aurore Kassambara 57.25 27 3 Kou Luogon 57.70 28 1 Tatyana Azarova 57.90 29 5 Carole Kaboud Mebam 58.10 30 1 Hanna Titimets 58.22 31 3 Laia Forcadell 58.57 32 4 Yolanda Osana 59.18 33 4 Aïssata Soulama 59.20 SB 34 1 Déborah Rodríguez 59.21 NR 35 3 Merjen Ishangulyyeva 36 2 Sayaka Aoki 2 Tsvetelina Kirilova 4 Amaka Ogoegbunam 5 Muna Jabir Adam

Semifinals Qualification: First 2 in each semifinal (Q) and the next 2 fastest(q) advance to the final.

Rank Heat Name Nationality Time Notes 1 Melaine Walker 53.26 Q, SB 1 Josanne Lucas 53.98 Q, NR 1 Angela Moroșanu 54.15 q 3 Lashinda Demus 54.25 Q 2 Kaliese Spencer 54.37 Q 2 Anastasiya Rabchenyuk 54.49 Q, SB 2 Tiffany Ross-Williams 54.79 q 2 Anna Jesień 54.82 3 Natalya Antyukh 54.86 Q 10 3 Nickiesha Wilson 54.89 SB 11 3 Zuzana Hejnová 54.99 12 1 Huang Xiaoxiao 55.40 SB 13 1 Natalya Ivanova 56.08 14 2 Elena Churakova 56.11 15 3 Vania Stambolova 56.12 16 3 Eilidh Child 56.21 17 1 Sheena Tosta 56.31 18 2 Ieva Zunda 56.66 19 1 Muizat Ajoke Odumosu 56.80 20 3 Sara Petersen 56.99 21 3 Jonna Tilgner 57.11 22 2 Perri Shakes-Drayton 57.57 23 1 Élodie Ouédraogo 57.58 2 Amaka Ogoegbunam 58.56 DQ

Final Rank Name Nationality Time Notes Melaine Walker 52.42 CR, AR Lashinda Demus 52.96 Josanne Lucas 53.20 NR 4 Kaliese Spencer 53.56 PB 5 Tiffany Ross-Williams 53.83 SB 6 Natalya Antyukh 54.11 PB 7 Anastasiya Rabchenyuk 54.78 8 Angela Moroșanu 55.04

References General 400 metres hurdles results. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-24. Specific