Why the 400m hurdles is one of the hardest Olympic races

Подробнее о видео

Running the 400-meter hurdles requires strategic rhythm, but it’s over so fast you just might miss it.

Subscribe to our channel!

There are few single events that demand as much skill as the 400-meter hurdle race. Olympians need to have the speed of a 200-meter dash runner, the endurance of an 800-meter runner, an understanding of rhythm, and, of course, the ability to efficiently clear a hurdle.

Various techniques can make or break a race. If you jump too high, you’re wasting time and energy; too low and you collide with a hurdle. Even if your technique over the hurdles is perfect, you can’t win if you don’t have the speed. Former Olympic hurdler and (until very recently) world record-holder Kevin Young helps us break down the rhythm of the 400-meter hurdles.

Correction: Karsten Warholm broke Kevin Young's record at a Diamond League meet in Oslo, Norway on July 1 — not at the Olympic Trials.

For more:







McLaughlin + Warholm’s record-breaking races:



Studies:




Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out .

Watch our full video catalog:
Follow Vox on Facebook:
Or Twitter: