800_metres

800 metres

800 metres

Middle-distance running event


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.

Quick Facts Athletics, World records ...

The event was derived from the imperial measurement of a half mile (880 yards), a traditional British racing distance. 800 m is 4.67 m 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.

Race tactics

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 Olympics. 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,[citation needed] but it is difficult to pace correctly.

Continental records

All-time top 25

Men (outdoor)

  • Updated 1 October 2019.[4]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...

Women (outdoor)

  • Updated 17 September 2023.[13]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...

Annulled marks

Men (indoor)

  • Updated 23 February 2024.[18]
More information Rank, Time ...

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:44.88 (top 25 performances)

Women (indoor)

  • Updated March 2024.[21]
More information Rank, Time ...

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:57.68 (top 25 performances)

U20 records and U18 world bests

More information Age group, Men ...

Olympic medalists

Men

More information Games, Gold ...

Women

More information Games, Gold ...

World Championships medalists

Men

More information Championships, Gold ...

Medalists by country

More information Rank, Nation ...

Women

More information Championships, Gold ...

Medalists by country

More information Rank, Nation ...

World Indoor Championships medalists

Men

More information Games, Gold ...

Women

More information Games, Gold ...
  • A Known as the World Indoor Games

Season's bests

More information Year, Time ...

References

  1. Versaw, Rob. "A Fan's Guide to the 800m". Arizona Milesplit. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  2. "Men's outdoor 800 Metres | Records". worldathletics.org. World Athletics. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  3. "Women's outdoor 800 Metres | Records". worldathletcs.org. World Athletics. Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  4. "All-time men's best 800m". alltime-athletics.com. 19 August 2018. Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  5. "800 Metres Results". IAAF. 9 August 2012. Archived from the original on 20 February 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  6. "800m Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 22 July 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  7. "800m Results". diamondleague-oslo.com. 4 June 2010. Archived from the original on 7 June 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  8. "800m Results" (PDF). IAAF. 1 October 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 October 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  9. "800m Result" (PDF). Diamond League. Omega Timing. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.[permanent dead link]
  10. "800m Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 17 July 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  11. Mike Rowbottom (12 July 2019). "Hassan breaks world mile record in Monaco with 4:12.33 – IAAF Diamond League". IAAF. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  12. "Men's 800m Results" (PDF). Rio 2016 official website. 15 August 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  13. "All-time women's best 800m". alltime-athletics.com. 16 July 2017. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  14. "800m Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 30 June 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  15. "Tsegay smashes world 5000m record and Duplantis breaks world pole vault record in Eugene | REPORT | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  16. "Prefontaine Classic 2021 Complete Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 21 August 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  17. "800m Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 21 July 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  18. "All-time men's best 800m indoors". Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  19. Timothy Olobulu (12 February 2023). "Kenya's Kibet Sets World Leading Time As Coleman Wins 60m Crown At Millrose Games". capitalfm.co.ke. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  20. Jon Mulkeen (23 February 2024). "Charlton threatens world record in Madrid". World Athletics. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  21. "All-time women's best 800m indoors". Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  22. "Tsegay threatens world indoor 3000m record, as tour titles are won in Birmingham | REPORT | World Athletics". www.worldathletics.org. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  23. "800m Results" (PDF). copernicus.domtel-sport.pl. 6 February 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  24. "800m Semifinal Results Summary" (PDF). World Athletics. 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  25. Jon Mulkeen (17 February 2022). "Ingebrigtsen breaks world indoor 1500m record in Liévin". World Athletics. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  26. 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.

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