The men's 800 metres race was the second-longest of the four flat-track events on the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme. The preliminary heats were the third event held on 6 April. The nine competitors were split into two groups. The top two athletes in each heat advanced to the final, which was held on 9 April.
Background
This was the first appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The unofficial world record holder: Charles Kilpatrick of the United States, did not compete in Athens. Edwin Flack of Australia was the favourite among those who competed.[1]
Competition format
The competition consisted of two rounds, heats and a final. There were two heats, scheduled to have 7 runners each. The top two runners in each heat advanced to the final.[2][1]
The track was 330 metres in circumference (unlike modern tracks which are 400 metres), so the race was more than two laps. The track had very sharp turns and was made of loose cinders, making running difficult. Runners turned clockwise rather than the current counterclockwise turns.[1]
Edwin Flack set the initial Olympic record of 2:10.0 in the first heat; that time was not beaten in the second heat or the final.
Schedule
The precise times of the events are not recorded. For the first round, the heats were the third event of the day on Monday.[2] The final was held during the afternoon session on Thursday, which began at 2:30 p.m.; it was the first event of the session.[3]
Date
Round
Gregorian
Julian
Monday, 6 April 1896
Monday, 25 March 1896
Round 1
Thursday, 9 April 1896
Thursday, 28 March 1896
Final
Results
Semifinals
The two heats of the preliminary round were held on 6 April. The top two runners in each heat advanced.
Semifinal 1
Flack beat Dáni by four feet, with Traun a further 20 yards behind in third. Flack's time of 2:10.0 was the inaugural Olympic record.
Lermusiaux scratched from the final to save himself for the marathon. Flack beat Dáni by five meters, easing up, with Golemis finishing a further 90 meters back in third.
Lampros, S.P.; Polites, N.G.; De Coubertin, Pierre; Philemon, P.J. & Anninos, C. (1897). The Olympic Games: BC 776 – AD 1896. Athens: Charles Beck. (Digitally available at la84foundation.org)
