Two laps · eight barriers
The event the one-lap specialists were missing all winter. Born in France in 2004, it now has a world record, a world championship and its own all-time lists.
Clearing the “4H Indoor” hurdles. Photo Jérôme Lagunegrand — jelag-photo.com
Concept
Same distance, same discipline, same demands — but two laps of a 200-metre oval, and hurdles that come round again.
The 400m hurdles indoor is run over two laps of a 200-metre track. The hurdles sit in two rows, one per straight, 30 metres apart. An athlete clears eight of them over the full race, with a race official stationed at each row.
Coming off each bend, at least six metres separate the athlete from the first hurdle — enough to straighten up and attack it square. The rest is reading the race. No stride pattern is imposed, the interval is not the outdoor one, and the second lap is run in traffic.
The start is in lanes. As in the indoor flat 400 m, athletes hold them until the break line at the exit of the second bend, then come across to the inside. The first lap is run each in their own lane; the second is run together.
Everything happens inside a space the spectator takes in at a glance: two laps, eight barriers, under a minute. That is the direction athletics is taking — short, dense formats, readable from the stand and on screen alike. The 400m hurdles indoor does not need inventing to meet it: it is raced, it has its records and its world championships.
Winter offers nothing to the one-lap hurdlers: the 60m hurdles belongs to the sprinters. The 400m hurdles indoor gives them a real race between November and February.
Skill, nerve, tactics. Two laps, hurdles that come round again, lines that cross, a finish the crowd sees coming. Athletics is moving towards short, dense, instantly readable formats: this is one of them, and it already exists.
With no imposed rhythm, the athlete reads the race hurdle by hurdle. Instinct in the service of method — and a direct gain in hurdling technique once summer comes round.
Long sprinters and middle-distance runners belong here too. Variants already exist: 200m hurdles, 600m hurdles.
The indoor 400m hurdles is not the twin brother of the summer event, but its cousin — and above all its team-mate.
Jean-Georges Sarkadi, who created the event
Rules
The parameters of the event fit in eight lines. Everything else belongs to the race.
The race starts in lanes, then the athletes break for the inside under the same rule as the indoor flat 400 m. Everything else follows from that: once they have broken, lines cross, the second lap is run in contact, and the fallen hurdle becomes the central question of the event.
This is the question specific to the event. Over two laps, in a pack, a fallen barrier stays across the next athlete’s line. Two answers coexist.
This is the lock coming off. Struck, the hurdle folds away by itself and comes straight back up: the line stays clear for the athlete behind, the race keeps its integrity, and the last equipment objection to the event disappears. What rested on a specific rule is now settled by the equipment itself.
Where collapsible hurdles are not available, the rule applies: when a hurdle is down, the next athlete clears the one beside it. If there is no longer time to adjust the line, the athlete mimes the clearance at the proper height.
In both cases, the officials posted at each row reset the hurdles between passes. During the second lap they are advised to stand slightly behind the leader, so they can reset the barriers without getting in the runners’ way.
Videos
Interviewed on television, the 1997 world 400m hurdles champion gives his view of the indoor event.
He sets the best indoor mark of all time at Val-de-Reuil; it has not moved since. Six months later he took back the Olympic title in London.
Daniela Fra comes within touching distance of the women’s world record. Her time is the third-fastest of all time, and the quickest since 2012.
In his own words
The 400m hurdles indoor restarted the career of a two-time Olympic champion. In his own words.
My success indoors helped me in the outdoor races. If Jean-Georges had not created this event, I could not have done what I did in 2012. When I started running the 400m hurdles indoors, my times improved and I got my confidence back.
World Championships
The event has had a world title on the line since 2022.
1st edition
25-27 March 2022Stadium Miramas Métropole, France
The 400m hurdles indoor joins the programme of the World Ultr’Athletics, the IAUM’s 14th indoor world championships. Félix Sánchez, the event’s world record holder, is its patron.
Winners
Men Malik James-King JAM 49.58
Women Kaila Barber USA 57.59
2nd edition
31 January - 1 February 2026Jesse Owens indoor arena, Val-de-Reuil, France
Heats on Saturday, finals on Sunday, staged alongside the 10th Meeting de l’Eure Crédit Mutuel. Organised by the Eure departmental athletics committee and the Monde Indoor 400 m Haies association.
Winners
Men James Smith USA 51.02
Women Daniela Fra ESP 57.04
Entry standards (outdoor reference)
Men 50.94 · Women 57.74
All-time lists
Across every arena, since the event was created.
400 m haies / hurdles / vallas — indoor
Updated: September 2026
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Nat. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 48.78 | Félix SÁNCHEZWorld record | DOM | 18/02/2012 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 2 | 48.88 | CJ ALLEN | USA | 21/01/2023 | Iowa City |
| 3 | 49.54 | Yasmani COPELLO | CUB | 12/02/2013 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 4 | 49.58 | Malik JAMES-KING | JAM | 26/03/2022 | Miramas |
| 5 | 49.78 | Reuben McCOY | USA | 19/02/2011 | Birmingham |
| 6 | 50.05 | Isa PHILLIPS | JAM | 06/02/2017 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 7 | 50.21 | Richard YATESEuropean record | GBR | 19/02/2011 | Birmingham |
| 8 | 50.47 | Sébastien MAILLARDFrench record | FRA | 06/02/2010 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 9 | 50.50 | Thomas BARR | IRL | 03/02/2018 | Dublin |
| 10 | 50.61 | Adrien CLÉMENCEAU | FRA | 12/02/2013 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 11 | 50.64 | Niall FLANNERY | GBR | 07/02/2015 | Gand |
| 12 | 50.64 | Jack GREEN | GBR | 06/02/2017 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 13 | 50.69 | Heni KECHI | FRA | 06/02/2010 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 14 | 50.78 | Juander SANTOS | DOM | 27/01/2018 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 15 | 50.82 | Sergio FERNÁNDEZ | ESP | 27/01/2018 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 16 | 50.88 | Jesper ARTS | NED | 26/01/2014 | Bordeaux |
| 17 | 50.94 | Mamadou KASSÉ | SEN | 12/02/2013 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 18 | 51.02 | James SMITH | USA | 01/02/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 19 | 51.12 | Masayuki OBAYASHI | JPN | 27/03/2022 | Miramas |
| 20 | 51.27 | Clément LE BIHANNIC | FRA | 01/02/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Nat. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 56.41 | Sheena TOSTAWorld record | USA | 12/02/2011 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 2 | 56.66 | Sara PETERSENEuropean record | DEN | 18/02/2012 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 3 | 57.04 | Daniela FRA | ESP | 01/02/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 4 | 57.59 | Kaila BARBER | USA | 26/03/2022 | Miramas |
| 5 | 57.96 | Joanna LINKIEWICZ | POL | 06/02/2017 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 6 | 58.27 | Emilia ANKIEWICZ | POL | 06/02/2017 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 7 | 58.32 | Sanique WALKER | JAM | 31/01/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 8 | 58.54 | Vania STAMBOLOVA | BUL | 11/02/2015 | Dobrich |
| 9 | 58.57 | Svetlana GOGOLEVA | RUS | 18/02/2012 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 10 | 58.66 | Hayat LAMBARKI | MAR | 29/01/2012 | Bordeaux |
| 11 | 58.67 | Maena DROUINFrench record | FRA | 31/01/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 12 | 58.69 | Kylie LAMBERT | BEL | 31/01/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 13 | 58.72 | Farah CLERC | FRA | 31/01/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 14 | 58.85 | Linda ANGOUNOU | CMR | 01/02/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 15 | 59.31 | Cécile BERNALEAU | FRA | 29/01/2011 | Bordeaux |
| 16 | 59.53 | Nora SUÁREZ MARCOS | ESP | 28/01* | Antequera |
| 17 | 59.64 | Camille POIRIER | FRA | 29/01/2026 | Eaubonne |
| 18 | 60.09 | Melaine WALKER | JAM | 26/03/2022 | Miramas |
| 19 | 60.20 | Malina Lenuta BERINDE | ITA | 31/01/2026 | Val-de-Reuil |
| 20 | 60.22 | Iman JEAN | FRA | 31/01/2019 | Aubière |
* Year to be confirmed with the organisers.
News
Coming up · 2027
28 January 2027
The 400m hurdles indoor is on the programme of the French University Championships in Lyon. The race is open to international elite athletes, with a world record attempt in view.
Pending
International meetings Dates are awaiting confirmation and will be announced here.
February 2026
Two days of competition at the Jesse Owens arena and nine performances entering the all-time lists, including the third-fastest women’s mark in the event’s history.
All-time lists
Any 400m hurdles indoor race run under the rules above can enter the lists. Send the date, venue, name, nationality and official time to the organisers.
History
Twenty years of an event built one meeting at a time.
On 26 November, at the Michel d’Ornano arena in Mondeville, the event devised by coach Jean-Georges Sarkadi is run for the first time.
The very first race is won by Jean-Laurent Heusse, a world semi-finalist in 1999, today an internationally recognised plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon.
On 29 January, the 400m hurdles indoor is presented at an international meeting in Mondeville, thanks to Joël Bruneau — a former elite long-distance middle-distance runner, mayor of Caen and member of parliament.
The 400m hurdles indoor joins the French university sports federation. The race quickly becomes official, with a national title and a French university record, and establishes itself as one of the fixtures of the student indoor championships. Twenty years on it is still on the programme: with thanks to Olivier Tzatchev for that continuity.
Two French internationals, Salah-Eddine Ghaidi and Heni Kechi, give the 400m hurdles indoor its first credentials and its first benchmark times.
On 24 January, at the Bordeaux meeting, Félix Sánchez, who was thinking of ending his career, restarts it by taking the event’s world record to 50.80. With thanks to manager Olivier Noirot, a former French outdoor 400m record holder.
On 19 February, in front of 8,000 spectators, Félix Sánchez and American Reuben McCoy are separated by the photo finish. Behind them, England’s Richard Yates sets the European record for the event.
On 12 February, American Sheena Tosta runs 56.41. The mark still stands.
On 18 February, Félix Sánchez runs 48.78 at Val-de-Reuil. Six months later, at 34, he is Olympic 400m hurdles champion again in London: the indoor winter served as the launchpad.
Jean-Michel Valton designs the collapsible hurdle. Jean-Georges Sarkadi puts the problem to him in December; the first prototype is built in January 2020.
Miramas hosts the inaugural edition, within the IAUM’s World Ultr’Athletics.
On 21 January, at Iowa City, American CJ Allen runs 48.88 and comes within a tenth of Félix Sánchez’s world record. The record still stands.
Back to Val-de-Reuil, for the 10th Meeting de l’Eure Crédit Mutuel.
On 28 January in Lyon, the event is on the French University Championships programme, open to international elite athletes.
The team
The one who imagined it, the one who designed its hurdle, the one who carries it internationally.
Inventor of the event
A lecturer at the Caen sports science faculty (UFR STAPS), a national sprint and hurdles coach, and a former coach of international athletes. He founded the Stade Athlétique Bayeusain, then invented the 400m hurdles indoor, first run at Mondeville in November 2004, and later the outdoor 4×400m hurdles. He has kept the event’s lists and staged its meetings ever since.
Inventor of the collapsible hurdle
An engineer and design-office specialist in naval and offshore construction, nuclear circuits, hyperbaric environments and hydrocarbons — mechanics, fluid mechanics, structures. Sixteen years of his career went to environmental protection. In 2019 he designed the hurdle that folds away and comes back up. Like Tony Stark in Iron Man, it is his own hands and tools that bring the invention to life: he built the first prototype himself, in his garage, finished in January 2020 — and every prototype since the same way.
President of the international 4H Indoor federation
An engineer and an athlete, French university indoor 400m hurdles champion and a medallist at the French Elite outdoor championships. He speaks five languages fluently and takes the event to federations and athletes.
Contact
Entries, enquiries, performances for the all-time lists, plans to stage a race: one address.
Jean-Georges Sarkadi
Creator of the 400m hurdles indoor
For a performance to be added to the lists, please include the date, venue, name, nationality and official time.
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Dernière mise à jour : octobre 2026.