The distance of the long hurdle race varies from 200m to 400m, depending on age and gender. The height of the hurdle also varies. Unlike short hurdles, the gap between each barrier stays the same (35m).
The event has been part of the Olympics athletics since 1900 for men and 1984 for women. At the World Masters Athletics Champs, the event only became available to women from 1987.
Women start with 400m and a hurdle height of 0.762m. From aged 50, the women race 300m and the distance further reduces to 200m at age 70. The hurdle height is dropped to 0.686m at age 60.
Men start with 400m and a hurdle height of 0.991m. From aged 60, the distance is reduced to 300m and then again to 200m from age 80. The hurdle height is dropped to 0.84m at age 50, 0.762m at age 60 and then to 0.686m at age 70.
The reduced distances for over 60s only came into use at the World Champs from 1985 and the 200m hurdles were only introduced to the M80+ from 2011 and W70+ from 2009.
To be valid for a record in the 200mH, a time must be run with a wind reading of +2.0 or less.
Electronic times are required. Some historical times that predate this requirement may be hand-times (h). Where it is not readily evident that a historical hand timed record or electronic time is faster, both will be listed. [I believe any time given with a single decimal is hand timed but unless marked it is not explicitly expressed.]
| Wellington | North Island Champs | South Island Champs | NZMA Champs | NZ National | Oceania Champs | World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M35 400mH | 1:04.64 B Hyslop | 59.46 Jeremy Hill (1998) | 1:16.12 David O’Sullivan (2018) | 1:00.58 Jeremy Hill (1999) | 59.46 Jeremy Hill (1998) | 1:00.11 Geoff Gibbons AUS (2012) | 48.13 Danny McFarlane JAM (2009) |
| M40 400mH | 1:00.56 Brian Turnbull (1996) | 1:03.12 Paul Daborn (2007) | 1:18.66 David O’Sullivan (2019) | 1:00.56 Brian Turnbull (1996) | 59.20 J O’Connor (2008) | 1:00.30 Ernest Kemplay AUS (1984) | 49.69 Danny McFarlane JAM (2012) |
| M45 400mH | 1:09.48 Kelvin Berryman | 1:06.50 Ron Robertson (1989) Paul Daborn (2012) | no record | 1:00.45 Jack O’Connor (2010) | 1:00.45 Jack O’Connor (2010) | 1:04.01 Chris Strange NZL (1998) | 53.57 Aramis Diaz ITA (2020) |
| M50 400mH | 1:15.02 Francis Campkin | 1:05.38 Paul Daborn (2016) | no record | 1:03.28 Paul Daborn (2017) | 1:03.0 J Speerstra (1986) | 1:03.67 Neil Fowler AUS (2002) | 56.35 Mattias Sunneborn SWE (2021) |
| M55 400mH | 1:15.30 Francis Campkin | 1:09.43 Stephen Te Whaii (2018) | 1:28.63 Gordon Wong (2020) | 1:10.64 Maurice Callaghan (2001) | 1:05.22 Maurice Callaghan (2003) | 1:06.60 Hans Meisebach AUS (1984) | 57.73 Getulio Echeandia USA (2019) |
| M60 300mH | 56.15 J Powell | 48.23 Laurie Malcolmson (2010) | 51.81 Bruce Thomson (2021) | 46.89 Laurie Malcolmson (2010) | 46.89 Laurie Malcolmson (2010) | 46.87 John Lamb AUS (2012) | 42.31 Guido Muller GER (1999) |
| M65 300mH | 1:00.75 Rupert Watson (2016) | 51.24 Laurie Malcolmson (2016) | 55.98 Keith Hutton (2016) | 49.06 Laurie Malcolmson (2017) | 49.06 Laurie Malcolmson (2017) | 50.28 Richard Trembath AUS (2008) | 43.88 Guido Muller GER (2004) |
| M70 300mH | 1:02.30 Peter Hanson (2010) | 59.02 Stewart Foster (2009) | 59.06 Keith Hutton (2019) | 57.29 Stewart Foster (2009) | 53.32 Alan Dougall (2019) | 53.32 Alan Dougall NZL (2019) | 45.24 Guido Muller GER (2000) |
| M75 300mH | 1:15.20 Bill Nicholson | 1:02.06 Stewart Foster (2012) | no record | 1:06.94 Ron Johnson (2008) | 1:01.26 Stewart Foster (2014) | 1:01.26 Stewart Foster NZL (2014) | 49.65 Guido Muller GER (2014) |
| M80 200mH | no record | no record | no record | 49.80 Stewart Foster (2018) | 49.80 Stewart Foster (2018) | 51.32 Stewart Foster NZL (2018) | 36.95 Earl Fee CAN (2010) |
| M85 200mH | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | 42.70 Earl Fee CAN (2014) |
| M90 200mH | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | 51.31 Ralph Maxwell USA (2010) |
| Wellington | North Island Champs | South Island Champs | NZMA Champs | NZ National | Oceania Champs | World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W35 400mH | no record | 1:19.95 Andrea Williams (2010) | no record | 1:06.73 K Green (1996) | 1:06.73 K Green (1996) | 1:12.55 Kerrie Macey AUS (1990) | 52.94 Marina Stepanova URS (1986) |
| W40 400mH | 1:21:04 Andrea Williams (2014) | 1:21:04 Andrea Williams (2014) | 1:35:74 Jody Robinson (2020) | 1:10.60 Karen Gillum-Green (2001) | 1:05.03 C Turner (1987) | 1:11.06 Suzy Cole AUS (2012) | 58.35 Barbara Gahling GER (2007) |
| W45 400mH | no record | 1:10.1 Fay Riley (1988) | no record | 1:12.39 Gail Kirkman (2001) | 1:08.59 Gail Kirkman (2001) | 1:04.70 Marie Kay AUS (2006) | 1:02.85 Barbara Gahling GER (2010) |
| W50 300mH | 1:01.81 P Scholes | 58.02 Delwyn Smith (2016) | 54.92 Louise Martin (2016) | 48.17 Gail Kirkman (2002) | 48.17 Gail Kirkman (2002) | 49.91 Michele Hossack AUS (2014) | 44.90 Barbara Gähling GER (2015) |
| W55 300mH | no record | 1:17.0 Wini Pepene (1988) | no record | 54.57 Gail Kirkman (2007) | 50.75 Gail Kirkman (2007) | 58.90 Wilma Perkins AUS (2006) | 46.74 Barbara Gähling GER (2022) |
| W60 300mH | 1:05.90 Judy Hammond | 1:05.68 Tui Ashe (2012) | 1:08.40 Claire Giles (2017) | 56.86 Gail Kirkman (2013) | 55.05 Gail Kirkman (2015) | 55.05 Gail Kirkman NZL (2015) | 49.80 Jane Horder GBR (2017) |
| W65 300mH | 1:11.04 Judy Hammond (2004) | 1:10.36 Tui Ashe (2015) | 58.40 Gail Kirkman (2018) | 1:11.04 Judy Hammond (2004) | 56.94 Gail Kirkman (2018) | 56.94 Gail Kirkman NZL (2018) | 52.70 Jane Horder GBR (2022) |
| W70 200mH | no record | no record | no record | 41.42 Gail Kirkman (2022) | 41.42 Gail Kirkman (2022) | 39.37 Marge Allison AUS (2018) | 36.71 Marge Allison AUS (2015) |
| W75 200mH | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | 39.89 Christa Bortignon CAN (2013) |
| W80 200mH | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | 42.24 Irene Obera USA (2014) |
| W85 200mH | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | 1:42.04 Tami Graf USA (2021) |