800 metres

The 800 metre race (or 800 metres) is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 metres is run over two laps of the track (400 metre track) and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 metre track, therefore requiring four laps. It was included in the first woman's track program in 1928, but suspended until 1960.

The event combines aerobic endurance with anaerobic conditioning and sprint speed. Both the aerobic and anaerobic systems are being taxed to a high extent, thus the 800 metre athlete is required to combine training between both systems.

Contents

Records

800 m runners are often fast enough to run in the 4x400 m relay but only Alberto Juantorena and Jarmila Kratochvílová have won major international titles at 400 m and 800 m. Competing successfully at 800 m and 1500 m is more common.

World Record for men:

World Record for women:

World Junior Record (19 and under) for men:

World Junior Record (19 and under) for women:

Top ten all-time athletes on the men's 800 m

Updated August 2010

Rank Time Athlete Nation Date Location Ref
1 1:41.01 David Rudisha  Kenya 29 August 2010 Rieti
2 1:41.11 Wilson Kipketer  Denmark 24 August 1997 Cologne
3 1:41.73 Sebastian Coe  United Kingdom 10 June 1981 Florence
4 1:41.77 Joaquim Cruz  Brazil 26 August 1984 Cologne
5 1:42.23 Abubaker Kaki Khamis  Sudan 4 June 2010 Oslo [1]
6 1:42.28 Sammy Koskei  Kenya 26 August 1984 Cologne
7 1:42.34 Wilfred Bungei  Kenya 8 September 2002 Rieti
8 1:42.47 Yuriy Borzakovskiy  Russia 24 August 2001 Brussels
9 1:42.55 Andre Bucher  Switzerland 17 August 2001 Zürich
10 1:42.58 Vebjørn Rodal  Norway 31 July 1996 Atlanta

Top ten all-time athletes on the women's 800 m

Updated April 2010.

Rank Time Athlete Country Date Location Ref
1 1:53.28 Jarmila Kratochvílová  Czechoslovakia July 26, 1983 Munich
2 1:53.43 Nadezhda Olizarenko  Soviet Union July 27, 1980 Moscow
3 1:54.01 Pamela Jelimo  Kenya August 29, 2008 Zürich
4 1:54.44 Ana Fidelia Quirot  Cuba September 9, 1989 Barcelona
5 1:54.81 Olga Mineyeva  Soviet Union July 27, 1980 Moscow
6 1:54.94 Tatyana Kazankina  Soviet Union July 26, 1976 Montreal
7 1:55.05 Doina Melinte  Romania August 1, 1982 Bucharest
8 1:55.19 Maria de Lurdes Mutola  Mozambique August 17, 1994 Zürich
Jolanda Čeplak  Slovenia July 20, 2002 Heusden-Zolder
10 1:55.26 Sigrun Grau  East Germany August 31, 1987 Rome

Best Year Performance

Men's Seasons Best (Outdoor)

Year Time Athlete Location
1970 1:44.80  Ken Swenson (USA) Stuttgart
1971 1:44.7  Dicky Broberg (RSA) Stellenbosch
1972 1:44.3  Dave Wottle (USA) Eugene
1973 1:43.7  Marcello Fiasconaro (ITA) Milan
1974 1:43.5  Rick Wohlhuter (USA) Eugene
1975 1:43.79  Mike Boit (KEN) Zürich
1976 1:43.50  Alberto Juantorena (CUB) Montreal
1977 1:43.44  Alberto Juantorena (CUB) Sofia
1978 1:43.84  Olaf Beyer (GDR) Prague
1979 1:42.33  Sebastian Coe (GBR) Oslo
1980 1:44.53  Donald Paige (USA) Eugene
1981 1:41.73  Sebastian Coe (GBR) Florence
1982 1:44.45  Steve Cram (GBR) London
1983 1:43.61  Steve Cram (GBR) Oslo
1984 1:41.77  Joaquim Carvalho Cruz (BRA) Cologne
1985 1:42.49  Joaquim Carvalho Cruz (BRA) Koblenz
1986 1:43.19  Steve Cram (GBR) Rieti
1987 1:43.06  Billy Konchellah (KEN) Rome
1988 1:42.65  Johnny Gray (USA) Zürich
1989 1:43.16  Paul Ereng (KEN) Zürich
1990 1:42.97  Peter Elliott (GBR) Seville
1991 1:43.08  José Luiz Barbosa (BRA) Rieti
1992 1:42.80  Johnny Gray (USA) New Orleans
1993 1:43.54  Nixon Kiprotich (KEN) Rieti
1994 1:43.17  Benson Koech (KEN) Rieti
1995 1:42.87  Wilson Kipketer (DEN) Monaco
1996 1:41.83  Wilson Kipketer (DEN) Rieti
1997 1:41.11  Wilson Kipketer (DEN) Cologne
1998 1:42.75  Japheth Kimutai (KEN) Stuttgart
1999 1:42.27  Wilson Kipketer (DEN) Brussels
2000 1:43.12  André Bucher (SUI) Lausanne
2001 1:42.47  Yuriy Borzakovskiy (RUS) Brussels
2002 1:42.32  Wilson Kipketer (DEN) Rieti
2003 1:42.52  Wilfred Bungei (KEN) Brussels
2004 1:43.08  Wilfred Bungei (KEN) Zürich
2005 1:43.70  Wilfred Bungei (KEN) Rieti
2006 1:43.09  Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (RSA) Rieti
2007 1:43.74  Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (RSA) Monaco
2008 1:42.69  Abubaker Kaki (SUD) Oslo
2009 1:42.01  David Lekuta Rudisha (KEN) Rieti
2010 1:41.01  David Lekuta Rudisha (KEN) Rieti

Women's Seasons Best (Outdoor)

Year Time Athlete Location
1976 1:54.94  Tatyana Kazankina (URS) Montreal
1977 1:57.39  Ileana Silai (ROU) Bucharest
1978 1:55.80  Tatyana Providokhina (URS) Prague
1979 1:56.2  Totka Petrova (BUL) Paris
1980 1:53.43  Nadezhda Olizarenko (URS) Moscow
1981 1:56.98  Lyudmila Veselkova (URS) Leningrad
1982 1:55.05  Doina Melinte (ROU) Bucharest
1983 1:53.28  Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH) Munich
1984 1:55.69  Irina Podyalovskaya (URS) Kiev
1985 1:55.68  Ella Kovacs (ROU) Bucharest
1986 1:56.2  Doina Melinte (ROU) Bucharest
1987 1:55.26  Sigrun Wodars (GDR) Rome
1988 1:56.00  Inna Yevseyeva (URS)
 Nadezhda Olizarenko (URS)
Kiev
Kharkov
1989 1:54.44  Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB) Barcelona
1990 1:55.87  Sigrun Wodars (GDR) Split
1991 1:57.23  Svetlana Masterkova (RUS) Kiev
1992 1:55.54  Ellen van Langen (NED) Barcelona
1993 1:55.43  Maria de Lurdes Mutola (MOZ) Stuttgart
1994 1:55.19  Maria de Lurdes Mutola (MOZ) Zürich
1995 1:55.72  Maria de Lurdes Mutola (MOZ) Monaco
1996 1:56.04  Svetlana Masterkova (RUS) Monaco
1997 1:54.82  Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB) Cologne
1998 1:56.11  Maria de Lurdes Mutola (MOZ) Zürich
1999 1:55.87  Svetlana Masterkova (RUS) Moscow
2000 1:56.15  Maria de Lurdes Mutola (MOZ) Sydney
2001 1:56.85  Maria de Lurdes Mutola (MOZ) Zürich
2002 1:55.19  Jolanda Čeplak (SLO) Heusden-Zolder
2003 1:55.55  Maria de Lurdes Mutola (MOZ) Madrid
2004 1:56.23  Tatyana Andrianova (RUS) Tula
2005 1:56.07  Tatyana Andrianova (RUS) Tula
2006 1:56.66  Janeth Jepkosgei (KEN) Lausanne
2007 1:56.04  Janeth Jepkosgei (KEN) Osaka
2008 1:54.01  Pamela Jelimo (KEN) Zurich
2009 1:55.45  Caster Semenya (RSA) Berlin
2010 1:57.34  Alysia Johnson (USA) Monaco

See also

References

  1. ^ "800 Metres Results". www.diamondleague-oslo.com. 2010-06-04. http://www.diamondleague-oslo.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/800m-Men1/. Retrieved 2010-06-07.