800 metres at the Olympics

800 metres
at the Olympic Games

The 2012 Olympic women's 800 m final
Overview
Sport Athletics
Gender Men and women
Years held Men: 18962012
Women: 1928 , 19602012
Olympic record
Men 1:40.91 David Rudisha (2012)
Women 1:53.43 Nadezhda Olizarenko (1980)
Reigning champion
Men  David Rudisha (KEN)
Women  Mariya Savinova (RUS)

The 800 metres at the Summer Olympics has been contested since the first edition of the multi-sport event. The men's 800 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1896. The women's event was first held in 1928, making it the first distance running event for women. However it was not held again until 1960, since when it has been a permanent fixture. It is the most prestigious 800 m race at elite level. The competition format typically has three rounds: a qualifying round, semi-final stage, and a final between eight runners.

The Olympic records are held by David Rudisha, who ran a world record of 1:40.91 minutes in 2012, and Nadezhda Olizarenko, who ran a former world record of 1:53.43 minutes in 1980. Olizarenko's mark is the joint longest-standing women's Olympic record and the joint second-longest after the men's long jump record by Bob Beamon. Her time remains the second fastest ever for the event.[1] The 800 metres world record has been broken ten times at the Olympics; the men's record was broken in 1912, 1932, 1968, 1976 and 2012; the women's record was bettered in 1928, 1960, 1964, 1976 and 1980.

Four men have won back-to-back 800 m Olympic titles: Douglas Lowe (1924/1928), Mal Whitfield (1948/1952), Peter Snell (1960/1964), and Rudisha (2012/2016). No women have won multiple titles in the event; Maria Mutola and Kelly Holmes are the only women's gold medalists to have reached the podium on two occasions. No athlete of either sex has won more than two medals. Historically, athletes in this event have also had success in the 1500 metres at the Olympics. Holmes was the last athlete to win both events at the same Olympics in 2004, but no male athlete has reached both middle-distance podiums since Sebastian Coe in 1984.

The United States is the most successful nation, having nine gold medals and 24 medals in total. The next most successful nations are Great Britain (eight gold and 12 medals overall) and Kenya (5 golds among its 13 medals). Two nations have achieved a sweep of the medals: the United States in the men's contest in 1904 and 1912, and the Soviet Union in the 1980 women's final.

Medal summary

Men

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1896 Athens
 Edwin Flack (AUS)  Nándor Dáni (HUN)  Dimitrios Golemis (GRE)
1900 Paris
 Alfred Tysoe (GBR)  John Cregan (USA)  David Hall (USA)
1904 St. Louis
 James Lightbody (USA)  Howard Valentine (USA)  Emil Breitkreutz (USA)
1908 London
 Mel Sheppard (USA)  Emilio Lunghi (ITA)  Hanns Braun (GER)
1912 Stockholm
 Ted Meredith (USA)  Mel Sheppard (USA)  Ira Davenport (USA)
1920 Antwerp
 Albert Hill (GBR)  Earl Eby (USA)  Bevil Rudd (RSA)
1924 Paris
 Douglas Lowe (GBR)  Paul Martin (SUI)  Schuyler Enck (USA)
1928 Amsterdam
 Douglas Lowe (GBR)  Erik Byléhn (SWE)  Hermann Engelhard (GER)
1932 Los Angeles
 Tommy Hampson (GBR)  Alex Wilson (CAN)  Phil Edwards (CAN)
1936 Berlin
 John Woodruff (USA)  Mario Lanzi (ITA)  Phil Edwards (CAN)
1948 London
 Mal Whitfield (USA)  Arthur Wint (JAM)  Marcel Hansenne (FRA)
1952 Helsinki
 Mal Whitfield (USA)  Arthur Wint (JAM)  Heinz Ulzheimer (GER)
1956 Melbourne
 Tom Courtney (USA)  Derek Johnson (GBR)  Audun Boysen (NOR)
1960 Rome
 Peter Snell (NZL)  Roger Moens (BEL)  George Kerr (BWI)
1964 Tokyo
 Peter Snell (NZL)  Bill Crothers (CAN)  Wilson Kiprugut (KEN)
1968 Mexico City
 Ralph Doubell (AUS)  Wilson Kiprugut (KEN)  Tom Farrell (USA)
1972 Munich
 Dave Wottle (USA)  Yevgeniy Arzhanov (URS)  Mike Boit (KEN)
1976 Montreal
 Alberto Juantorena (CUB)  Ivo Van Damme (BEL)  Rick Wohlhuter (USA)
1980 Moscow
 Steve Ovett (GBR)  Sebastian Coe (GBR)  Nikolay Kirov (URS)
1984 Los Angeles
 Joaquim Cruz (BRA)  Sebastian Coe (GBR)  Earl Jones (USA)
1988 Seoul
 Paul Ereng (KEN)  Joaquim Cruz (BRA)  Saïd Aouita (MAR)
1992 Barcelona
 William Tanui (KEN)  Nixon Kiprotich (KEN)  Johnny Gray (USA)
1996 Atlanta
 Vebjørn Rodal (NOR)  Hezekiél Sepeng (RSA)  Fred Onyancha (KEN)
2000 Sydney
 Nils Schumann (GER)  Wilson Kipketer (DEN)  Djabir Saïd-Guerni (ALG)
2004 Athens
 Yuriy Borzakovskiy (RUS)  Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (RSA)  Wilson Kipketer (DEN)
2008 Beijing
 Wilfred Bungei (KEN)  Ismail Ahmed Ismail (SUD)  Alfred Kirwa Yego (KEN)
2012 London
 David Rudisha (KEN)  Nigel Amos (BOT)  Timothy Kitum (KEN)
2016 Rio de Janeiro
 David Rudisha (KEN)  Taoufik Makhloufi (ALG)  Clayton Murphy (USA)

Multiple medalists

Rank Athlete Nation Olympics Gold Silver Bronze Total
1= Lowe, DouglasDouglas Lowe  Great Britain (GBR) 1924–1928 2 0 0 2
1= Whitfield, MalMal Whitfield  United States (USA) 1948–1952 2 0 0 2
1= Snell, PeterPeter Snell  New Zealand (NZL) 1960–1964 2 0 0 2
1= Rudisha, DavidDavid Rudisha  Kenya (KEN) 2012-2016 2 0 0 2
4= Sheppard, MelMel Sheppard  United States (USA) 1908–1912 1 1 0 2
4= Cruz, JoaquimJoaquim Cruz  Brazil (BRA) 1984–1988 1 1 0 2
6= Wint, ArthurArthur Wint  Jamaica (JAM) 1948–1952 0 2 0 2
6= Coe, SebastianSebastian Coe  Great Britain (GBR) 1980–1984 0 2 0 2
8= Kiprugut, WilsonWilson Kiprugut  Kenya (KEN) 1964–1968 0 1 1 2
8= Kipketer, WilsonWilson Kipketer  Denmark (DEN) 2000–2004 0 1 1 2
10 Edwards, PhilPhil Edwards  Canada (CAN) 1932–1936 0 0 2 2

Medals by country

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  United States (USA) 8 4 8 20
2  Great Britain (GBR) 6 3 0 9
3  Kenya (KEN) 4 2 5 11
4=  Australia (AUS) 2 0 0 2
4=  New Zealand (NZL) 2 0 0 2
6  Brazil (BRA) 1 1 0 2
7  Germany (GER) 1 0 3 4
8  Norway (NOR) 1 0 1 2
9=  Cuba (CUB) 1 0 0 1
9=  Russia (RUS) 1 0 0 1
11  Canada (CAN) 0 2 2 4
12  South Africa (RSA) 0 2 1 3
13=  Italy (ITA) 0 2 0 2
13=  Belgium (BEL) 0 2 0 2
13=  Jamaica (JAM) 0 2 0 2
16=  Algeria (ALG) 0 1 1 2
16=  Denmark (DEN) 0 1 1 2
16=  Soviet Union (URS) 0 1 1 2
19=  Botswana (BOT) 0 1 0 1
19=  Hungary (HUN) 0 1 0 1
19=  Sudan (SUD) 0 1 0 1
19=  Sweden (SWE) 0 1 0 1
19=  Switzerland (SUI) 0 1 0 1
24=  British West Indies (BWI) 0 0 1 1
24=  France (FRA) 0 0 1 1
24=  Greece (GRE) 0 0 1 1
24=  Morocco (MAR) 0 0 1 1

Women

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1928 Amsterdam
 Lina Radke (GER)  Kinuye Hitomi (JPN)  Inga Gentzel (SWE)
1932–1956not included in the Olympic program
1960 Rome
 Lyudmila Shevtsova (URS)  Brenda Jones (AUS)  Ursula Donath (EUA)
1964 Tokyo
 Ann Packer (GBR)  Maryvonne Dupureur (FRA)  Marise Chamberlain (NZL)
1968 Mexico City
 Madeline Manning (USA)  Ilona Silai (ROU)  Mia Gommers (NED)
1972 Munich
 Hildegard Falck (FRG)  Nijolė Sabaitė (URS)  Gunhild Hoffmeister (GDR)
1976 Montreal
 Tatyana Kazankina (URS)  Nikolina Shtereva (BUL)  Elfi Zinn (GDR)
1980 Moscow
 Nadezhda Olizarenko (URS)  Olga Mineyeva (URS)  Tatyana Providokhina (URS)
1984 Los Angeles
 Doina Melinte (ROU)  Kim Gallagher (USA)  Fiţa Lovin (ROU)
1988 Seoul
 Sigrun Wodars (GDR)  Christine Wachtel (GDR)  Kim Gallagher (USA)
1992 Barcelona
 Ellen van Langen (NED)  Liliya Nurutdinova (EUN)  Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB)
1996 Atlanta
 Svetlana Masterkova (RUS)  Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB)  Maria Mutola (MOZ)
2000 Sydney
 Maria Mutola (MOZ)  Stephanie Graf (AUT)  Kelly Holmes (GBR)
2004 Athens
 Kelly Holmes (GBR)  Hasna Benhassi (MAR)  Jolanda Čeplak (SLO)
2008 Beijing
 Pamela Jelimo (KEN)  Janeth Jepkosgei (KEN)  Hasna Benhassi (MAR)
2012 London
 Mariya Savinova (RUS)  Caster Semenya (RSA)  Ekaterina Poistogova (RUS)
2016 Rio de Janeiro
 Caster Semenya (RSA)  Francine Niyonsaba (BDI)  Margaret Wambui (KEN)

Multiple medalists

Rank Athlete Nation Olympics Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Semenya, CasterCaster Semenya  South Africa (RSA) 2012–2016 1 1 0 2
2= Mutola, MariaMaria Mutola  Mozambique (MOZ) 1996–2000 1 0 1 2
2= Holmes, KellyKelly Holmes  Great Britain (GBR) 2000–2004 1 0 1 2
4= Gallagher, KimKim Gallagher  United States (USA) 1984–1988 0 1 1 2
4= Quirot, Ana FideliaAna Fidelia Quirot  Cuba (CUB) 1992–1996 0 1 1 2
4= Benhassi, HasnaHasna Benhassi  Morocco (MAR) 2004–2008 0 1 1 2

Medalists by country

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  Soviet Union (URS) 3 2 1 6
2=  Great Britain (GBR) 2 0 1 3
2=  Russia (RUS) 2 0 1 3
4  East Germany (GDR) 1 1 2 4
5=  United States (USA) 1 1 1 3
4=  Romania (ROU) 1 1 1 3
7  Kenya (KEN) 1 1 0 2
8=  Germany (GER)[nb] 1 0 1 2
8=  Mozambique (MOZ) 1 0 1 2
8=  Netherlands (NED) 1 0 1 2
11  West Germany (FRG) 1 0 0 1
12=  Morocco (MAR) 0 1 1 2
12=  Cuba (CUB) 0 1 1 2
14=  Australia (AUS) 0 1 0 1
14=  Austria (AUT) 0 1 0 1
14=  Bulgaria (BUL) 0 1 0 1
14=  France (FRA) 0 1 0 1
14=  Japan (JPN) 0 1 0 1
14=  South Africa (RSA) 0 1 0 1
14=  Unified Team (EUN) 0 1 0 1
21=  New Zealand (NZL) 0 0 1 1
21=  Slovenia (SLO) 0 0 1 1
21=  Sweden (SWE) 0 0 1 1

Intercalated Games

The 1906 Intercalated Games were held in Athens and at the time were officially recognised as part of the Olympic Games series, with the intention being to hold a games in Greece in two-year intervals between the internationally held Olympics. However, this plan never came to fruition and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later decided not to recognise these games as part of the official Olympic series. Some sports historians continue to treat the results of these games as part of the Olympic canon.[2]

At this event a men's 800 m was held and Paul Pilgrim, a 1904 Olympic gold medalist in the 4-mile team race, won the competition. The reigning 800 m and 1500 metres champion from the 1904 Olympics, James Lightbody, was the runner-up and Britain's Wyndham Halswelle, later the 1908 Olympic champion, was the bronze medalist.[3]

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1906 Athens
 Paul Pilgrim (USA)  James Lightbody (USA)  Wyndham Halswelle (GBR)

Non-canonical Olympic events

In addition to the main 1900 Olympic men's 800 metres, a handicap competition with thirteen entrants was contested three days after the final. Christian Christensen of Denmark was the winner in a time of 1:52.0 minutes with a 70 m handicap. Howard Hayes and Harvey Lord, both of the United States, filled out the top three, with Hayes recording 1:53.5 mins (45 m handicap) and Lord finishing in 1:54.2 minutes (35 m handicap).[4][5]

A handicap 880-yard run (804.7 m) competition was held at 1904 Summer Olympics after the 1904 Olympic men's 800 m race. Johannes Runge of Germany won in 1:58.4 minutes with a 10-yard handicap. John Peck of Canada came second in 1:59.0 minutes with zero handicap and F. C. Roth, an American schoolboy, was third with a 15-yard headstart.[5][6]

These events are no longer considered part of the official Olympic history of the 800 metres or the athletics programme in general. Consequently, medals from these competitions have not been assigned to nations on the all-time medal tables.[5]

References

Participation and athlete data
Olympic record progressions
Specific
  1. 800 Metres - women - senior - outdoor. IAAF. Retrieved on 2014-05-24.
  2. 1906 Athina Summer Games. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-01-26.
  3. Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 800 metres. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-01-26.
  4. Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 800 metres, Handicap. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-06-28.
  5. 1 2 3 Handicap Olympic Athletics Events. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2014-04-18.
  6. Lucas, Charles. The Olympic Games 1904. bandbhac. Retrieved on 2014-07-01.

External links

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