Athletics 🇬🇧United Kingdom Olympic19th century

Hurdles

Q: What are the hurdle heights?

100mH (women): 84 cm (33 in). 110mH (men): 106.7 cm (42 in). 400mH men: 91.4 cm (36 in). 400mH women: 76.2 cm (30 in). Under-20 heights slightly lower.

Q: Can you knock over hurdles?

Yes — unintentional knockdowns don't disqualify (though they lose time). Intentional knockdowns with hand or feet result in DQ.

Q: Who holds the 400m hurdles world record?

Men: Karsten Warholm (Norway) 45.94 s (Tokyo 2021 Olympics). Women: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) 50.68 s (2024). Warholm broke Kevin Young's 29-year-old 46.78 s record.

Q: What's the difference between hurdles and steeplechase?

Hurdles: 10 lightweight knockable hurdles on flat track. Steeplechase: 3000m distance with 28 solid heavy barriers + 7 water jumps (immovable).

Q: How many strides between hurdles?

100mH/110mH elite: 3 strides. 400mH elite men: 13-15 strides; women 15-17. Beginners often 4 strides in short hurdles.

Q: Are Paralympic hurdles held?

Yes — some visual/prosthetic categories run hurdles at adapted heights. World Para Athletics governs classifications.

Officially Hurdling

Track athletics event in which runners sprint and clear 10 barrier hurdles evenly spaced along the track — Olympic events: 100mH (women), 110mH (men), 400mH (both).

📐athletics track (400 m oval)⏱~1 min🌤outdoor

What is Hurdles?

Hurdles is a track athletics event in which runners must clear a series of 10 evenly-spaced hurdles (barriers) as they sprint down a lane. The event descends from 19th-century English university sports and became an Olympic event at the first modern Games in 1896. Three main Olympic events: 100 metre hurdles (women, 10 hurdles at 84 cm / 33 in), 110 metre hurdles (men, 10 hurdles at 106.7 cm / 42 in), and 400 metre hurdles (both, 10 hurdles at 91.4 cm men / 76.2 cm women). Hurdling technique combines sprint speed with rhythmic clearance — the ideal is to lose minimal time over each hurdle. Elite runners take 3 strides between short hurdles (100m/110m) and 13-17 strides between long hurdles (400m). Records: 12.12 s (women 100mH, Tobi Amusan 2022), 12.80 s (men 110mH, Aries Merritt 2012), 45.94 s (men 400mH, Karsten Warholm 2021), 50.68 s (women 400mH, Sydney McLaughlin 2022).

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Cover the race distance faster than all competitors while clearing all 10 hurdles.

Match structure

Runners in individual lanes from starting blocks. Race is heat → semi → final format at major championships (top 8 to final). Photofinish decides.

Rules

Basic rules

Clear or knock down (unintentional OK)
Runners can knock over hurdles unintentionally without disqualification — but time is lost.
Intentional knockdown = DQ
Intentionally knocking hurdle with hand/leg = disqualification.
Stay in lane
Cannot run outside lane; stepping across lane line = DQ.
Trail leg over hurdle
Trail leg must go over the hurdle — running around a hurdle = DQ.
False start
Move before gun = disqualification (single false start rule since 2010).
Photofinish
Torso across finish line first wins.

Advanced rules

Wind assistance limit
Wind at back <2.0 m/s for record eligibility.
Automatic timing (1/1000 sec)
All championship times measured to 0.01 sec by photofinish camera.
Stride pattern (100mH/110mH)
Elite runners take 3 strides between hurdles (8 strides to first hurdle).
Stride pattern (400mH)
Elite men: 13-15 strides between hurdles; women 15-17. Alternating lead leg required.
Hurdles regulation
Weighted so 3.6-4.0 kg of pressure knocks them over — designed to reduce injury on impact.

Scoring

Fastest official time wins.

Action	Points
Time	Measured to 0.01 sec (0.001 sec unofficial)
Wind (100mH/110mH)	≤2.0 m/s for record eligibility
Photofinish	Torso first across line wins

Win condition · Fastest legal time wins the race.

Playing area

Called

athletics track (400 m oval)

Dimensions

100mH: 10 hurdles at 8.5 m intervals, first at 13.0 m. 110mH: 10 hurdles at 9.14 m intervals, first at 13.72 m. 400mH: 10 hurdles at 35 m intervals, first at 45 m.

Standard 400 m outdoor synthetic track (Mondo, tartan). Hurdles arranged in each lane for parallel racing. Hurdle heights and spacings differ by event/gender.

Equipment

Hurdles
L-shaped metal-frame with wooden or plastic top. Weighted base so hurdle can be knocked over if hit (loses time; disqualified if intentional).
Spikes
6-8mm sprinting spikes with hurdle-specific stiff plate.
Starting blocks
Adjustable metal blocks; used for start of race.
Lycra suit / singlet + shorts
Aerodynamic tight racing kit.

Officiating

World Athletics Rules of Competition; photofinish + electronic timing since 1970s.

Chief Judge
Starter
Photofinish Judge
Umpires (hurdle spotters)
Timekeeper

Strategies

Attack the first hurdle
Get to first hurdle with 8 aggressive strides (100mH/110mH).
Maintain 3-stride pattern
Consistent rhythm between hurdles minimises time loss.
Alternating lead leg (400mH)
Elite 400mH athletes alternate lead leg based on fatigue.
Pace 400mH first half
Even pacing crucial — first 200m ~0.5-1s slower than open 400m.
Push over hurdle
Snap trail leg forward and down instantly for faster next stride.

Terminology

Lead leg: First leg over hurdle — extends straight.
Trail leg: Second leg over hurdle — pulled through horizontally.
Take-off: Point where jumper leaves the ground before hurdle.
3-stride rhythm: Elite pattern between short hurdles (100mH/110mH).
Hurdle spacing: Interval between hurdles: 8.5m (100mH), 9.14m (110mH), 35m (400mH).
Knockdown: Hitting hurdle — no DQ unless intentional but loses time.
Steeplechase: 3000m race with 28 barriers + 7 water jumps — distinct from hurdles.
Photofinish: Precise timing at line by high-speed camera.
False start: Movement before gun — instant DQ (2010+ single false start rule).
Split time: Time at each hurdle used for pacing analysis.

Major competitions

Olympic Games (100mH/110mH/400mH)
quadrennial · worldwide · since 1896
World Athletics Championships
biennial · worldwide · since 1983
Diamond League (annual pro circuit)
annual (14 events) · worldwide · since 2010
Continental championships (Euro/African/Asian/Pan-Am)
biennial or quadrennial

Where it is played

Governing bodies

World Athletics
Founded 1912 · Monaco
Official site ↗
USA Track & Field (USATF)
Founded 1979 · Indianapolis, USA
Official site ↗

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Karsten Warholm (Norway) — 400mH world record 45.94 s (2021); 2× Olympic gold
Aries Merritt (USA) — 110mH world record 12.80 s (2012); Olympic gold 2012
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) — 400mH world record 50.68 s (2024); 2× Olympic gold
Kevin Young (USA) — 400mH world record 46.78 s (1992-2021), held for 29 years
Tobi Amusan (Nigeria) — 100mH world record 12.12 s (2022)
Sally Pearson (Australia) — 2011 World Champion + 2012 Olympic gold in 100mH
Edwin Moses (USA) — 122 consecutive 400mH wins over 9 years, 2× Olympic gold
Colin Jackson (Wales/GB) — 110mH World Champion 1993, 1999; 12.91 s WR held 1993-2006
Ed Moses (USA)

Records

Men's 110mH world record
Aries Merritt (USA) — 12.80 s (2012)
Men's 400mH world record
Karsten Warholm (Norway) — 45.94 s (Tokyo Olympics) (2021)
Women's 100mH world record
Tobi Amusan (Nigeria) — 12.12 s (2022)
Women's 400mH world record
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) — 50.68 s (2024)
Longest unbeaten streak (400mH)
Edwin Moses (USA) — 122 consecutive wins, 9 years 9 months 9 days (1987)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Join athletics club
Coach-supervised sessions with hurdles at 60-76 cm heights.
2
Lead/trail leg drills
Walk-over drills at 6 hurdles then progressive height.
3
3-stride rhythm
Practice 3 strides between short-spacing hurdles.
4
First competitions
School meets and under-15 championships.

intermediate

1
Full-height hurdles
Progress to full height (84/91.4/106.7 cm depending on event).
2
Regional / national qualification
Junior national championships.

advanced

1
Full-time coaching
Elite-level 20-25 hours/week training with track team.
2
World athletics circuit
Diamond League (14 events); Olympic/World qualification.

Frequently asked

What are the hurdle heights?+