1979 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Men's 400 metres

The men's 400 metres event at the 1979 European Athletics Indoor Championships was held on 24 and 25 February in Vienna.^[1]^[2]

Medalists

Gold	Silver	Bronze
Karel Kolář Czechoslovakia	Stefano Malinverni Italy	Horia Toboc Romania

First 2 from each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) qualified for the semifinals.

Rank	Heat	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	1	Karel Kolář	Czechoslovakia	47.45	Q
2	2	Stefano Malinverni	Italy	47.51	Q
3	1	Horia Toboc	Romania	47.74	Q
4	2	Peter Haas	Switzerland	47.87	Q
5	3	Josip Alebić	Yugoslavia	47.90	Q
6	2	Željko Knapić	Yugoslavia	47.94	q
7	3	Michael Düsing	West Germany	47.96	Q
8	1	Alex Fortelny	Austria	48.00	q, PB
8	3	Isidoro Hornillos	Spain	48.00	q
10	3	Christer Gullstrand	Sweden	48.03	SB
11	2	Frank Richter	East Germany	48.08	PB
12	1	Urs Kamber	Switzerland	48.09	PB

The winner of each heat (Q) and the next 1 fastest (q) qualified for the final.

Rank	Heat	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	1	Karel Kolář	Czechoslovakia	46.87	Q
2	1	Michael Düsing	West Germany	47.03	q
3	2	Stefano Malinverni	Italy	47.04	Q
4	2	Josip Alebić	Yugoslavia	47.15	PB
5	3	Horia Toboc	Romania	47.63	Q
6	3	Peter Haas	Switzerland	47.67	SB
7	1	Željko Knapić	Yugoslavia	47.72	SB
8	3	Isidoro Hornillos	Spain	47.84	PB
9	2	Alex Fortelny	Austria	48.63

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
	Karel Kolář	Czechoslovakia	46.21	CR
	Stefano Malinverni	Italy	46.59	PB
	Horia Toboc	Romania	46.86	PB
4	Michael Düsing	West Germany	46.95	PB