Main > Men, 400 m  All Time Best
The method I use to identify the 10 all time best athletes is a very simple.
From the Top 10 lists in the yearly statistics (Men 1891-2004, Women 1921-2004), the athlete
in the first position receives 10 points, the athlete in the second position receives 9 points
and so on down to the tenth position.
Athlete with the most points is the best.
The same method is applied to Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships.
The athlete in the first place receives 10 points, the athlete in the second place
receives 9 points and so on down to the tenth place.
Top 10 Yearly Statistics
Points Years
Michael Johnson  USA  106  1990-2000
LaShawn Merritt  USA  94  2005-2017
Herbert McKenley  JAM  86  1943-1953
Harry Reynolds  USA  77  1987-1999
Kirani James  GRN  76  2010-2023
Jeremy Wariner  USA  67  2004-2012
Antonio Pettigrew  USA  66  1989-2002
Alberto Juantorena  CUB  60  1973-1982
Dennis Shore  RSA  57  1935-1948
10  Steven Gardiner  BAH  55  2015-2023
Top 10 Olympic Games
Points
Kirani James  GRN  27   
Michael Johnson  USA  20   
Jeremy Wariner  USA  19   
Steven Lewis  USA  19   
Wyndham Halswelle  GBR  19   
Herbert McKenley  JAM  18   
LaShawn Merritt  USA  18   
Harry Hillman  USA  17   
Alberto Juantorena  CUB  17   
Guy Butler  GBR  17   
Top 10 World Championships
Points
LaShawn Merritt  USA  47   
Michael Johnson  USA  40   
Kirani James  GRN  37   
Wayde Van Niekerk  RSA  30   
Jeremy Wariner  USA  29   
Antonio Pettigrew  USA  27   
Harry Reynolds  USA  26   
Greg Haughton  JAM  25   
Jerome Young  USA  23   
10  Christopher Brown  BAH  20   
Top 10 European Championships
Points
Roger Black  GBR  29   
Matthew Hudson-Smith  GBR  29   
Martyn Rooney  GBR  28   
Kevin Borlée  BEL  26   
David Jenkins  GBR  19   
Andrzej Badenski  POL  19   
Thomas Schönlebe  GDR  18   
Jan Werner  POL  18   
Jacques Lunis  FRA  18   
Derek Pugh  GBR  18   
Stanislaw Gredzinski  POL  18