The women's 800 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics program were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 20 to 23.

The first round had split a full roster of runners into six heats with the first three gaining a direct qualification and then the next six fastest across all heats advancing to the semifinals. The top two runners in each of the three semifinal heats moved on directly to the final, and they were immediately joined by the next two fastest from any of the semifinals.

The final started with a fast first 200 metres, but Kelly Holmes and Maria de Lurdes Mutola were last at this stage. As the pace slowed, Mutola and Holmes moved forward through the field. The time at 400 metres was 56.37 seconds, with American Jearl Miles Clark leading. They entered the finishing straight with Mutola taking the lead, before Holmes took the lead and held off Mutola to take gold. Hasna Benhassi and Jolanda Čeplak finished strongly, both with a time of 1:56.43s, Benhassi winning silver in a photo finish. Mutola was forced into fourth place. Holmes' face lit up as she crossed the line, but then, unsure of the result, she anxiously waited for the times to come up.

Holmes had only decided to enter the 800 metres at the last moment, and went on to also win gold in her preferred event, the 1500 m. This feat made her one of the UK's most successful ever athletes; the Olympic 800–1500 metres double was never accomplished by any of their great 1980s middle distance trio, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett or Steve Cram.

Records Prior to the competition, the existing World record, Olympic record, and world leading time were as follows:

No new records were set during the competition.

Qualification The qualification period for athletics was 1 January 2003 to 9 August 2004. For the women's 800 metres, each National Olympic Committee was permitted to enter up to three athletes that had run the race in 2:00.00 or faster during the qualification period. If an NOC had no athletes that qualified under that standard, one athlete that had run the race in 2:01.30 or faster could be entered.

Schedule All times are Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3) Date Time RoundFriday, 20 August 2004 22:00 Round 1Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:40 SemifinalsMonday, 23 August 2004 20:55 Final

Results

Round 1 Qualification rule: The first three finishers in each heat (Q) plus the next six fastest overall runners (q) advanced to the semifinals.

Heat 1 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes14 Hasna Benhassi 2:01.20 Q27 Maria de Lurdes Mutola 2:01.50 Q32 Tetyana Petlyuk 2:02.07 Q46 Marian Burnett 2:02.12 q58 Nédia Semedo 2:02.61 63 Olga Cristea 2:08.97 75 Marlyse Nsourou 2:12.35 NR

Heat 2 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes18 Maria Cioncan 1:59.64 Q, PB25 Agnes Samaria 2:00.05 Q37 Élisabeth Grousselle 2:00.31 Q43 Natalya Khrushchelyova 2:00.56 q56 Diane Cummins 2:01.19 q62 Miho Sugimori 2:02.82 74 Adama Njie 2:10.02

Heat 3 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes13 Kelly Holmes 2:00.81 Q21 Jearl Miles Clark 2:01.33 Q34 Michelle Ballentine 2:01.52 Q47 Letitia Vriesde 2:01.70 q52 Tamsyn Lewis 2:02.67 68 Tatyana Roslanova 2:06.39 76 Sanna Abubkheet 2:32.10 5 Anhel Cape

Heat 4 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes14 Svetlana Cherkasova 2:03.60 Q22 Amina Aït Hammou 2:03.70 Q37 Joanne Fenn 2:03.72 Q46 Claudia Gesell 2:03.87 58 Akosua Serwaa 2:03.96 63 Faith Macharia 2:06.31 75 Emilia Mikue Ondo 2:22.88

Heat 5 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes13 Jolanda Čeplak 2:00.61 Q22 Mayte Martínez 2:00.81 Q36 Nicole Teter 2:01.16 Q44 Luciana de Paula Mendes 2:01.36 q57 Lucia Klocová 2:02.17 q68 Binnaz Uslu 2:03.46 75 Marie-Lyne Joseph 2:20.23

Heat 6 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes13 Tatyana Andrianova 2:03.77 Q26 Seltana Aït Hammou 2:03.95 Q38 Zulia Calatayud 2:03.99 Q45 Anita Brägger 2:04.00 52 Hazel Clark 2:05.67 64 Noelly Mankatu Bibiche 2:06.23 77 Tanya Blake 2:19.34

Semifinals Qualification rule: The top two finishers in each heat (Q) plus the next two fastest overall runners (q) advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes14 Kelly Holmes 1:57.98 Q, SB26 Tatyana Andrianova 1:58.41 Q35 Jearl Miles Clark 1:58.71 q43 Zulia Calatayud 1:59.21 q, SB57 Agnes Samaria 1:59.37 SB62 Élisabeth Grousselle 2:00.21 71 Amina Aït Hammou 2:00.66 88 Michelle Ballentine 2:00.94

Semifinal 2 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes16 Hasna Benhassi 1:58.59 Q, SB24 Jolanda Čeplak 1:58.80 Q38 Tetyana Petlyuk 1:59.48 PB43 Nicole Teter 1:59.50 55 Natalya Khrushchelyova 2:00.68 67 Lucia Klocová 2:00.79 SB72 Marian Burnett 2:02.21 81 Mayte Martínez 2:03.30

Semifinal 3 Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes15 Maria de Lurdes Mutola 1:59.30 Q27 Maria Cioncan 1:59.44 Q, PB33 Svetlana Cherkasova 1:59.80 44 Diane Cummins 2:00.30 58 Joanne Fenn 2:00.60 62 Seltana Aït Hammou 2:00.64 71 Luciana de Paula Mendes 2:02.00 86 Letitia Vriesde 2:06.95

Final

Rank Lane Athlete Nation Time Notes3 Kelly Holmes 1:56.38 SB7 Hasna Benhassi 1:56.43 NR4 Jolanda Čeplak 1:56.43 SB45 Maria de Lurdes Mutola 1:56.51 SB56 Tatyana Andrianova 1:56.88 62 Jearl Miles Clark 1:57.27 SB71 Maria Cioncan 1:59.62 88 Zulia Calatayud 2:00.95

References

External links IAAF Athens 2004 Olympic Coverage