Women
The first world record in the women's 800 metres was recognized by the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale (FSFI) in 1922. The FSFI was absorbed by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1936.
As of June 21, 2009, the IAAF (and the FSFI before it) have ratified 29 world records in the event. "y" denotes time for 880 yards (804.68 m) ratified as a record for the 800 m.
| Time | Auto | Athlete | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:30.4+ | Georgette Lenoir (FRA) | 1922-08-20 | Paris, France | |
| 2:26.6y | Mary Lines (GBR) | 1922-08-30 | London, United Kingdom | |
| 2:23.8 | Lina Radke (GER) | 1927-08-07 | Breslau, Germany | |
| 2:20.4 | Inga Gentzel (SWE) | 1928-06-16 | Stockholm, Sweden | |
| 2:19.6 | Lina Radke (GER) | 1928-07-01 | Brieg, Poland | |
| 2:16.8 | Lina Radke (GER) | 1928-08-02 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | |
| 2:15.9 | Anna Larsson (SWE) | 1944-08-28 | Stockholm, Sweden | |
| 2:14.8 | Anna Larsson (SWE) | 1945-08-19 | Hälsingborg, Sweden | |
| 2:13.8 | Anna Larsson (SWE) | 1945-08-30 | Stockholm, Sweden | |
| 2:13.0 | Yevdokia Vasilyeva (URS) | 1950-07-17 | Moscow, Soviet Union | |
| 2:12.2 | Valentina Pomogayeva (URS) | 1951-07-26 | Moscow, Soviet Union | |
| 2:12.0 | Nina Otkalenko (URS) | 1951-08-26 | Minsk, Soviet Union | |
| 2:08.5 | Nina Otkalenko (URS) | 1952-06-15 | Kiev, Soviet Union | |
| 2:07.3 | Nina Otkalenko (URS) | 1953-08-27 | Moscow, Soviet Union | |
| 2:06.6 | Nina Otkalenko (URS) | 1954-09-16 | Kiev, Soviet Union | |
| 2:05.0 | Nina Otkalenko (URS) | 1955-09-24 | Zagreb, Yugoslavia | |
| 2:04.3 | Lyudmila Shevtsova (URS) | 1960-07-03 | Moscow, Soviet Union | |
| 2:04.3 | 2:04.50 | Lyudmila Shevtsova (URS) | 1960-09-07 | Rome, Italy |
| 2:01.2+ | Dixie Willis (AUS) | 1962-03-03 | Perth, Australia | |
| 2:01.1 | Ann Packer (GBR) | 1964-10-20 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| 2:01.0 | Judy Pollock (AUS) | 1967-06-28 | Helsinki, Finland | |
| 2:00.5 | Vera Nikolic (YUG) | 1968-07-20 | London, United Kingdom | |
| 1:58.5 | 1:58.45 | Hildegard Falck (FRG) | 1971-07-11 | Stuttgart, Germany |
| 1:57.5 | 1:57.48 | Svetla Zlateva (BUL) | 1973-08-24 | Athens, Greece |
| 1:56.0 | Valentina Gerasimova (URS) | 1976-06-12 | Kiev, Soviet Union | |
| 1:54.9 | 1:54.94 | Tatyana Kazankina (URS) | 1976-07-26 | Montreal, Canada |
| 1:54.9 | 1:54.85 | Nadezhda Olizarenko (URS) | 1980-06-12 | Moscow, Soviet Union |
| 1:53.5 | 1:53.43 | Nadezhda Olizarenko (URS) | 1980-07-27 | Moscow, Soviet Union |
| 1:53.28 | - | Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH) | 1983-07-26 | Munich, West Germany |
(+) - indicates en route time from longer race.
Auto times to the hundredth of a second were accepted by the IAAF for events up to and including 10,000 m from 1981. Hence, Nadezhda Olizarenko's record at 1:53.5 was rendered as 1:53.43 from that year.
Read more about this topic: 800 Metres World Record Progression
Famous quotes containing the word women:
“Only you women have to put these airs on
To impress men. You’ve got us so ashamed
Of being men we can’t look at a good fight
Between two boys and not feel bound to stop it.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“The child-rearing years are relatively short in our increased life span. It is hard for young women caught between diapers and formulas to believe, but there are years and years of freedom ahead. I regret my impatience to get on with my career. I wish I’d relaxed, allowed myself the luxury of watching the world through my little girl’s eyes.”
—Eda Le Shan (20th century)
“We cannot expect in the immediate future that all women who seek it will achieve full equality of opportunity. But if women are to start moving towards that goal, we must believe in ourselves or no one else will believe in us; we must match our aspirations with the competence, courage and determination to succeed.”
—Rosalyn Yalow (b. 1921)