Athletics 800 metres
Athletics 800 metres
World records
Men David Rudisha (KEN) 1:40.91 (2012)Women Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH) 1:53.28 (1983)Short track world records
Men Josh Hoey (USA) 1:42.50 (2026)Women Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) 1:54.87 (2026)Olympic records
Men David Rudisha (KEN) 1:40.91 (2012)Women Nadezhda Olizarenko (URS) 1:53.43 (1980)World Championship records
Men Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) 1:41.86 (2025)Women Lilian Odira (KEN) 1:54.62 (2025)World junior (U20) records
Men Nijel Amos (BOT) 1:41.73 (2012)Women Pamela Jelimo (KEN) 1:54.01 (2008)Women's 800 m final at the 2023 World Athletics Championships The 800 metres is a common track running event. It is the shortest commonly run middle-distance running event, 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 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.
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.
In 2024, the race tactics in the men's 800m shifted toward a more evenly paced race. All fifteen sub-1:42 performances prior to 2024 featured a sub 50 second first lap. However, of the twelve sub-1:42 performances in 2024, six featured a first lap of 50 seconds or slower.
Continental records All-time top 25 Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 800m times and the top 25 athletes : - denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 800m times - denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 800m times , by repeat athletes - denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 800m times
Men (outdoor) Correct as of September 2025. Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref. 1 1 1:40.91 David Rudisha Kenya 9 August 2012 London 2 1:41.01 Rudisha #2 29 August 2010 Rieti 3 1:41.09 Rudisha #3 22 August 2010 Berlin 2 4 1:41.11 Wilson Kipketer Denmark 24 August 1997 Cologne Emmanuel Wanyonyi Kenya 22 August 2024 Lausanne 6 1:41.19 Wanyonyi #2 10 August 2024 Saint-Denis 4 7 1:41.20 Marco Arop Canada 10 August 2024 Saint-Denis 8 1:41.24 Kipketer #2 13 August 1997 Zürich 9 1:41.33 Rudisha #4 10 September 2011 Rieti 10 1:41.44 Wanyonyi #3 11 July 2025 Monaco 5 11 1:41.46 Djamel Sedjati Algeria 12 July 2024 Monaco 12 1:41.50 Sedjati #2 10 August 2024 Saint-Denis 13 1:41.51 Rudisha #5 10 July 2010 Heusden-Zolder 14 1:41.54 Rudisha #6 6 July 2012 Paris 15 1:41.56 Sedjati #3 7 July 2024 Paris 16 1:41.58 Wanyonyi #4 7 July 2024 Paris 6 17 1:41.61 Gabriel Tual France 7 July 2024 Paris 7 18 1:41.67 Bryce Hoppel United States 10 August 2024 Saint-Denis 19 1:41.70 Wanyonyi #5 15 June 2024 Nairobi 20 1:41.72 Arop #2 22 August 2024 Lausanne 8 21 1:41.73 Sebastian Coe Great Britain 10 June 1981 Florence 21 1:41.73 Kipketer #3 7 July 1997 Stockholm 8 21 1:41.73 Nijel Amos Botswana 9 August 2012 London 24 1:41.74 Rudisha #7 9 June 2012 New York City 10 25 1:41.77 Joaquim Cruz Brazil 26 August 1984 Cologne 11 1:42.01 Josh Hoey United States 11 July 2025 Monaco 12 1:42.04 Mohamed Attaoui Spain 12 July 2024 Monaco 13 1:42.05 Emmanuel Korir Kenya 22 July 2018 London 14 1:42.08 Aaron Kemei Cheminingwa Kenya 7 July 2024 Paris Wyclife Kinyamal Kenya 7 July 2024 Paris 16 1:42.15 Cian McPhillips Ireland 20 September 2025 Tokyo 17 1:42.16 Donavan Brazier United States 3 August 2025 Eugene 18 1:42.23 Abubaker Kaki Sudan 4 June 2010 Oslo 19 1:42.27 Ben Pattison Great Britain 12 July 2024 Monaco Cooper Lutkenhaus United States 3 August 2025 Eugene 21 1:42.28 Sammy Koskei Kenya 26 August 1984 Cologne 22 1:42.29 Max Burgin Great Britain 20 September 2025 Tokyo 23 1:42.34 Wilfred Bungei Kenya 8 September 2002 Rieti 24 1:42.37 Mohammed Aman Ethiopia 6 September 2013 Brussels 25 1:42.43 Eliott Crestan Belgium 7 July 2024 Paris
Women (outdoor) Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref. 1 1 1:53.28 Jarmila Kratochvílová Czechoslovakia 26 July 1983 Munich 2 2 1:53.43 Nadezhda Olizarenko Soviet Union 27 July 1980 Moscow 3 3 1:54.01 Pamela Jelimo Kenya 29 August 2008 Zürich 4 4 1:54.25 Caster Semenya South Africa 30 June 2018 Paris 5 5 1:54.44 Ana Fidelia Quirot Cuba 9 September 1989 Barcelona 6 1:54.60 Semenya #2 20 July 2018 Monaco 6 7 1:54.61 Keely Hodgkinson Great Britain 20 July 2024 London 7 8 1:54.62 Lilian Odira Kenya 21 September 2025 Tokyo 9 1:54.68 Kratochvílová #2 9 August 1983 Helsinki 10 1:54.74 Hodgkinson #2 16 August 2025 Chorzów 11 1:54.77 Semenya #3 9 September 2018 Ostrava 8 12 1:54.81 Olga Mineyeva Soviet Union 27 July 1980 Moscow 13 1:54.82 Quirot #2 24 August 1997 Cologne 14 1:54.85 Olizarenko #2 12 June 1980 Moscow 15 1:54.87 Jelimo #2 18 August 2008 Beijing 9 16 1:54.90 Georgia Hunter Bell Great Britain 21 September 2025 Tokyo 17 1:54.91 Hodgkinson #3 21 September 2025 Tokyo 10 18 1:54.94 Tatyana Kazankina Soviet Union 26 July 1976 Montreal 19 1:54.97 Jelimo #3 18 July 2008 Paris 11 19 1:54.97 Athing Mu United States 17 September 2023 Eugene 21 1:54.98 Semenya #4 3 May 2019 Doha 22 1:54.99 Jelimo #4 1 June 2008 Berlin 23 1:55.04 Kratochvílová #3 23 August 1983 Oslo 23 1:55.04 Mu #2 21 August 2021 Eugene 12 25 1:55.05 Doina Melinte Romania 1 August 1982 Bucharest 13 1:55.19 Maria Mutola Mozambique 17 August 1994 Zürich Jolanda Čeplak Slovenia 20 July 2002 Heusden-Zolder 15 1:55.26 Sigrun Wodars East Germany 31 August 1987 Rome 16 1:55.32 Christine Wachtel East Germany 31 August 1987 Rome 17 1:55.42 Nikolina Shtereva Bulgaria 26 July 1976 Montreal 18 1:55.46 Tatyana Providokhina Soviet Union 27 July 1980 Moscow 19 1:55.47 Francine Niyonsaba Burundi 21 July 2017 Monaco 20 1:55.54 Ellen van Langen Netherlands 3 August 1992 Barcelona Liu Dong China 9 September 1993 Beijing 22 1:55.56 Lyubov Gurina Soviet Union 31 August 1987 Rome 23 1:55.60 Elfi Zinn East Germany 26 July 1976 Montreal 24 1:55.61 Ajeé Wilson United States 21 July 2017 Monaco Jemma Reekie Great Britain 20 July 2024 London
Annulled marks Yelena Soboleva (Russia ) ran 1:54.85 in Kazan on 18 July 2007, but her performance was annulled due to doping offences.Men (indoor) Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref. 1 1 1:42.50 Josh Hoey United States 24 January 2026 Boston 2 2 1:42.67 Wilson Kipketer Denmark 9 March 1997 Paris 3 1:43.24 Hoey #2 23 February 2025 New York City 3 4 1:43.63 Elliot Giles Great Britain 17 February 2021 Toruń 4 5 1:43.83 Eliott Crestan Belgium 3 February 2026 Ostrava 6 1:43.90 Hoey #3 8 February 2025 New York City 7 1:43.91 Crestan #2 19 February 2026 Liévin 8 1:43.96 Kipketer #2 7 March 1997 Paris 5 9 1:43.98 Michael Saruni Kenya 9 February 2019 New York City 6 10 1:44.03 Cooper Lutkenhaus United States 14 February 2026 Winston-Salem 7 11 1:44.07 Maciej Wyderka Poland 3 February 2026 Ostrava 11 1:44.07 Crestan #3 22 February 2026 Toruń 8 13 1:44.15 Yuriy Borzakovskiy Russia 27 January 2001 Karlsruhe 9 14 1:44.19 Bryce Hoppel United States 8 February 2025 New York City 10 15 1:44.21 Emmanuel Korir Kenya 3 February 2018 New York City Donavan Brazier United States 13 February 2021 New York City 17 1:44.22 Brazier #2 8 February 2020 New York City 12 18 1:44.23 Mark English Ireland 3 February 2026 Ostrava 19 1:44.24 Lutkenhaus #2 22 March 2026 Toruń 13 20 1:44.26 Brandon Miller United States 23 February 2025 New York City 21 1:44.30 Wyderka #2 22 February 2026 Toruń 22 1:44.34 Borzakovskiy #2 18 February 2003 Stockholm 23 1:44.35 Borzakovskiy #3 30 January 2000 Dortmund 24 1:44.37 Hoppel #2 31 January 2021 Fayetteville 25 1:44.38 Crestan #4 22 March 2026 Toruń 14 1:44.52 Mohammed Aman Ethiopia 15 February 2014 Birmingham 15 1:44.54 Jamie Webb Great Britain 17 February 2021 Toruń 16 1:44.57 Adam Kszczot Poland 14 February 2012 Liévin 17 1:44.65 Josué Canales Spain 19 January 2025 Luxembourg 18 1:44.67 Mohamed Ali Gouaned Algeria 8 February 2026 Metz 19 1:44.68 Filip Ostrowski Poland 24 January 2026 Boston 20 1:44.70 Colin Sahlman United States 1 February 2026 New York City 21 1:44.71 Joseph Mutua Kenya 31 January 2004 Stuttgart 22 1:44.72 Ryan Clarke Netherlands 24 January 2026 Boston 23 1:44.73 Handal Roban Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14 February 2026 Winston-Salem 24 1:44.75 Ismail Ahmed Ismail Sudan 26 February 2009 Prague Samuel Chapple Netherlands 3 February 2026 Ostrava Navasky Anderson Jamaica 22 February 2026 Toruń
Women (indoor) Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref. 1 1 1:54.87 Keely Hodgkinson Great Britain 19 February 2026 Liévin 2 1:55.30 Hodgkinson #2 22 March 2026 Toruń 2 3 1:55.82 Jolanda Čeplak Slovenia 3 March 2002 Vienna 3 4 1:55.85 Stephanie Graf Austria 3 March 2002 Vienna 5 1:56.33 Hodgkinson #3 14 February 2026 Birmingham 4 6 1:56.40 Christine Wachtel East Germany 13 February 1988 Vienna 5 7 1:56.64 Audrey Werro Switzerland 22 March 2026 Toruń 8 1:56.85 Graf #2 10 February 2002 Ghent 6 9 1:56.90 Ludmila Formanová Czech Republic 7 March 1999 Maebashi 7 10 1:57.06 Maria Mutola Mozambique 21 February 1999 Liévin 11 1:57.13 Mutola #2 18 February 1996 Liévin 12 1:57.17 Mutola #3 7 March 1999 Maebashi 13 1:57.18 Čeplak #2 10 February 2002 Ghent Hodgkinson #4 25 February 2023 Birmingham 15 1:57.20 Hodgkinson #5 19 February 2022 Birmingham 8 16 1:57.23 Inna Yevseyeva Ukraine 1 February 1992 Moscow 17 1:57.27 Werro #2 11 February 2026 Belgrade 9 18 1:57.43 Isabelle Boffey Great Britain 30 January 2026 Boston 10 19 1:57.47 Natalya Tsyganova Russia 7 March 1999 Maebashi 20 1:57.48 Mutola #4 10 February 2002 Ghent Mutola #5 15 February 2004 Karlsruhe 22 1:57.49 Werro #3 1 February 2026 Val-de-Reuil 11 23 1:57.51 Olga Kotlyarova Russia 18 February 2006 Moscow 12 24 1:57.52 Gudaf Tsegay Ethiopia 14 February 2021 Val-de-Reuil 13 25 1:57.53 Larisa Chzhao Russia 23 January 2005 Moscow 25 1:57.53 Graf #3 25 February 2001 Liévin 14 1:57.67 Sigrun Wodars East Germany 13 February 1988 Vienna 15 1:57.80 Georgia Hunter Bell Great Britain 1 March 2026 Glasgow 16 1:57.86 Habitam Alemu Ethiopia 6 February 2024 Toruń 17 1:57.91 Jemma Reekie Great Britain 1 February 2020 Glasgow 18 1:57.97 Roisin Willis United States 30 January 2026 Boston 19 1:58.10 Mariya Savinova Russia 8 March 2009 Turin 20 1:58.14 Yuliya Stepanova Russia 17 February 2011 Moscow 21 1:58.29 Ajeé Wilson United States 8 February 2020 New York City 22 1:58.31 Francine Niyonsaba Burundi 4 March 2018 Birmingham 23 1:58.34 Svetlana Cherkasova Russia 4 February 2006 Moscow 24 1:58.35 Tsige Duguma Ethiopia 2 March 2024 Glasgow 25 1:58.36 Addison Wiley United States 22 March 2026 Toruń
U20 records and U18 world bests Olympic medalists Men Women World Championships medalists Men Medalists by country Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 Kenya (KEN)8 3 4 15 2 Denmark (DEN)3 0 0 3 3 Algeria (ALG)1 2 1 4 4 United States (USA)1 1 2 4 Canada (CAN)1 1 2 4 6 South Africa (RSA)1 1 1 3 7 Bahrain (BHR)1 0 1 2 8 Ethiopia (ETH)1 0 0 1 Switzerland (SUI)1 0 0 1 West Germany (FRG)1 0 0 1 France (FRA)1 0 0 1 12 Russia (RUS)0 2 2 4 13 Poland (POL)0 2 1 3 14 Brazil (BRA)0 1 2 3 15 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH)0 1 1 2 Great Britain (GBR)0 1 1 2 17 Italy (ITA)0 1 0 1 Netherlands (NED)0 1 0 1 Sudan (SUD)0 1 0 1 Burundi (BDI)0 1 0 1 Cuba (CUB)0 1 0 1 22 Djibouti (DJI)0 0 1 1 Norway (NOR)0 0 1 1
Women Medalists by country Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 Kenya (KEN)4 2 2 8 2 Mozambique (MOZ)3 1 1 5 3 Cuba (CUB)3 1 0 4 4 South Africa (RSA)3 0 0 3 5 United States (USA)1 2 5 8 6 Soviet Union (URS)1 1 2 4 7 East Germany (GDR)1 1 0 2 8 Belarus (BLR)1 0 0 1 Czech Republic (CZE)1 0 0 1 Czechoslovakia (TCH)1 0 0 1 Uganda (UGA)1 0 0 1 12 Great Britain (GBR)0 4 3 7 13 Russia (RUS)0 2 3 5 14 Morocco (MAR)0 2 0 2 15 Suriname (SUR)0 1 1 2 16 Austria (AUT)0 1 0 1 17 Romania (ROM)0 0 2 2 18 Spain (ESP)0 0 1 1 19 Burundi (BDI)0 1 0 1 Canada (CAN)0 1 0 1
World Indoor Championships medalists Men Women A Known as the World Indoor Games World leading times See also External links 