100 metres hurdles explained

Event:100 metres hurdles
Image Upright:1.1
Wrwomen: Tobi Amusan 12.12 (2022)
Orwomen: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn 12.26 (2021)
Crwomen: Tobi Amusan 12.12 (2022)

The 100 metres hurdles, or 100-meter hurdles, is a track and field event run mainly by women (the male counterpart is the 110 metres hurdles). For the race, ten hurdles of a height of 33inches are placed along a straight course of 100m (300feet). The first hurdle is placed after a run-up of 13 metres from the starting line. The next 9 hurdles are set at a distance of 8.5 metres from each other, and the home stretch from the last hurdle to the finish line is 10.5 metres long. The hurdles are set up so that they will fall over if bumped into by the runner, but weighted so this is disadvantageous. Fallen hurdles do not count against runners provided that they do not run into them on purpose. Like the 100 metres sprint, the 100 m hurdles begins with athletes in starting blocks.

The fastest 100 m hurdlers run the distance in a time of around 12.5 seconds. The world record set by Tobi Amusan stands at 12.12 seconds.

History

See also: Women's 100 metres hurdles world record progression.

The race started back in the 1830s in England where wooden barriers were placed along a 100-yard stretch. The hurdles event was included as part of the inaugural Women's World Games in 1922, and made its first appearance in the Olympic Games in 1932 as 80m hurdles.

Starting with the 1972 Summer Olympics, the women's race was lengthened to 100m hurdles.[1]

The hurdles sprint race has been run by women since the beginning of women's athletics, just after the end of World War I. The distances and hurdle heights varied widely in the beginning. While the men had zeroed in on the 110 m hurdles, the International Women's Sport Federation had registered records for eight different disciplines by 1926 (60 yards/75 cm height, 60 yards/61 cm, 65 yards/75 cm, 83 yards/75 cm, 100 yards/75 cm, 100 yards/61 cm, 120 yards/75 cm, 110 metres/75 cm). At the first Women's World Games in 1922, a 100 m hurdles race was run.

From 1926 until 1968, the distance was 80 metres: women had to clear eight hurdles placed at a distance of 8 metres from each other and a height of 30inches.

Just like with the men's races, until 1935 no more than three hurdles could be knocked over, or the runner was disqualified, and records were only officially registered if the runner had cleared all her hurdles clean.

In 1935, this rule was abandoned, and L-shaped hurdles were introduced that fell over forward easily and greatly reduced the risk of injury to the runner. Hurdles are weighted, so when properly set for the height (for women, closer to the fulcrum of the "L"), they serve as a consistent disadvantage to making contact with the barrier.

Comparison of 80 m and 100 m hurdles
DistanceNumber
of hurdles
HeightDistance made up of
RunupIntervalsHome stretch
80 m 8 76.2 cm 12 m 8.0 m 12.0 m
100 m 10 83.8 cm 13 m 8.5 m 10.5 m

The 80 m hurdles was on the list of women's sports demanded by the International Women's Sport Federation for the Olympic Summer Games in 1928, but was not included as an Olympic discipline until 1932. Starting with 1949, the 80 m hurdles was one of the disciplines included in the women's pentathlon.

During the 1960s, some experimental races were run over a distance of 100 metres using hurdles with a height of 30inches. During the 1968 Summer Olympics, a decision was made to introduce the 100 m hurdles from 1969, using hurdles with a height of 33inches.

The first international event in the 100 m hurdles occurred at the European Athletics Championships, which were won by Karin Balzer of the GDR.

The modern 100 m race has an extra two hurdles compared to the 80 m race, which are higher and spaced slightly further apart. The home stretch is shorter by 1.5 m.

Currently, women run 110 m hurdles at the World Athletics Relays, a mixed team event, which was instituted in 2019.

Masters athletics

A version of the 100 metres hurdles is also used for 50- to 59-year-old men in Masters athletics. They run the same spacing as women, which coordinates with existing markings on most tracks, but run over 36-inch (0.914 m) hurdles. In the 60-69 age range, the spacings are changed. Women over age 40 and men over age 70 run 80 metre versions with different heights and spacings.[2] [3]

Milestones

100 m hurdles:

All-time top 25

Time (s) Wind (m/s) Reaction (s) Athlete Nation Date Place
1 1 12.12 +0.9 0.144 24 July 2022 [6] [7]
2 2 12.20 +0.3 0.149 22 July 2016 London [8]
3 3 12.21 +0.7 20 August 1988
4 12.24 +0.9 Donkova #2 28 August 1988
+0.7 Harrison #2 28 May 2016
+0.10.155Harrison #322 August 2023Budapest[9]
4 712.25 +1.4 Ginka Zagorcheva8 August 1987 Drama
+0.7Masai Russell30 June 2024Eugene[10]
9 12.26 +1.5 Donkova #37 September 1986 Ljubljana
6 9 12.26 +1.7 6 June 1992
+1.2 22 June 2013 [11]
−0.2 0.172 1 August 2021 Tokyo [12] [13]
13 12.27 −1.2 Donkova #4 28 August 1988
+0.90.155Harrison #424 July 2022Eugene[14] [15]
+0.10.166Camacho-Quinn #22 September 2022Brussels[16] [17]
16 12.28 +1.8 Narozhilenko #2 11 July 1991
+0.9 Narozhilenko #3 6 June 1992
9 16 12.28 +1.1 0.145 3 September 2011 [18]
16 12.28 +0.1 0.152 Harrison #5 4 July 2017 [19]
91612.28+0.5Ackera Nugent30 June 2024Kingston[20]
21 12.29 −0.4 Donkova #5 17 August 1986
−0.30.163Amusan #28 September 2022Zürich[21] [22]
23 12.30 −0.2 0.126 Amusan #3 7 August 2022 [23]
112312.30+0.60.153Nia Ali21 July 2023Monaco[24]
122512.31+0.30.143Britany Anderson24 July 2022Eugene[25] [26]
2512.31−0.20.158Camacho-Quinn #327 May 2023Los Angeles[27]
12.31+0.60.165Harrison #621 July 2023Monaco[28]
122512.31+0.80.150Cyréna Samba-Mayela8 June 2024Rome[29]
+0.7Alaysha Johnson30 June 2024Eugene
+0.7Grace Stark30 June 2024Eugene
16 12.32 +0.8 0.119 20 July 2019 London[30] [31]
17 12.33 −0.3 Gail Devers23 July 2000 Sacramento
1812.34+1.9Sharika Nelvis26 June 2015Eugene[32]
1912.35+0.9Jasmin Stowers15 May 2015Doha[33]
2012.36+1.9Grażyna Rabsztyn13 June 1980
+1.029 June 2024 [34]
+1.6Nadine Visser14 July 2024 La Chaux-de-Fonds[35] [36]
2312.37+1.524 August 2004
−0.27 August 2012 London
+1.6Pia Skrzyszowska14 July 2024 [37] [38]

Assisted marks

Any performance with a following wind of more than 2.0 metres per second does not count for record purposes. Below is a list of all wind-assisted times equal or superior to 12.31:

Most successful athletes

Season's bests

YearTimeAthletePlace
197012.93Munich
197112.6hEast Berlin
197212.59Munich
197312.68Dresden
197412.66Rome
197512.91Zielona Góra
197612.69Bydgoszcz
197712.87Düsseldorf
197812.48Fürth
197912.48Warsaw
198012.36Warsaw
198112.68Tbilisi
198212.44Sofia
198312.42Berlin
198412.43Hanover
198512.42Sofia
198612.26Ljubljana
198712.25Dráma
198812.21Stara Zagora
198912.60Barcelona
199012.53Kyiv
199112.28Kyiv
199212.26Seville
199312.46Stuttgart
199412.53Linz
Stara Zagora
199512.44Lucerne
199612.47Atlanta
199712.50Athens
199812.44Monaco
199912.37Seville
200012.33Sacramento
200112.42Edmonton
200212.40Lausanne
200312.45Eugene
Monaco
200412.37Athens
200512.43Carson
200612.43Lausanne
200712.44Rome
200812.43Beijing
200912.46Zürich
201012.52London
201112.28Daegu
201212.35London
201312.26Des Moines
201412.44Paris
201512.34Eugene
201612.20London
201712.28Székesfehérvár
201812.36London
201912.32London
202012.68Turku
202112.26Tokyo
202212.12Eugene
202312.24Budapest
202412.25Eugene

External links

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 100 Metres Hurdles. 13 August 2020. www.worldathletics.org.
  2. Web site: Hurdles 101.
  3. Web site: Archived copy . 6 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120122064124/http://www.world-masters-athletics.org/files/laws_rules/Appendix-A-K.pdf . 22 January 2012 .
  4. Web site: Rio Olympics 2016: US women sweep medals in 100m hurdles - BBC News . Bbc.com . 2016. 19 August 2016.
  5. Web site: All-time women's best 100m hurdles. alltime-athletics.com. 7 July 2017. 9 July 2017.
  6. Web site: Women's 100m Hurdles Semifinal Results. World Athletics. 24 July 2022. 31 July 2022.
  7. Web site: 100 Metres Hurdles Result World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022 . worldathletics.org . 22 May 2023 . en.
  8. Web site: 100m Hurdles Results . sportresult.com . 22 July 2016 . 22 July 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160722230651/http://livecache.sportresult.com/node/binaryData/AT_PROD/LONDON2016/PDF_RE1250040.PDF?h=55fyt5HsfjkzKROoQdNPSKUR5Z4%3D . 22 July 2016 .
  9. Web site: 100m Hurdles Round 1 Results. World Athletics. 22 August 2023. 22 August 2023.
  10. Web site: McLaughlin-Levrone breaks world 400m hurdles record at US Trials. World Athletics. Jessie Gabriel. 30 June 2024. 1 July 2024.
  11. News: National records for Rollins, Carter and Bingson at US Championships. IAAF. Kirby Lee. 23 June 2013. 24 June 2013.
  12. Web site: Women's 100m hurdles Semi-Final Results Summary. olympics.com. 1 August 2021. 16 August 2021. 10 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211010153019/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/ATH/OG2020-_ATH_C74A_ATHW100MHURD----------SFNL--------.pdf. dead.
  13. Web site: Tokyo 2020 100m Hurdles Semifinals Results World Athletics . worldathletics.org . 22 May 2023.
  14. Web site: Women's 100m Hurdles Semifinal Results. World Athletics. 24 July 2022. 31 July 2022.
  15. Web site: 100 Metres Hurdles Result World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022 . worldathletics.org . 23 May 2023 . en.
  16. News: Krop, Mahuchikh and Winger bounce back in Brussels with world-leading marks. World Athletics. Jon Mulkeen. 2 September 2022. 14 September 2022.
  17. Web site: Wanda Diamond League Boudewijnstadion - Brussels (BEL) 1st - 2nd September 2022 Results 100m Hurdles Women . 24 May 2023.
  18. Web site: 100 Metres Hurdles Results . . 3 September 2011 . 3 September 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120225195332/http://daegu2011.iaaf.org/documents/pdf/4147/AT-100H-W-f--1--.RS1.pdf . 25 February 2012 .
  19. Web site: 2017 – Gyulai István Memorial . 24 May 2023.
  20. Web site: National championships round-up: Nugent and Thompson impress in Jamaica REPORT World Athletics . 2024-07-01 . worldathletics.org.
  21. News: Amusan and Lyles break meeting records en route to Diamond League wins in Zurich. World Athletics. Jess Whittington. Jon Mulkeen. 8 September 2022. 16 September 2022.
  22. Web site: Wanda Diamond League Final 2022 7th September - Sechseläutenplatz, Zürich (SUI) 8th September - Letzigrund, Zürich (SUI) Results 100m Hurdles Women . 24 May 2023.
  23. Web site: 100m Hurdles Final Results. Microplus Informatica. 7 August 2022. 19 August 2022.
  24. Web site: 100m Hurdles Results. sportresult.com. 21 July 2023. 21 July 2023.
  25. Web site: Women's 100m Hurdles Semifinal Results. World Athletics. 24 July 2022. 31 July 2022.
  26. Web site: 100 Metres Hurdles Result World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022 . worldathletics.org . 24 May 2023 . en.
  27. Web site: Crouser breaks world shot put record with 23.56m in Los Angeles. World Athletics. Madeline Ryan. 27 May 2023. 29 May 2023.
  28. Web site: 100m Hurdles Results. sportresult.com. 21 July 2023. 21 July 2023.
  29. Web site: 100m Hurdles Results. World Athletics. 8 June 2024.
  30. News: Williams blazes 12.32, Warholm improves to 47.12 in London – IAAF Diamond League. IAAF. Bob Ramsak. 20 July 2019. 31 July 2019.
  31. Web site: IAAF Diamond League London (GBR) 20th - 21st July 2019 Results 100m Hurdles Women - Final . 24 May 2023.
  32. Web site: 100m Hurdles Heat 3 Results. 26 June 2015. 27 June 2015.
  33. Web site: 100m Hurdles Results. IAAF. 15 May 2015. 31 August 2015.
  34. Web site: 100m Hurdles Semifinal Results. World Athletics. 2 July 2024.
  35. Web site: 14 July 2024 . Bol breaks European 400m hurdles record in La Chaux-de-Fonds . 14 July 2024 . World Athletics.
  36. Web site: 14 July 2024 . 400m Hurdles Women Results . 14 July 2024.
  37. Web site: 14 July 2024 . Bol breaks European 400m hurdles record in La Chaux-de-Fonds . 14 July 2024 . World Athletics.
  38. Web site: 14 July 2024 . 400m Hurdles Women Results . 14 July 2024.
  39. Web site: GAIL DEVERS. Team USA.
  40. Web site: Sally Pearson. 13 August 2020. Australian Olympic Committee.
  41. Web site: Pearson, world champion and 2012 Olympic 100m hurdles gold medallist, retires News. 13 August 2020. www.worldathletics.org.