What a DISASTER. Name an event that has imploded worse than the men's 400m...

Sorry. Post cut off. Meant to say:

The 800m is just in a bit of a lull following the glory days of Rudisha and co which where the best years the event has ever seen. The Brazier situation is disappointing for sure, but barring a few other steady declines (Emmanuel Korir, Ferguson Rotich), there just has been a bit of dip in depth and performance, which happens to every event from time to time.

Small correction but Van Niekerk got injured in 2017 after the world championships

Agree with the overall point but how many of those guys have run sub-44 multiple times? Champion Allison and Randolph Ross weren't even consistent 44-low guys when they broke 43. Viewed big picture, Norman and maybe Zambrano are the only real bizarre dropoffs.

At least the 400 has Gardiner as the standard bearer. The 800 is arguably in worse shape, what with Brazier injured, Korir unable to break 1:47, and nobody coming close to 1:42

What's bizarre about Norman? He's apparently, by his lack of and missing performance, injured.

Those 1968 times were run at 7300 feet, the two guys Lee Evans and Larry James never broke 44 before or after.

A testament to how excruciatingly difficult the 400M is.

Vernon Norwood (US) has several top 3 finishes this year with great times. I'm really hoping he can grab an individual medal in Budapest.

Also how short the window is to run it. Only Michael Johnson ever won back to back Olympic Golds.

Look up his interview after he ran a 10.3 at nationals, the injury sounded pretty minor.

The bigger issue is he changed coaches in the middle of the season, which raises some eyebrows coming off a world championship. His comments about needing an environment/mental health change suggest there was more to his slow 100/200 times than a sore knee.

The 400/800 are the most taxing events, aren’t they?

agree--that 43.86 by Lee Evans in Mexico was Beamon-like-no-one came close then Butch Reynolds destroyed it with a 43.29 at sea level in '88 (still one of the most impressive 400m races ever the way that he paced it). As for the 400 I agree with the others-not as bad as the 800 and I'm rooting for Kirani James to get another medal this year!

No, not at this rate. The LJ has turned into a circus act like a lot of the other field events. It was over for me when a guy from China medals and no Americans do. No incentives in the field events for Black Americans when they can pad up or hoop it up for $$$millions.

nowhere near the marathon.

400/800 are painfull but short and fun. Marathon is just painfull and long :)

This makes me wonder "why do we keep losing talent in the 400m?"

Norman wins WC in Eugene, then doesn't run the event anymore to move down to 100 like Kerley? Doesnt make sense to me.

Is it possible that the 400m is so much more demanding and difficult than the 100/200 in training that guys just don't want to run it? Does anyone have experience with this? How difficult is training for the 400 compared to 100/200?

Well we know why - Amos was busted and testing got better in Kenya.

7 of the fastest 30 800m men 2017 - 2019 have been suspended.

Yes, I just had to push the timeline up from 1968 because sea level sub 44's didn't start happening until Reynolds.

Everyone who could be great at 400 would rather try to win the wide-open 100, for obvious reasons.

Fred Kerley is being driven to failure by fate itself, to make sure quarter-length spandex on males doesn't become fashionable.

That guy from China, Wang Jianan, is one of the furthest jumpers in history and the co-national record holder. He's equal 35th on the all-time list.

So, there's not one modern American that cant beat the 35th all-timer? Greek? Brit?, Cuban? Sheesh, that's what Im talking about youngster. I was spoiled watching, Myricks, Lewis, Powell, Walder, Connely etc.... Check their names in the top 34. Probably have room to spare before worrying about 35.

Used to be as tough to make the American Olympic team as the current women's 100 hurdles has been the last 10+ years.

When the mountain disappears its noticeable.

Ok,I looked at the list. 27ft+ is good but I still cant believe there isnt 1 American that can jump close to that after witnessing so many 28 footers. Emmiyan was a hanger which looked like 30 feet.

As far as 400 goes...Anyone remember the debacle in 92 New Orleans. O ly the men's 400 1st round on the rest night.

Evans, Lewis, Watts, Reynolds kept one upping each other. All I remembet is the announcer kept saying...And thats a new World Record for a first round effort after each heat. That was a salty group on a salty night.