Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres


The men's 800 metres race was the second-longest of the four flat-track events on the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme. The preliminary heats were the third event held on 6 April. The nine competitors were split into two groups. The top two athletes in each heat advanced to the final, which was held on 9 April.

Results

Heats

The two heats of the preliminary round were held on 6 April. The top two runners in each heat advanced.

Heat 1

Flack beat Dáni by four feet with the others far behind; his time of 2:10.0 was the inaugural Olympic record.
RankNameNationTimeNotes
1Edwin Flack2:10.0,
2Nándor Dáni2:10.2
3Friedrich Traun2:13.4
4George MarshallUnknown

Heat 2

Lermusiaux beat Golemis by 1¼ yards.
RankNameNationTimeNotes
1Albin Lermusiaux2:16.6
2Dimitrios Golemis2:16.8
3Georges de la NézièreUnknown
4Angelos FetsisUnknown
5Dimitrios TomprofUnknown

Final

The final consisted of only three runners, as Lermusiaux elected not to compete to save himself for the marathon. Flack won by five meters, and Dáni finished 95 yards ahead of Golemis.
RankNameNationTime
Edwin Flack2:11.0
Nándor Dáni2:11.8
Dimitrios Golemis2:28.0
–Albin Lermusiaux