Kim Batten wants to make women’s 400-meter hurdles more challenging. The 1995 world champion and former world record holder announced a new campaign called “Raise the Hurdles” on social media this week.
Kim Batten’s plan would increase the hurdle height from 30 inches to 33 inches. She said the change is needed because of recent improvements in the event.
The debate about hurdle height has existed in track and field for years. However, Batten believes now is the right time to make the change official.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone currently holds the world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. Her performances have shown how much the event has progressed. Batten pointed to McLaughlin-Levrone’s achievements as proof that athletes are ready for higher barriers.
When should this happen Kim Batten?
“THE TIME IS NOW to scale into this challenge and opportunity,” Batten wrote in her announcement.
Kim Batten once held the world record herself in the event. She won the world championship in 1995 and knows the demands of racing at the highest level. Batten is well known to Jamaica from the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, when Jamaica won its first Olympic medal in the women’s 400m hurdles. Jamaican fans could only hear “here comes Kim Batten” repeatedly as Deon Hemmings stormed to victory in the one-lap obstacle event.
Kim Batten petition
The campaign will include a petition that Batten plans to release at the start of 2026. She asked supporters to follow the campaign’s progress and prepare to sign when the petition becomes available.
Athletes across all levels have gotten faster and stronger in recent years. Performances in the women’s 400-meter hurdles have dropped significantly over the past decade. Batten argues that raising the hurdles would match the current skill level of competitors.
The proposal would bring women’s hurdles closer to the men’s standard, though men currently clear 36-inch barriers. A three-inch increase would create new technical challenges without making the event impossible.
Track and field officials have not yet responded to Batten’s campaign. Any rule change would need approval from World Athletics, the sport’s international governing body.
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