800 metres

Discipline: Track

The 800 metres is a middle-distance track event that combines speed, endurance, and tactical judgment over two laps of the track. It requires athletes to balance pace and control while preserving enough strength for the finish.

At Athens 1896, the event was contested in two heats followed by a final, with the first two runners in each heat advancing. The heats were held on 6 April and the final on 9 April at the Panathenaic Stadium.

At Paris 1900, the event again used heats followed by a final, but with three heats and the top two athletes from each heat advancing. The final was held two days after the heats at Croix Catelan, reflecting the early Olympic use of multi-round qualification for middle-distance racing.