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.
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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:
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 |
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 |
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