200-meter race

running race

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Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

The 200-meter race is a sprint event in athletics. It is run on an oval track, and the start is staggered so that each runner covers an equal distance. Sprinters typically use a crouched start with starting blocks for a quick takeoff. Top sprinters can reach speeds over 40 km/h (25 mph) around the 55–65 meter mark, though fatigue sets in later in the race. This event, along with the 100m and 400m, requires a sustained top speed and careful pace judgment.12

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Usain Bolt
Early life and world junior championships
…the time—won gold in the 200 meters, becoming the youngest-ever male world junior champion in any event.
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…the time—won gold in the 200 meters, becoming the youngest-ever male world junior champion in any event.
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Tommie Smith
…City, where he won the 200-meter dash in 19.83 seconds—the first time that the distance was run in less than 20 seconds. During the medal ceremony, Smith attracted international attention when he and teammate John Carlos gave the Black Power salute. It became a defining moment in the civil rights…
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…City, where he won the 200-meter dash in 19.83 seconds—the first time that the distance was run in less than 20 seconds. During the medal ceremony, Smith attracted international attention when he and teammate John Carlos gave the Black Power salute. It became a defining moment in the civil rights…
Read More