440-yard dash

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The 440-yard dash, or quarter-mile race, is a sprint race in track and field competitions.

In many countries, athletes compete in the 440 yard dash (402.336 m) – which corresponds to a quarter mile. Many athletic tracks are 440 yards per lap. In the 19th century it was thought of as a middle distance race.[1]

World-record holder Lon Meyers (1858–1899) was the first person to run the 440 in under 50 seconds.[1][2] In 1947, Herb McKenley of Jamaica set a world record in the event with a time of 46.3 seconds, which he lowered the following year to a new world record of 46.0 seconds.[3] In 1971, John Smith lowered the world record to 44.5 seconds.[4]

The 440 yard race distance used imperial measurements, which have been replaced by metric-distance races. The 400 Metre Dash is the successor to the 440 yard dash.[5] An athlete who competes in the 400 m may still be referred to as 'quarter-miler'.[6]

See also

References

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