Olympics 200 metres champions – Usain Bolt out in front

The Tokyo Olympics saw a 100m-200m double even in the absence of the retired Usain Bolt, who had achieved the feat three consecutive times - at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

At Tokyo 2020, it was Bolt’s fellow Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah, who became the first woman to successfully defend the 100 metres and 200 metres titles at an Olympics.

Andre de Grasse of Canada, the Rio 2016 men’s 200m silver medallist behind Usain Bolt, took over from the Jamaican, winning the men’s 200m gold at Tokyo 2020.

After the 100m, the 200m is considered to be one of the most prestigious events at the Olympics. Barring the inaugural modern Games at Athens 1896, the men’s 200m has seen a permanent presence at the Olympics from Paris 1900. The women’s event has been held since London 1948.

The USA have been the most successful nation in the 200m, winning 17 out of the 28 gold medals in the men’s 200m and six out of 19 in the women’s 200m. Jamaica have won as many overall medals as the USA in women’s 200m – 13.

American men have swept all three 200m medals at the Olympics on as many as six occasions: St Louis 1904, Los Angeles 1932, Helsinki 1952, Melbourne 1956, Los Angeles 1984 and Athens 2004. No country has swept the three 200m medals in the women’s event so far, although there have been quite a few doubles.

Usain Bolt is the most successful athlete in the 200m with three gold medals, while another Jamaican Merlene Ottey has won the most medals – four (one silver, three bronze).

No man apart from Usain Bolt has won multiple 200m gold medals. Three women - Bärbel Wöckel of East Germany (Montreal 1976 and Moscow 1980), Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica (Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008), Elaine Thompson-Herah also of Jamaica (Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020) – have won two 200m gold medals.

Usain Bolt holds the world (19.19 seconds) as well as the Olympic records (19.3 seconds) in the men’s 200m. Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 21.34 seconds en route to the Seoul 1988 gold still remains the world and Olympic best in women’s 200m.