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200 Metres




A 200 metre race is a Sprint running event. Despite the fact that it is often a faster race than the 100 m, it is less popular than the 100 M , and often attracts runners from that event who wish to "double up" and claim both titles. This feat has been achieved eight times at the Olympic Games , the last by Carl Lewis in 1984 . An Olympic double of 200 m and 400 M was first achieved by Valerie Brisco-Hooks in 1984, and later by Michael Johnson and Marie-José Perec in 1996 .

On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. To most trained runners, this is a pure power race. A slightly shorter race, run on a straight track, was the first recorded event at the Ancient Olympics . Despite being twice as long as the 100 m, the best 200 m runners can run a 200 m in a time similar to or even faster than double their 100 m time. This is primarily because the athlete comes into the final straight at full speed already, therefore enabling them to run the second half of the 200 m faster than an athlete can usually run a regular 100 m. For example, Michael Johnson's world record represents an average speed of 10.35 m/s (37.3 km/h or 23.1 mph), faster than the average speed for the current 100 m world record of 9.77 s, which represents an average speed of 10.24 m/s (36.9 km/h or 22.9 mph).

The current men's world record holder is Michael Johnson, who ran 19.32 seconds at the 1996 Olympic Games . The current women's world record holder is Florence Griffith-Joyner , who ran 21.34 seconds at the 1988 Olympic Games . The reigning Olympic champions are Shawn Crawford and Veronica Campbell .


FAMOUS 200 M RUNNERS


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Women



ALL-TIME FASTEST 200 M ATHLETES


Men

Updated June 24 2007 .
Only the fastest time for each athlete is listed.


Women


Updated June 10 , 2005


OLYMPIC MEDALISTS


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Women



WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALISTS


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Women