Athletics at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metres

The women's 800 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in four rounds at the Stade de France in Paris, France, between 2 and 5 August 2024. This was the eighteenth time that the women's 800 metres is contested at the Summer Olympics. A total of 50 athletes from 32 countries participated in this event.

Summary Athing Mu was the defending champion and 2022 World Champion, but she tripped at the US Trials and couldn't qualify. The 2024 world leader, Keely Hodgkinson had reigned supreme in Europe indoors and out, but took silver at all other major championships since 2020, displaced by Mu in the World Championships of 2022, and in both the 2022 Commonwealth Games and in the 2023 World Championships by Mary Moraa, though the latter had been the first time that Hodgkinson had beaten Mu at a Championship. Most of the remaining players apart from Mu had made it to Paris, but a number, notable Hodgkinson's Great Britain teammate Jemma Reekie, failed to make the final.

Tsige Duguma started the final on the far outside, Lane 9. After reaching the break line, she cut sharply to lane one and the lead. As the other competitors merged, Hodgkinson joined the lead on the outside, with Duguma hugging the rail. Through the second turn Moraa moved in to Hodgkinson's outer shoulder. Coming onto the home stretch the first time, Hodgkinson took the lead, running on the outside of lane 1, Duguma on the inside and Moraa on the outside forming an arrowhead on the front. The three stayed largely in formation at the front until they went down the backstretch when Moraa moved ahead of Duguma and around the turn, up to Hodgkinson's shoulder looking to out-sprint her. Instead, Hodgkinson pulled away from the whole field down the home stretch to victory. Moraa couldn't keep up, but Duguma came back to sprint past Moraa before the finish for silver, with Moraa left with the bronze.

Duguma's silver medal was the first for Ethiopia in the history of the event. Hodgkinson's gold was Great Britain's third gold, after Ann Packer, 60 years before and Kelly Holmes, 20 years previously.

Background The event was first held in 1928, making it the first distance running event for women. However it was not held again until 1960, since when it has been a permanent fixture. +Global records before the 2024 Summer OlympicsRecordAthlete (nation)Time (s)LocationDateWorld record1:53.28"All time Top lists – Senior – 800 Metres women", World Athletics, 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.Munich, West Germany26 July 1983Olympic record1:53.43Moscow, Soviet Union27 July 1980World leading1:54.61"Season Top Lists – Senior 2024 – 800 Metres women", World Athletics, 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.London, United Kingdom20 July 2024 +Area records before the 2024 Summer OlympicsArea recordAthlete (nation)Time (s)Africa 1:54.01Asia 1:55.54Europe 1:53.28 North America, Central Americaand Caribbean 1:54:44Oceania 1:57.78South America 1:56.68

Qualification

For the women's 800 metres event, the qualification period was between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.Sean McAlister, "How to qualify for athletics at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained", Olympics.com, 20 December 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2024. 48 athletes were able to qualify for the event, with a maximum of three athletes per nation, by running the entry standard of 1:59.30 seconds or faster or by their World Athletics Ranking for this event.

Results

Heats The heats were held on 2 August, starting at 19:45 (UTC+2) in the evening."Paris 2024 - Olympic Schedule - Athletics", Olympics.com. Retrieved 29 June 2024. First 3 in each heat (Q) advance to the semi-final, all others (Re) advance to repechage round (except , , ).

Heat 1 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Jemma Reekie2:00.002Gabriela Gajanová2:00.293Juliette Whittaker2:00.454Valentina Rosamilia2:00.455Jazz Shukla2:00.806Léna Kandissounon2:00.977Habitam Alemu2:02.198Amal Al Roumi2:11.359Layla Almasri2:12.21

Heat 2 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Daily Cooper Gaspar1:58.882Prudence Sekgodiso1:59.843Rachel Pellaud2:00.074Halimah Nakaayi2:00.515Nelly Jepkosgei2:00.636Flávia de Lima2:00.737Lorena Martín2:02.528Anna Wielgosz2:02.54

Heat 3 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Worknesh Mesele1:58.07, 2Rénelle Lamote1:58.593Phoebe Gill1:58.834Eloisa Coiro1:59.195Vivian Chebet Kiprotich1:59.906Rose Mary Almanza2:00.367Anita Horvat2:00.91Assia Raziki

Heat 4 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Keely Hodgkinson1:59.312Nia Akins1:59.673Noélie Yarigo1:59.684Eveliina Määttänen2:00.025Majtie Kolberg2:00.556Oratile Nowe2:01.007Catriona Bisset2:01.608Adelle Tracey2:03.479Perina Lokure Nakang2:08.20

Heat 5 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Tsige Duguma1:57.902Mary Moraa1:57.953Shafiqua Maloney1:58.23, 4Anaïs Bourgoin1:58.475Abbey Caldwell1:58.496Lorea Ibarzabal2:00.717Sanu Jallow2:03.918Gresa Bakraçi2:13.29

Heat 6 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Natoya Goule-Toppin1:58.662Claudia Hollingsworth1:58.773Lilian Odira1:58.83, 4Gabija Galvydytė1:59.185Audrey Werro1:59.386Allie Wilson1:59.697Elena Bellò1:59.988Tharushi Karunarathna2:07.76

Repechage round The repechage round was held on 3 August, starting at 11:10 (UTC+2) in the morning.

Heat 1 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Abbey Caldwell2:00.072Eloisa Coiro2:00.313Audrey Werro2:00.624Gabija Galvydytė2:00.665Flávia de Lima2:01.646Halimah Nakaayi2:02.887Lorena Martín2:03.04

Heat 2 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Anaïs Bourgoin1:59.522Valentina Rosamilia1:59.653Allie Wilson1:59.734Anita Horvat2:00.565Adelle Tracey2:03.676Sanu Jallow2:04.447Anna Wielgosz2:05.778Layla Almasri2:16.72

Heat 3 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Rose Mary Almanza2:01.542Jazz Shukla2:02.003Catriona Bisset2:02.354Elena Bellò2:02.915Oratile Nowe2:03.296Léna Kandissounon2:03.407Perina Lokure Nakang2:11.33Gresa Bakraçi

Heat 4 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Majtie Kolberg1:59.082Vivian Chebet Kiprotich1:59.313Lorea Ibarzabal1:59.814Eveliina Määttänen2:00.385Nelly Jepkosgei2:01.126Habitam Alemu2:02.737Tharushi Karunarathna2:06.668Amal Al Roumi2:12.13

Semi-finals The semi-finals were held on 4 August, starting at 20:40 (UTC+2) in the evening. Qualification: First 2 in each heat (Q) and next 2 fastest (q) advance to the final

Heat 1 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Mary Moraa1:57.862Worknesh Mesele1:58.06, 3Daily Cooper Gaspar1:58.394Phoebe Gill1:58.475Abbey Caldwell1:58.526Natoya Goule-Toppin1:59.147Valentina Rosamilia1:59.278Noélie Yarigo2:01.35

Heat 2 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Tsige Duguma1:57.47, 2Shafiqua Maloney1:57.59, 3Juliette Whittaker1:57.76, 4Rénelle Lamote1:57.785Jemma Reekie1:58.016Gabriela Gajanová1:58.227Majtie Kolberg1:58.528Vivian Chebet Kiprotich1:59.64

Heat 3 Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes1Keely Hodgkinson1:56.862Prudence Sekgodiso1:57.573Nia Akins1:58.204Lilian Odira1:58.535Rose Mary Almanza1:58.736Anaïs Bourgoin1:59.627Claudia Hollingsworth2:01.518Rachel Pellaud2:03.36

Final The final was held on 5 August, starting at 21:45 (UTC+2) in the evening. RankAthleteNationTimeNotesKeely Hodgkinson1:56.72Tsige Duguma1:57.15Mary Moraa1:57.42 4Shafiqua Maloney1:57.665Rénelle Lamote1:58.196Worknesh Mesele1:58.287Juliette Whittaker1:58.508Prudence Sekgodiso1:58.79

References