400 metres hurdles to 400 metres, or one lap of the stadium, and the number of hurdles was reduced to ten. The official height of the hurdles was set to 91.4 cm (3 feet) for men and 76.20 cm (2 ft, 6 inches) for women. The hurdles were now placed on the course with a run-up to the first hurdle of 45 metres, a distance between the hurdles of 35 metres each, and a home stretch from the last hurdle to the finish line of 40 metres. The first documented 400 m hurdles race for women took place in 1971. The International Association
Low hurdles were frequently run on a straightaway, necessitating tracks to be constructed with long "chutes" to accommodate the hurdles, the 200 metres straight and the single turn 400 metres or 440 yards. These tracks have been referred to as "panhandle tracks." In large stadiums, where seating for football games was a primary consideration, these races started deep in a tunnel. With lower hurdles, the race was much faster and less technical than the 110 metres hurdles, a race going over high hurdles, a foot (30 cm) higher. Sprinters were able to change over to the low hurdles with success. Jesse Owens