Athletics 800 metres | |
---|---|
Men's 800 metres final in Daegu 2011. | |
World records | |
Men | ![]() |
Women | ![]() |
Olympic records | |
Men | ![]() |
Women | ![]() |
World Championship records | |
Men | ![]() |
Women | ![]() |
The 800 metres, or meters (US spelling), is a common track running event. It is the shortest commonly run middle-distance running event. The 800 metres is run over two laps of an outdoor (400-metre) track and has been an Olympic event since the first modern games in 1896. During the winter track season the event is usually run by completing four laps of an indoor 200-metre track.
The event was derived from the imperial measurement of a half mile (880 yards), a traditional English racing distance. 800m is 4.67m less than a half mile.
The event combines aerobic endurance with anaerobic conditioning and sprint speed, so the 800m athlete has to combine training for both.
Runners in this event are occasionally fast enough to also compete in the 400 metres but more commonly have enough endurance to 'double up' in the 1500m. Only Alberto Juantorena and Jarmila Kratochvílová have won major international titles at 400m and 800m.
The 800m is also known for its tactical racing. Because it is the shortest middle-distance event that has all the runners converge into one lane (after the first bend), positioning on the cut-in and the position of the pack is critical to the outcome of the race. Gaining a front position early in the race is often advantageous as there are occasionally trips when running in a pack. Olympic champions Dave Wottle, Kelly Holmes and others have defied that logic by running a more evenly paced race, lagging behind the pack and accelerating past the slowing early leaders. Often the winner of elite 800m races is not the fastest runner, but the athlete best positioned near the end of the race: an athlete directly behind another runner, has to switch to an outer lane to overtake, so has to run further—and might be blocked by a third runner alongside.[1]
800 metre participants usually run a positive split, where the first lap is faster, but a negative split is occasionally run as a tactic. The current world record (by David Rudisha) was run with a positive split in the 2012 Olympic. Rudisha ran the first lap in 49.28 seconds and the second in 51.63 seconds. Theoretically, an even split is the most efficient running mode, but it is difficult to pace correctly.
Area | Men | Women | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time | Athlete | Nation | Time | Athlete | Nation | |
Africa (records) | 1:40.91 WR | David Rudisha | ![]() |
1:54.01 | Pamela Jelimo | ![]() |
Asia (records) | 1:42.79 | Yusuf Saad Kamel | ![]() |
1:55.54 | Dong Liu | ![]() |
Europe (records) | 1:41.11 | Wilson Kipketer | ![]() |
1:53.28 WR | Jarmila Kratochvílová | ![]() |
North, Central America and Caribbean (records) |
1:42.34 | Donavan Brazier | ![]() |
1:54.44 | Ana Fidelia Quirot | ![]() |
Oceania (records) | 1:44.11 | Peter Bol | ![]() |
1:58.09 | Catriona Bisset | ![]() |
South America (records) | 1:41.77 | Joaquim Cruz | ![]() |
1:56.58 | Letitia Vriesde | ![]() |
See also: 800 metres world record progression |
Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 1:40.91 | David Rudisha | ![]() |
09 AUG 2012 | London | [5] |
2 | 1:41.01 | Rudisha #2 | 29 AUG 2010 | Rieti | |||
3 | 1:41.09 | Rudisha #3 | 22 AUG 2010 | Berlin | |||
2 | 4 | 1:41.11 | Wilson Kipketer | ![]() |
24 AUG 1997 | Cologne | |
5 | 1:41.24 | Kipketer #2 | 13 AUG 1997 | Zürich | |||
6 | 1:41.33 | Rudisha #4 | 10 SEP 2011 | Rieti | |||
7 | 1:41.51 | Rudisha #5 | 10 JUL 2010 | Heusden-Zolder | |||
8 | 1:41.54 | Rudisha #6 | 06 JUL 2012 | London | |||
3 | 9 | 1:41.73 | Sebastian Coe | ![]() |
10 JUN 1981 | Florence | |
9 | 1:41.73 | Kipketer #3 | 07 JUL 1997 | Stockholm | |||
3 | 9 | 1:41.73 | Nijel Amos | ![]() |
09 AUG 2012 | London | |
12 | 1:41.74 | Rudisha #7 | 09 JUN 2012 | New York City | |||
5 | 13 | 1:41.77 | Joaquim Cruz | ![]() |
26 AUG 1984 | Cologne | |
14 | 1:41.83 | Kipketer #4 | 01 SEP 1996 | Rieti | |||
15 | 1:41.89 | Amos #2 | 12 JUL 2019 | Monaco | |||
16 | 1:42.01 | Rudisha #8 | 06 SEP 2009 | Rieti | |||
17 | 1:42.04 | Rudisha #9 | 04 JUN 2010 | Oslo | |||
6 | 18 | 1:42.05 | Emmanuel Korir | ![]() |
22 JUL 2018 | London | [6] |
19 | 1:42.12 | Rudisha #10 | 23 JUN 2012 | Nairobi | |||
20 | 1:42.14 | Amos #3 | 20 JUL 2018 | Monaco | |||
21 | 1:42.15 | Rudisha #11 | 15 AUG 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |||
22 | 1:42.17 | Kipketer #5 | 16 SEP 1996 | Tokyo | |||
23 | 1:42.20 | Kipketer #6 | 22 AUG 1997 | Brussels | |||
7 | 24 | 1:42.23 | Abubaker Kaki | ![]() |
04 JUN 2010 | Oslo | [7] |
25 | 1:42.27 | Kipketer #7 | 08 SEP 2002 | Rieti | |||
8 | 1:42.28 | Sammy Koskei | ![]() |
26 AUG 1984 | Cologne | ||
9 | 1:42.34 | Wilfred Bungei | ![]() |
08 SEP 2002 | Rieti | ||
Donavan Brazier | ![]() |
01 OCT 2019 | Doha | [8] | |||
11 | 1:42.37 | Mohammed Aman | ![]() |
06 SEP 2013 | Brussels | [9] | |
12 | 1:42.47 | Yuriy Borzakovskiy | ![]() |
24 AUG 2001 | Brussels | ||
13 | 1:42.51 | Amel Tuka | ![]() |
17 JULY 2015 | Monaco | [10] | |
14 | 1:42.53 | Timothy Kitum | ![]() |
09 AUG 2012 | London | ||
Pierre-Ambroise Bosse | ![]() |
18 JUL 2014 | Monaco | ||||
16 | 1:42.54 | Ferguson Rotich | ![]() |
12 JUL 2019 | Monaco | [11] | |
17 | 1:42.55 | André Bucher | ![]() |
17 AUG 2001 | Zürich | ||
18 | 1:42.58 | Vebjørn Rodal | ![]() |
31 JUL 1996 | Atlanta | ||
19 | 1:42.60 | Johnny Gray | ![]() |
28 AUG 1985 | Koblenz | ||
20 | 1:42.61 | Taoufik Makhloufi | ![]() |
15 AUG 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | [12] | |
21 | 1:42.62 | Patrick Ndururi | ![]() |
17 AUG 2001 | Zürich | ||
22 | 1:42.67 | Alfred Kirwa Yego | ![]() |
06 SEP 2009 | Rieti | ||
23 | 1:42.69 | Hezekiél Sepeng | ![]() |
03 SEP 1999 | Brussels | ||
Japheth Kimutai | ![]() |
03 SEP 1999 | Brussels | ||||
25 | 1:42.79 | Frederick Onyancha | ![]() |
31 JUL 1996 | Atlanta | ||
Yusuf Saad Kamel | ![]() |
29 JUL 2008 | Monaco |
Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 1:53.28 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | ![]() |
26 JUL 1983 | Munich | |
2 | 2 | 1:53.43 | Nadezhda Olizarenko | ![]() |
27 JUL 1980 | Moscow | |
3 | 3 | 1:54.01 | Pamela Jelimo | ![]() |
29 AUG 2008 | Zürich | |
4 | 4 | 1:54.25 | Caster Semenya | ![]() |
30 JUN 2018 | Paris | [14] |
5 | 5 | 1:54.44 | Ana Fidelia Quirot | ![]() |
09 SEP 1989 | Barcelona | |
6 | 1:54.60 | Semenya #2 | 20 JUL 2018 | Monaco | |||
7 | 1:54.68 | Kratochvílová #2 | 09 AUG 1983 | Helsinki | |||
8 | 1:54.77 | Semenya #3 | 09 SEP 2018 | Ostrava | |||
6 | 9 | 1:54.81 | Olga Mineyeva | ![]() |
27 JUL 1980 | Moscow | |
10 | 1:54.82 | Quirot #2 | 24 AUG 1997 | Cologne | |||
11 | 1:54.85 | Olizarenko #2 | 12 JUN 1980 | Moscow | |||
12 | 1:54.87 | Jelimo #2 | 18 AUG 2008 | Beijing | |||
7 | 13 | 1:54.91 | Tatyana Kazankina | ![]() |
26 JUL 1976 | Montreal | |
14 | 1:54.97 | Jelimo #3 | 18 JUL 2008 | Saint-Denis | |||
15 | 1:54.98 | Semenya #4 | 03 MAY 2019 | Doha | |||
16 | 1:54.99 | Jelimo #4 | 01 JUN 2008 | Berlin | |||
17 | 1:55.04 | Kratochvílová #3 | 23 AUG 1983 | Oslo | |||
8 | 17 | 1:55.04 | Athing Mu | ![]() |
21 AUG 2021 | Eugene | [15] |
9 | 19 | 1:55.05 | Doina Melinte | ![]() |
01 AUG 1982 | Bucharest | |
20 | 1:55.16 | Jelimo #5 | 05 SEP 2008 | Brussels | |||
Semenya #5 | 13 AUG 2017 | London | |||||
10 | 22 | 1:55.19 | Maria Mutola | ![]() |
17 AUG 1994 | Zürich | |
Jolanda Čeplak | ![]() |
20 JUL 2002 | Heusden-Zolder | ||||
24 | 1:55.21 | Mu #2 | 03 AUG 2021 | Tokyo | |||
12 | 25 | 1:55.26 | Sigrun Wodars | ![]() |
31 AUG 1987 | Rome | |
13 | 1:55.32 | Christine Wachtel | ![]() |
31 AUG 1987 | Rome | ||
14 | 1:55.42 | Nikolina Shtereva | ![]() |
26 JUL 1976 | Rome | ||
15 | 1:55.46 | Tatyana Providokhina | ![]() |
27 JUL 1980 | Moscow | ||
16 | 1:55.47 | Francine Niyonsaba | ![]() |
21 JUL 2017 | Monaco | [16] | |
17 | 1:55.54 | Ellen van Langen | ![]() |
03 AUG 1992 | Barcelona | ||
Dong Liu | ![]() |
09 AUG 1993 | Beijing | ||||
19 | 1:55.56 | Lyubov Gurina | ![]() |
31 AUG 1987 | Rome | ||
20 | 1:55.60 | Elfi Zinn | ![]() |
26 JUL 1976 | Montreal | ||
21 | 1:55.61 | Ajeé Wilson | ![]() |
21 JUL 2017 | Monaco | [16] | |
22 | 1:55.68 | Ella Kovacs | ![]() |
02 JUN 1985 | Bucharest | ||
23 | 1:55.69 | Irina Podyalovskaya | ![]() |
22 JUN 1984 | Kyiv | ||
24 | 1:55.74 | Anita Weiss | ![]() |
26 JUL 1976 | Montreal | ||
25 | 1:55.87 | Svetlana Masterkova | ![]() |
18 JUN 1999 | Moscow |
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:44.82:
Rank | Time | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1:55.82 | Jolanda Ceplak | ![]() |
3 March 2002 | Vienna | |
2 | 1:55.85 | Stephanie Graf | ![]() |
3 March 2002 | Vienna | |
3 | 1:56.40 | Christine Wachtel | ![]() |
13 February 1988 | Vienna | |
4 | 1:56.90 | Ludmila Formanova | ![]() |
7 March 1999 | Maebashi | |
5 | 1:57.06 | Maria Mutola | ![]() |
21 February 1999 | Lievin | |
6 | 1:57.20 | Keely Hodgkinson | ![]() |
19 February 2022 | Birmingham | [20] |
7 | 1:57.23 | Inna Yevseyeva | ![]() |
1 February 1992 | Moscow | |
8 | 1:57.47 | Natalya Tsyganova | ![]() |
7 March 1999 | Maebashi | |
9 | 1:57.51 | Olga Kotlyarova | ![]() |
18 February 2006 | Moscow | |
10 | 1:57.52 | Gudaf Tsegay | ![]() |
14 February 2021 | Val-de-Reuil | |
11 | 1:57.53 | Larisa Chzhao | ![]() |
23 January 2005 | Moscow | |
12 | 1:57.67 | Sigrun Wodars | ![]() |
13 February 1988 | Vienna | |
13 | 1:57.91 | Jemma Reekie | ![]() |
1 February 2020 | Glasgow | |
14 | 1:58.10 | Mariya Savinova | ![]() |
8 March 2009 | Torino | |
15 | 1:58.14 | Yuliya Stepanova | ![]() |
17 February 2011 | Moscow | |
16 | 1:58.19 | Habitam Alemu | ![]() |
17 February 2021 | Torun | |
17 | 1:58.29 | Ajee Wilson | ![]() |
8 February 2020 | New York | |
18 | 1:58.31 | Francine Niyonsaba | ![]() |
4 March 2018 | Birmingham | |
19 | 1:58.34 | Svetlana Cherkasova | ![]() |
4 February 2006 | Moscow | |
20 | 1:58.37 | Helena Fuchsova | ![]() |
25 February 2001 | Liévin | |
21 | 1:58.40 | Athing Mu | ![]() |
27 February 2021 | Fayetteville | |
22 | 1:58.43 | Jennifer Meadows | ![]() |
14 March 2010 | Doha | |
23 | 1:58.44 | Laura Muir | ![]() |
1 February 2020 | Glasgow | |
24 | 1:58.46 | Natoya Goule | ![]() |
17 February 2022 | Liévin | [21] |
25 | 1:58.48 | Irina Vashentseva | ![]() |
23 January 2005 | Moscow |
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:58.19:
World junior records (19 and under) are held by Nijel Amos (1:41.73, London, 9 August 2012) and Pamela Jelimo (1:54.01, Zürich, 29 August 2008). Both marks coincidentally rank them as the third fastest ever.