The 200 metres at the Summer Olympics has been contested since the second edition of the multi-sport event. The men's 200 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1900 and the women's 200 m has been held continuously since its introduction at the 1948 Games. It is the most prestigious 200 m race at elite level. The competition format typically has three or four qualifying rounds leading to a final race between eight athletes.

The Olympic records for the distance are 19.30 seconds for men, set by Usain Bolt in 2008, and 21.34 seconds set by Florence Griffith Joyner in 1988. The men's world record was set at the Olympics in 1956, 1960 (twice), 1968, 1996 and 2008. The women's world record has similarly been linked to the competition, with records coming at the Olympic Games in 1952 (twice), 1956, 1968, 1972 and 1988 (twice). Griffith-Joyner's 1988 Olympic mark remains the world record for the distance, while Bolt's Olympic record is the third fastest of all-time.200 Metres - men - senior - outdoor. IAAF. Retrieved on 2014-05-24.

Only three athletes have won the title more than once. Bärbel Wöckel of East Germany became the first to defend the title in 1980 and Veronica Campbell-Brown repeated that feat in 2008. Usain Bolt was the first person to win two Olympic 200 m gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and at the 2016 Summer Olympics he defended his title to win his third Olympic 200 m gold medal. Merlene Ottey is the most decorated athlete, having won four medals in the event (though none of them gold). Allyson Felix has won three medals, as has Poland's Irena Szewińska. Reflecting how sprint athletes often compete over various distances, many of the medalists in the Olympic 200 metres have had success in the Olympic 100 metres and 4×100 metres relay as well.

The United States has had the most success in the event, having 24 gold medals and 61 medals in total. American men have completed a medal sweep on six occasions. Jamaica is the next most successful, with five gold among their seventeen medals, and became the second nation to sweep the men's medals in 2012. No nation has swept the women's medals; the United States is the only nation to have won both gold and silver in the same year (in 1984).

The 1968 medal podium ceremony for the men's 200 metres witnessed a prominent political protest in the form of a Black Power salute by the African-American medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos. The third medalist, Peter Norman of Australia, wore a badge for the Olympic Project for Human Rights in solidarity.

Medal summary Men

A YouTube video showcasing all men's 200 metres' Olympic winners can be found here.

Multiple medalists Rank Athlete Nation OlympicsGoldSilverBronze Total 1 2008–2016 3 0 0 32 1952–1956 1 1 0 2 1984–1988 1 1 0 2 2016–2020 1 1 0 2 2004–2008 1 1 0 26 1972, 1980 1 0 1 2 1976–1980 1 0 1 28 1920–1924 0 2 0 2 1992–1996 0 2 0 2 2020–2024 0 2 0 211 1904–1908 0 1 1 2 1952–1956 0 1 1 213 1996–2000 0 0 2 2 2020–2024 0 0 2 2

Medals by country Rank NationGoldSilverBronze Total 1 17 19 12 48 2 4 1 2 7 3 3 1 0 4 4 2 0 1 35 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 8 0 3 3 6 9 0 2 0 2 10 0 1 1 2 11 0 1 0 1 12 0 0 3 3 13 0 0 2 214 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1

Women

A YouTube video showcasing all women's 200 metres' Olympic winners can be found here.

Multiple medalists Rank Athlete Nation OlympicsGoldSilverBronze Total1 1976–1980 2 0 0 2 2004–2008 2 0 0 2 2016–2020 2 0 0 2 4 2004–2012 1 2 0 3 5 1964–1972 1 1 1 3 6 1984–1988 1 1 0 27 1972–1976 1 0 1 2 2020–2024 1 0 1 2 9 1968–1972 0 2 0 2 10 1980–1996 0 1 3 4

Medalists by country Rank NationGoldSilverBronze Total 1 7 3 5 15 2 4 4 5 13 3 3 0 2 5 4 2 2 3 7 5 1 2 0 3 6 1 1 1 3 7 1 0 1 2 8 1 0 0 1 9 0 2 0 210 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 212 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 16 0 0 1 1

Olympic record progression Men

TimeAthleteNationGamesRoundDate 24.0* 1900 Heat 1 22.2 1900 Final 22.2 1904 Heat 1 21.6 1904 Final 21.6 1924 Final 21.6 1928 Quarterfinal 6 21.5 1932 Quarterfinal 1 21.5 1932 Quarterfinal 2 21.4 1932 Quarterfinal 3 21.4 1932 Quarterfinal 4 21.2 1932 Final 21.1 1936 Heat 3 20.7 1936 Final 20.7 1952 Final 20.6 1956 Final 20.5 1960 Semifinal 2 20.5 1960 Final 20.5 1964 Semifinal 1 20.3 1964 Final 20.37 1968 Heat 2 20.23 1968 Heat 6 20.12 1968 Semifinal 1 19.83 1968 Final 19.80 1984 Final 19.75 1988 Final 19.73 1992 Semifinal 1 19.32 1996 Final 19.30 2008 Final

Women

TimeAthleteNationGamesRoundDate 25.7 1948 Heat 1 25.6 1948 Heat 2 25.3 1948 Heat 4 24.3 1948 Semifinal 1 24.3 1952 Heat 2 23.6 1952 Heat 3 23.4 1952 Semifinal 1 23.4 1956 Final 23.2 1960 Heat 3 23.0 1964 Final 23.09 1968 Heat 2 22.94 1968 Heat 3 22.87 1968 Semifinal 2 22.58 1968 Final 22.40 1972 Final 22.37 1976 Final 22.26 1980 Quarterfinal 3 22.03 1980 Final 21.81 1984 Final 21.76 1988 Quarterfinal 1 21.56 1988 Semifinal 1 21.34 1988 Final

Finishing times Top ten fastest Olympic times

+ Fastest men's times at the OlympicsRankTime (sec)AthleteNationGamesDate 1 19.30 Usain Bolt 2008 2008-08-202 19.32 Michael Johnson 1996 1996-08-01 19.32 Usain Bolt 2012 2012-08-09 4 19.44 Yohan Blake 2012 2012-08-09 5 19.46 Letsile Tebogo 2024 2024-08-086 19.62 Andre De Grasse 2021 2021-08-04 19.62 Kenny Bednarek 2024 2024-08-088 19.68 Frankie Fredericks 1996 1996-08-01 19.68 Kenneth Bednarek 2021 2021-08-04 10 19.70 Noah Lyles 2024 2024-08-08

+ Fastest women's times at the OlympicsRankTime (sec)AthleteNationGamesDate 1 21.34 Florence Griffith Joyner 1988 1988-09-29 2 21.53 Elaine Thompson-Herah 2021 2021-08-03 3 21.56 Florence Griffith Joyner 1988SF 1988-09-29 4 21.66 Elaine Thompson-Herah 2021SF 2021-08-025 21.72 Grace Jackson 1988 1988-09-29 21.72 Gwen Torrence 1992SF 1992-08-05 7 21.74 Veronica Campbell-Brown 2008 2008-08-21 8 21.75 Juliet Cuthbert 1992SF 1992-08-05 9 21.76 Florence Griffith Joyner 1988QF 1988-09-28 10 21.78 Elaine Thompson 2016 2016-08-17

Non-canonical Olympic events In addition to the main 1900 Olympic men's 200 metres, a 220-yard dash handicap race was also held. The winner was J. McGann for the United States, who ran an estimated 22.8 seconds with a ten-yard start. Frank Lukeman of Canada was second, also with a ten-yard handicap, and American C. Turner was third with a two-yard handicap.Handicap Olympic Athletics Events. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2014-04-18.

This event is no longer considered part of the official Olympic history of the 200 metres or the athletics programme in general. Consequently, medals from this competition have not been assigned to nations on the all-time medal tables.

References Participation and athlete data Athletics Men's 200 metres Medalists. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-02-07. Athletics Women's 200 metres Medalists. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-02-07. Olympic record progressions Mallon, Bill (2012). TRACK & FIELD ATHLETICS - OLYMPIC RECORD PROGRESSIONS. Track and Field News. Retrieved on 2014-02-07. Specific

External links IAAF 200 metres homepage Official Olympics website Olympic athletics records from Track & Field News A video showcasing all men's 200 metres' Olympic winners A video showcasing all women's 200 metres' Olympic winners