800 metres at the Olympics

800 metres
at the Olympic Games
The 2012 Olympic women's 800 m final
Overview
SportAthletics
GenderMen and women
Years heldMen: 18962024
Women: 1928 , 19602024
Olympic record
Men1:40.91 David Rudisha (2012)
Women1:53.43 Nadiya Olizarenko (1980)
Reigning champion
Men Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN)
Women Keely Hodgkinson (GBR)

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. The women's race was not held again until 1960; it has been a permanent fixture since. 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 Nadiya 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 (technically set three days after Ilona Slupianek's shot put record) and the joint second-longest overall 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 or equalled ten times at the Olympics; the men's record was broken in 1912, 1932, 1968, 1976 and 2012; the women's record was improved in 1928, 1960, 1964, 1976 and 1980.[2]

Four men have won consecutive 800 m Olympic titles: Douglas Lowe (1924/1928), Mal Whitfield (1948/1952), Peter Snell (1960/1964), and Rudisha (2012/2016). Only Caster Semenya (2012/2016) has won the women's title twice, but Maria Mutola, Kelly Holmes, Pamela Jelimo and Keely Hodgkinson have won gold and reached the podium twice. No athlete of either sex has won more than two medals. Historically, athletes in this event have also been successful at the 1500 metres at the Olympics. Holmes was the last athlete to win both events at the same Olympics in 2004. 2012 1500m gold medalist Taoufik Makhloufi made both podiums without winning gold in 2016. Alberto Juantorena in 1976 also won the 400 metres gold medal in the same Olympics, only three other men and one woman have been able to win a medal in both events.[3]

The United States is the most successful nation, having won 10 gold medals and 26 medals overall, followed by Great Britain with nine gold among its 14 medals and Kenya with eight gold among its 20 medals.

Medal summary

Men

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1896 Athens
details
Edwin Flack
 Australia
Nándor Dáni
 Hungary
Dimitrios Golemis
 Greece
1900 Paris
details
Alfred Tysoe
 Great Britain
John Cregan
 United States
David Hall
 United States
1904 St. Louis
details
Jim Lightbody
 United States
Howard Valentine
 United States
Emil Breitkreutz
 United States
1908 London
details
Mel Sheppard
 United States
Emilio Lunghi
 Italy
Hanns Braun
 Germany
1912 Stockholm
details
Ted Meredith
 United States
Mel Sheppard
 United States
Ira Davenport
 United States
1920 Antwerp
details
Albert Hill
 Great Britain
Earl Eby
 United States
Bevil Rudd
 South Africa
1924 Paris
details
Douglas Lowe
 Great Britain
Paul Martin
 Switzerland
Schuyler Enck
 United States
1928 Amsterdam
details
Douglas Lowe
 Great Britain
Erik Byléhn
 Sweden
Hermann Engelhard
 Germany
1932 Los Angeles
details
Tommy Hampson
 Great Britain
Alex Wilson
 Canada
Phil Edwards
 Canada
1936 Berlin
details
John Woodruff
 United States
Mario Lanzi
 Italy
Phil Edwards
 Canada
1948 London
details
Mal Whitfield
 United States
Arthur Wint
 Jamaica
Marcel Hansenne
 France
1952 Helsinki
details
Mal Whitfield
 United States
Arthur Wint
 Jamaica
Heinz Ulzheimer
 Germany
1956 Melbourne
details
Tom Courtney
 United States
Derek Johnson
 Great Britain
Audun Boysen
 Norway
1960 Rome
details
Peter Snell
 New Zealand
Roger Moens
 Belgium
George Kerr
 British West Indies
1964 Tokyo
details
Peter Snell
 New Zealand
Bill Crothers
 Canada
Wilson Kiprugut
 Kenya
1968 Mexico City
details
Ralph Doubell
 Australia
Wilson Kiprugut
 Kenya
Tom Farrell
 United States
1972 Munich
details
Dave Wottle
 United States
Yevhen Arzhanov
 Soviet Union
Mike Boit
 Kenya
1976 Montreal
details
Alberto Juantorena
 Cuba
Ivo Van Damme
 Belgium
Rick Wohlhuter
 United States
1980 Moscow
details
Steve Ovett
 Great Britain
Sebastian Coe
 Great Britain
Nikolay Kirov
 Soviet Union
1984 Los Angeles
details
Joaquim Cruz
 Brazil
Sebastian Coe
 Great Britain
Earl Jones
 United States
1988 Seoul
details
Paul Ereng
 Kenya
Joaquim Cruz
 Brazil
Saïd Aouita
 Morocco
1992 Barcelona
details
William Tanui
 Kenya
Nixon Kiprotich
 Kenya
Johnny Gray
 United States
1996 Atlanta
details
Vebjørn Rodal
 Norway
Hezekiél Sepeng
 South Africa
Frederick Onyancha
 Kenya
2000 Sydney
details
Nils Schumann
 Germany
Wilson Kipketer
 Denmark
Djabir Saïd-Guerni
 Algeria
2004 Athens
details
Yuriy Borzakovskiy
 Russia
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
 South Africa
Wilson Kipketer
 Denmark
2008 Beijing
details
Wilfred Bungei
 Kenya
Ismail Ahmed Ismail
 Sudan
Alfred Kirwa Yego
 Kenya
2012 London
details
David Rudisha
 Kenya
Nijel Amos
 Botswana
Timothy Kitum
 Kenya
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
David Rudisha
 Kenya
Taoufik Makhloufi
 Algeria
Clayton Murphy
 United States
2020 Tokyo
details
Emmanuel Korir
 Kenya
Ferguson Rotich
 Kenya
Patryk Dobek
 Poland
2024 Paris
details
Emmanuel Wanyonyi
 Kenya
Marco Arop
 Canada
Djamel Sedjati
 Algeria

Multiple medalists

Rank Athlete Nation Olympics Gold Silver Bronze Total
1= Douglas Lowe  Great Britain (GBR) 1924–1928 2 0 0 2
1= Mal Whitfield  United States (USA) 1948–1952 2 0 0 2
1= Peter Snell  New Zealand (NZL) 1960–1964 2 0 0 2
1= David Rudisha  Kenya (KEN) 2012-2016 2 0 0 2
5= Mel Sheppard  United States (USA) 1908–1912 1 1 0 2
5= Joaquim Cruz  Brazil (BRA) 1984–1988 1 1 0 2
7= Arthur Wint  Jamaica (JAM) 1948–1952 0 2 0 2
7= Sebastian Coe  Great Britain (GBR) 1980–1984 0 2 0 2
9= Wilson Kiprugut  Kenya (KEN) 1964–1968 0 1 1 2
9= Wilson Kipketer  Denmark (DEN) 2000–2004 0 1 1 2
11 Phil Edwards  Canada (CAN) 1932–1936 0 0 2 2

Medals by country

Map of countries' best results – Men's 800 metres
Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  United States (USA) 8 4 9 21
2  Kenya (KEN) 7 3 5 15
3  Great Britain (GBR) 6 3 0 9
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 2 3
17=  Denmark (DEN) 0 1 1 2
17=  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
24=  Poland (POL) 0 0 1 1

Women

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1928 Amsterdam
details
Lina Radke
 Germany
Kinuye Hitomi
 Japan
Inga Gentzel
 Sweden
1932–1956 not included in the Olympic program
1960 Rome
details
Lyudmila Shevtsova
 Soviet Union
Brenda Jones
 Australia
Ursula Donath
 United Team of Germany
1964 Tokyo
details
Ann Packer
 Great Britain
Maryvonne Dupureur
 France
Marise Chamberlain
 New Zealand
1968 Mexico City
details
Madeline Manning
 United States
Ileana Silai
 Romania
Mia Gommers
 Netherlands
1972 Munich
details
Hildegard Falck
 West Germany
Nijolė Sabaitė
 Soviet Union
Gunhild Hoffmeister
 East Germany
1976 Montreal
details
Tatyana Kazankina
 Soviet Union
Nikolina Shtereva
 Bulgaria
Elfi Zinn
 East Germany
1980 Moscow
details
Nadezhda Olizarenko
 Soviet Union
Olga Mineyeva
 Soviet Union
Tatyana Providokhina
 Soviet Union
1984 Los Angeles
details
Doina Melinte
 Romania
Kim Gallagher
 United States
Fiţa Lovin
 Romania
1988 Seoul
details
Sigrun Wodars
 East Germany
Christine Wachtel
 East Germany
Kim Gallagher
 United States
1992 Barcelona
details
Ellen van Langen
 Netherlands
Liliya Nurutdinova
 Unified Team
Ana Fidelia Quirot
 Cuba
1996 Atlanta
details
Svetlana Masterkova
 Russia
Ana Fidelia Quirot
 Cuba
Maria Mutola
 Mozambique
2000 Sydney
details
Maria Mutola
 Mozambique
Stephanie Graf
 Austria
Kelly Holmes
 Great Britain
2004 Athens
details
Kelly Holmes
 Great Britain
Hasna Benhassi
 Morocco
Jolanda Čeplak
 Slovenia
2008 Beijing
details
Pamela Jelimo
 Kenya
Janeth Jepkosgei
 Kenya
Hasna Benhassi
 Morocco
2012 London
details
Caster Semenya
 South Africa[4][5]
Ekaterina Poistogova
 Russia
Pamela Jelimo
 Kenya
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Caster Semenya
 South Africa
Francine Niyonsaba
 Burundi
Margaret Wambui
 Kenya
2020 Tokyo
details
Athing Mu
 United States
Keely Hodgkinson
 Great Britain
Raevyn Rogers
 United States
2024 Paris
details
Keely Hodgkinson
 Great Britain
Tsige Duguma
 Ethiopia
Mary Moraa
 Kenya

Multiple medalists

Rank Athlete Nation Olympics Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Caster Semenya  South Africa (RSA) 2012–2016 2 0 0 2
2 Keely Hodgkinson  Great Britain (GBR) 2020–2024 1 1 0 2
3= Maria Mutola  Mozambique (MOZ) 1996–2000 1 0 1 2
3= Kelly Holmes  Great Britain (GBR) 2000–2004 1 0 1 2
3= Pamela Jelimo  Kenya (KEN) 2008–2012 1 0 1 2
5= Kim Gallagher  United States (USA) 1984–1988 0 1 1 2
5= Ana Fidelia Quirot  Cuba (CUB) 1992–1996 0 1 1 2
5= Hasna Benhassi  Morocco (MAR) 2004–2008 0 1 1 2

Medalists by country

Map of countries' best results – Women's 800 metres
Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  Soviet Union (URS) 3 2 1 6
2  Great Britain (GBR) 3 1 1 5
3  United States (USA) 2 1 2 5
4  South Africa (RSA) 2 0 0 2
5  Kenya (KEN) 1 1 3 5
6  East Germany (GDR) 1 1 2 4
7  Romania (ROU) 1 1 1 3
8  Russia (RUS) 1 1 0 2
9=  Germany (GER)[nb] 1 0 1 2
9=  Mozambique (MOZ) 1 0 1 2
9=  Netherlands (NED) 1 0 1 2
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=  Unified Team (EUN) 0 1 0 1
14=  Ethiopia (ETH) 0 1 0 1
14=  Burundi (BDI) 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.[6]

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.[7]

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1906 Athens
details
 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).[8][9]

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. James 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.[9][10]

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.[9]

References

Participation and athlete data
Olympic record progressions
Specific
  1. ^ 800 Metres - women - senior - outdoor. IAAF. Retrieved on 2014-05-24.
  2. ^ English, Colleen (2019). ""Beyond Women's Powers of Endurance": The 1928 800-Meter and Women's Olympic Track and Field in the Context of the United States". Sport History Review. 50 (2): 187–204. doi:10.1123/shr.2018-0040. S2CID 213870529.
  3. ^ "Every Men's 800-Meter World Record, from 1912 Until Today".
  4. ^ On 10 February 2017, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a four-year ban that effectively stripped of the gold medal of Mariya Savinova of Russia, based upon her biological passport. Caster Semenya of South Africa was advanced to gold, Ekaterina Poistogova of Russia to silver, and Pamela Jelimo of Kenya to bronze. Poistogova herself was later found guilty of doping, but her Olympic results were unaffected, and the IOC decided to upgrade her medal.
  5. ^ BBC Sport
  6. ^ 1906 Athina Summer Games. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-01-26.
  7. ^ Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 800 metres. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-01-26.
  8. ^ Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 800 metres, Handicap. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-06-28.
  9. ^ a b c Handicap Olympic Athletics Events. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2014-04-18.
  10. ^ Lucas, Charles. The Olympic Games 1904. bandbhac. Retrieved on 2014-07-01.