2024 European Athletics Championships – Women's 400 metres hurdles

The women's 400 metres hurdles at the 2024 European Athletics Championships took place in three rounds at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, from 9 to 11 June 2024. This was the sixteenth time that the women's 400 metres hurdles was contested at the European Athletics Championships. A total of 37 athletes qualified for the event by entry standard, ranking, or wild card. The startlists contained 35 athletes from 21 nations.

The three heats of the first round were held on 9 June, where the thirteen fastest athletes qualified for the semifinals in addition to the eleven athletes with the highest ranking who had a bye in the first round and automatically qualified for the semifinals. The three heats of the semifinals were held on 10 June, where the two fastest athletes of each heat and the two fastest of the rest qualified for the final. Fatoumata Binta Diallo set a Portuguese record of 54.65 seconds in the semifinals.

The final was held on 11 June. Femke Bol from the Netherlands finished in first place in 52.49 seconds, breaking her previous championship record and successfully defending her European title from 2022. Louise Maraval from France finished second in 54.23 seconds, followed by Cathelijn Peeters from the Netherlands in third place in 54.37 seconds.

Background
At the European Athletics Championships, the women's 400 metres hurdles was introduced at the 1978 edition in Prague, Czechoslovakia and had been contested fifteen times before 2024: every four years until 2010 and every two years after, with the exception of the 2020 edition that was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. At the previous edition in 2022, Femke Bol won in a championship record of 52.67 seconds. At the start of the 2024 edition, Bol also held the European record of 51.45 seconds and had a European leading time of 53.07 seconds. The world record and the world leading time were set by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone from the United States.

Qualification
For the women's 400 metres hurdles event, the qualification period was from 27 May 2023 to 26 May 2024. Athletes could qualify by running the entry standard of 55.70 seconds or faster, by ranking in the top 100 of the World Athletics Ranking for this event, or by receiving a wild card. The only wild card was given to Femke Bol, but she would also have qualified with her European record of 51.45 seconds from 23 July 2023 or with her No. 1 event ranking. A total of 37 athletes qualified: 21 by entry standard, 15 by ranking, and 1 by wild card. A maximum of three athletes per nation could compete, or four when a wild card was given, which led to one athlete from Italy being cut. The remaining places were filled with the next best ranking athletes. A final entry list containing 38 athletes from 22 nations was published on 3 June 2024. The eventual startlists contained 35 athletes from 21 nations.

Round 1
On 9 June 2024, the first round was held in three heats, starting at 12:40 (UTC+2) in the afternoon. There were 24 athletes on the startlist, of whom 22 finished their races. The thirteen fastest athletes advanced to the semifinals ; the eleven highest-ranked athletes received a bye in the first round and automatically qualified for the semifinals. Five athletes set personal bests, and another two athletes equalled their personal best times (=).

Semifinals
On 10 June 2024, 24 athletes competed in the semifinals, divided over three heats, starting at 13:15 (UTC+2) in the afternoon. The first two athletes in each heat and the two fastest athletes of the rest  advanced to the final. In the first heat, Fatoumata Binta Diallo set a Portuguese record of 54.65 seconds; and another eight athletes set personal bests  in various heats of the semifinals.


 * * Athletes who received a bye into the semifinal

Final


On 11 June 2024, the final race with eight athletes was held at 21:18 (UTC+2) in the evening. Femke Bol of the Netherlands was leading the race from the second hurdle, gradually increasing her lead over the next eight hurdles and finishing first in 52.49 seconds. With this time, she set a world leading mark and broke her own championship record  of 52.67 seconds by 0.18 seconds. In addition to a gold medal, Bol also received a golden crown for the highest scoring performance in the category of women's sprints and hurdles at this tournament. Louise Maraval of France finished in second place 1.74 seconds after Bol, setting a new personal best of 54.23 seconds, and another 0.14 seconds later, Cathelijn Peeters of the Netherlands finished third in 54.37 seconds. The medal ceremony was later that evening.