On August 26, 1999, legendary sprinter Michael Johnson set the world record in the 400 meters at the World Track and Field Championships in Seville, Spain. Johnson beat the previous record of 43.29 seconds set by Butch Reynolds 11 years earlier with a time of 43.18 seconds. Johnson won eight gold medals at the World Championships and four Olympic gold medals throughout his career. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest track and field sprinters of all time, and he is the only male athlete to have won the gold medal in the 200 meters and 400 meters at the same Olympics. Johnson’s 400 meters record lasted for 17 years until it was broken by South African Wayde van Niekerk at the 2016 Olympics.
