Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres


The men's 800 metres was a track and field athletics event held as part of the athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fifth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The competition was held from Saturday, July 6, 1912 to Monday, July 8, 1912. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes.
Forty-eight runners from 16 nations competed. Including all three medalists from 1908, Olympic champion Mel Sheppard, the silver medalist Emilio Lunghi, and the bronze medalist Hanns Braun.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1912 Summer Olympics.
World Record1:52.8' Mel SheppardLondon July 21, 1908
World Record1:52.1' Emilio LunghiMontreal September 15, 1909
Olympic Record1:52.8' Mel SheppardLondon July 21, 1908

' unofficial
' 880 yards
' This track was 536.45 metres= mile in circumference.
The world record of 1:52.8, which had seemed fairly safe through the first two rounds of competition, was broken by all three medalists and tied by the fourth-place runner in the final. Mel Sheppard, the previous record-holder, and Ira Davenport beat the old record by.8 seconds at 1:52.0, taking silver and bronze behind Ted Meredith and his new record of 1:51.9. This record became the first official world record for the 800 metres.

Results

Heats

All heats were held on Saturday, July 6, 1912.
Heat 1
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:58.6QS
2QS
3
42:01.5
5

Heat 2
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:56.0QS
2QS
3
DNF-

Heat 3
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
12:01.8QS
2QS
3
4

Heat 4
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:56.5QS
2QS
3
42:02.0
—DNF

Heat 5
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:59.0QS
2QS
3
4
5
—DNF
—DNF

Heat 6
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:58.1QS
2QS
3
42:01.2
5-7
5-7
5-7
—DNF

Heat 7
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
12:00.4QS
2QS
3
—DNF
—DNS

Heat 8
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:57.0QS
2QS
3
—DNF

Heat 9
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:57.6QS
2QS
31:59.2
41:59.2
—DNF
—DNF

Semifinals

Both semi-finals were held on Sunday, July 7, 1912.
Semifinal 1
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:54.4QF
21:54.6QF
31:54.8QF
41:55.0QF
5
6
—DNF
—DNF
—DNS

Semifinal 2
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
11:55.7QF
21:55.8QF
31:55.9QF
41:55.9QF
5
6-9
6-9
6-9
6-9

Final

The final took place on Monday, July 8, 1912.
PlaceAthleteTime
11:51.9 WR
21:52.0
31:52.0
41:52.8
51:53.0
61:53.0
7
8