Having run 50.64 earlier in the winter, the fastest time by a European woman since 2009, Femke Bol entered the Championships as the overwhelming favorite.

The defending 2019 champion Léa Sprunger was the 13th fastest European woman of the indoor season going into the Championships.

The sixth spot went the British 200 m specialist Jodie Williams, who was contesting her first 400 m at a major Championships.

Starting in lane 6, Femke Bol of the Nethelrands took her first 100 m conservatively, and her Dutch teammate Lieke Klaver was the first one at the break.

The last 50 m saw Klaver tie up, with Święty-Ersetic moving into second place and Jodie Williams of Great Britain into third.