The women's 800 metres

800 metres

The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...

 at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics

2009 World Championships in Athletics

The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....

 was held at the Olympic Stadium on 16, 17 and 19 August. Prior to the championships, there was no clear favourite for the race – the twenty fastest times of the season had been run by seventeen different athletes. The reigning World and Olympic champions, Janeth Jepkosgei

Janeth Jepkosgei

Janeth Jepkosgei is a Kenyan middle distance runner and world champion.- Early career :Janeth, nicknamed "Eldoret Express" is from Kabirirsang, near Kapsabet. Famous athletes Wilson Kipketer and Wilfred Bungei are also from the same village. She started athletics while at Kapsumbeiywo Primary...

 and Pamela Jelimo

Pamela Jelimo

Pamela Jelimo is a Kenyan middle-distance runner, specialising in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She is the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal and also the first Kenyan to win the Golden League Jackpot...

, had not shown the dominance of previous seasons. The two fastest runners of the season, Caster Semenya

Caster Semenya

Mokgadi Caster Semenya is a South African middle-distance runner and world champion. Semenya won gold in the women's 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships with a time of 1:55.45 in the final....

 and Maggie Vessey

Maggie Vessey

Maggie Vessey is an American athlete who competes in middle distance track events. Vessey represented the United States at the 2009 World Championships in the 800 m....

, had recently set personal bests but lacked any major championships experience, while third best Anna Alminova

Anna Alminova

Anna Alminova is a Russian middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres. She was the European indoor champion in the 1500 m in 2009.-Career:In the 800 metres, she finished fifth at the 2003 World Youth Championships...

 was a 1500 metres

1500 metres

The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...

 specialist. European Indoor Champion Mariya Savinova

Mariya Savinova

Mariya Savinova is a Russian athlete, who specializes in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona with a time of 1:58.22....

 and Svetlana Klyuka

Svetlana Klyuka

Svetlana Vasiliyevna Klyuka is a Russian middle distance runner. Klyuka ran the 6th fastest women's 800m time in the world in 2006, a 1:57:21. She was the winner of the 2006 European Cup.-Achievements:-References:...

, fourth at the Olympics, were other strong competitors. The 2007 World medallists Hasna Benhassi

Hasna Benhassi

Hasna Benhassi is a Moroccan middle distance athlete.She first came to international prominence at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning a surprise silver medal behind Kelly Holmes. She repeated this feat by winning silver at the 2005 World Athletics Championships in Helsinki,...

 and Mayte Martínez

Mayte Martínez

María Teresa Martínez Jiménez is a Spanish athlete competing in the 800 m. She has reached 4 consecutive finals in the World Championships , being third with an incredible last straight in Osaka...

, and Olympic finalist Yuliya Krevsun

Yuliya Krevsun

Yuliya Krevsun is a Ukrainian middle-distance athlete who specialises in the 800 metres. She is a member of the Fenerbahçe S.K. athletics club in Turkey....

 were also predicted as medal possibilities.

The events in the heats resulted in a surprise decision: world-leader Semenya accidentally tripped Jepkosgei and the defending champion finished last in the first heat. The Kenyan athletics federation

Athletics Kenya

Athletics Kenya is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Kenya. It is a member of the IAAF and Confederation of African Athletics. AK organises athletics competitions held in Kenya. It also sends Kenyan teams to international championships. Isaiah Kiplagat is the current chairman of...

 appealed the decision and she was reinstated to run in the second semi-final, and Semenya was not disqualified as her actions were deemed unintentional. Yuliya Krevsun, Elisa Cusma Piccione

Elisa Cusma Piccione

Elisa Cusma Piccione is a female Italian middle distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres.She finished seventh at the 2007 World Athletics Final, sixth at the 2008 World Indoor Championships, sixth at the 2008 World Athletics Final and won the bronze medal at the 2009 European Indoor...

, and Zulia Calatayud

Zulia Calatayud

Zulia Inés Calatayud Torres is a Cuban runner competing mostly in the 800 metres event.-Early career:Calatayud, who attended Havana's Manuel Permuy Sports School, got involved in athletics to help her deal with her asthma. She first gained prominence by reaching the semi-finals of the 400m at the...

 were the fastest of the heat winners on the first day of competition. With only eight places on offer, there were a number of high-profile scalps in the semi-finals. The first race saw past medallists Calatayud and Benhassi fail to qualify, Svetlana Klyuka was fifth in the second heat, while Vessey and Jelimo dropped out in the third semi-final of the day. Caster Semenya was the fastest in the preliminaries with 1:58.66.

In the final, Semenya lead the race from the halfway mark, and continued to increase her lead from that point onwards, winning her first World Championship gold medal in a time of one minute and 55.45 seconds. Krevsun was in second place near the end of final straight, but she faded a little and allowed Jepkosgei and Jenny Meadows

Jenny Meadows

Jennifer Brenda "Jenny" Meadows is a British athlete. Her main event is the 800 m, although she previously competed over the 400 m.She is the third-fastest British woman over 800 m, behind Kelly Holmes and Kirsty Wade....

 to challenge her position. With just a tenth of a second between second and fourth, Krevsun fell behind the Kenyan and British athletes, who ended up with the silver and bronze medals.

Semenya's victory was one of the focal points of the championship, not just because of her achievement on the track at such a young age, but also because of the events that followed. Having beaten her previous 800 m best by four seconds at the African Junior Championships just a month earlier, her quick improvements came under scrutiny. The combination of her rapid athletic progression and her appearance culminated in the IAAF asking her to take a gender test to ascertain whether she was female. A number of South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

n governing bodies came to the defence of Semenya, saying the athlete had been treated unfairly, and world record holder Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson (athlete)

Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...

 was highly critical of the way that the sensitive issue had been dealt with publicly.

Medalists

Gold	Silver	Bronze
Caster Semenya Caster Semenya Mokgadi Caster Semenya is a South African middle-distance runner and world champion. Semenya won gold in the women's 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships with a time of 1:55.45 in the final.... '	Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei '	Jenny Meadows Jenny Meadows Jennifer Brenda "Jenny" Meadows is a British athlete. Her main event is the 800 m, although she previously competed over the 400 m.She is the third-fastest British woman over 800 m, behind Kelly Holmes and Kirsty Wade....   '

Records

World record		1:53.28	Munich Munich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... , West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....	26 July 1983
Championship record		1:54.68	Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	9 August 1983
World leading		1:55.45	Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	19 August 2009
African record		1:54.01	Zürich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... , Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....	29 August 2008
Asian record		1:55.54	Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...	9 September 1993
North American record		1:54.44	Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...	9 September 1989
South American record		1:56.68	Gothenburg Gothenburg Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....	13 August 1995
European record		1:53.28	Munich, West Germany	26 July 1983
Oceanian record		1:58.25	Atlanta, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	27 July 1996

Qualification standards

A time	B time
2:00.00	2:01.30

Schedule

Date	Time	Round
16 August 2009	10:10	Heats
17 August 2009	19:30	Semi-finals
19 August 2009	21:35	Final

Heats

Qualification: First 3 in each heat(Q) and the next 6 fastest(q) advance to the semi-finals.

Rank	Heat	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
	3	Yuliya Krevsun Yuliya Krevsun Yuliya Krevsun is a Ukrainian middle-distance athlete who specialises in the 800 metres. She is a member of the Fenerbahçe S.K. athletics club in Turkey....		2:02.20	Q
	4	Elisa Cusma Piccione Elisa Cusma Piccione Elisa Cusma Piccione is a female Italian middle distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres.She finished seventh at the 2007 World Athletics Final, sixth at the 2008 World Indoor Championships, sixth at the 2008 World Athletics Final and won the bronze medal at the 2009 European Indoor...		2:02.33	Q
	6	Zulia Calatayud Zulia Calatayud Zulia Inés Calatayud Torres is a Cuban runner competing mostly in the 800 metres event.-Early career:Calatayud, who attended Havana's Manuel Permuy Sports School, got involved in athletics to help her deal with her asthma. She first gained prominence by reaching the semi-finals of the 400m at the...		2:02.33	Q
	4	Anna Rostkowska		2:02.37	Q
	4	Halima Hachlaf Halima Hachlaf Halima Hachlaf is a Moroccan runner who specializes in the 800 metres. She is the younger sister of Abdelkader Hachlaf, an international steeplechase athlete. She won silver medals in the 800 m at the Mediterranean Games and Jeux de la Francophonie in 2009...		2:02.46	Q
	3	Jenny Meadows Jenny Meadows Jennifer Brenda "Jenny" Meadows is a British athlete. Her main event is the 800 m, although she previously competed over the 400 m.She is the third-fastest British woman over 800 m, behind Kelly Holmes and Kirsty Wade....		2:02.47	Q
	4	Elena Kofanova		2:02.49	q
	1	Caster Semenya Caster Semenya Mokgadi Caster Semenya is a South African middle-distance runner and world champion. Semenya won gold in the women's 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships with a time of 1:55.45 in the final....		2:02.51	Q
	1	Geena Gall Geena Gall Geena Gall , is an American mid-distance runner who ran for the University of Michigan and now runs for the Oregon Track Club...		2:02.63	Q
10	3	Hazel Clark Hazel Clark Hazel Mae "Peachy" Clark-Riley , née Hazel Mae Clark, is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 meters middle distance race. Clark was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000, 2004 and 2008. She has won six national titles and two USA Olympic trials during her...		2:02.67	Q
11	6	Hasna Benhassi Hasna Benhassi Hasna Benhassi is a Moroccan middle distance athlete.She first came to international prominence at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning a surprise silver medal behind Kelly Holmes. She repeated this feat by winning silver at the 2005 World Athletics Championships in Helsinki,...		2:02.83	Q
12	1	Tetyana Petlyuk Tetyana Petlyuk Tetyana Petlyuk is a Ukrainian runner who specializes in the 800 metres.Her personal best time is 1:57.34 minutes, achieved in June 2006 in Kiev.-Achievements:-External links:...		2:02.87	Q
13	3	Lucia Klocová Lucia Klocová Lucia Klocová is a Slovak middle distance athlete, who specialises in the 800 metres. She represented Slovakia at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games...		2:02.98	q
14	6	Marilyn Okoro Marilyn Okoro Marilyn Chinwenwa Okoro is a British athlete of Igbo Nigerian ancestry. She received a bronze medal for the 800 metres at both the 2007 and 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final. She was on the bronze winning 4 × 400 m relay at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics...		2:03.07	Q
15	2	Mariya Savinova Mariya Savinova Mariya Savinova is a Russian athlete, who specializes in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona with a time of 1:58.22....		2:03.27	Q
16	4	Lenka Masná Lenka Masná Lenka Masná is a Czech runner who specializes in the 800 metres.She competed at the 2009 World Championships and the 2010 World Indoor Championships without reaching the final....		2:03.32	q
17	2	Jemma Simpson Jemma Simpson Jemma Louise Simpson is a Cornish and British athlete who competes in the 800 metres and 1500 metres. She is the current British champion over 800m, winning both 2007, 2009 and 2010 British Championships...		2:03.33	Q
18	2	Mayte Martínez Mayte Martínez María Teresa Martínez Jiménez is a Spanish athlete competing in the 800 m. She has reached 4 consecutive finals in the World Championships , being third with an incredible last straight in Osaka...		2:03.39	Q
19	6	Svetlana Klyuka Svetlana Klyuka Svetlana Vasiliyevna Klyuka is a Russian middle distance runner. Klyuka ran the 6th fastest women's 800m time in the world in 2006, a 1:57:21. She was the winner of the 2006 European Cup.-Achievements:-References:...		2:03.40	q
20	5	Pamela Jelimo Pamela Jelimo Pamela Jelimo is a Kenyan middle-distance runner, specialising in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She is the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal and also the first Kenyan to win the Golden League Jackpot...		2:03.50	Q
21	2	Élodie Guégan		2:03.87	q
22	3	Marian Burnett Marian Burnett Marian Joan Burnett is a female middle-distance runner from Guyana who specialises in the 800 metres...		2:03.89	q
23	1	Olga Cristea Olga Cristea Olga Cristea is a Moldovan runner who specializes in the 800 metres. Her personal best time is 2:00.12 minutes, achieved at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing....		2:03.99
24	5	Maggie Vessey Maggie Vessey Maggie Vessey is an American athlete who competes in middle distance track events. Vessey represented the United States at the 2009 World Championships in the 800 m....		2:04.07	Q
25	2	Irina Krakoviak Irina Krakoviak Irina Krakoviak is a former track and field middle distance runner who competed internationally for Lithuania.In the 2000 Olympics she made her Olympic debut, where in 1500 metres distance she reached semi-final....		2:04.26
26	2	Elena Mirela Lavric Elena Mirela Lavric Elena Mirela Lavric is a Romanian athlete who specializes in the 800 metres. Her personal best time is 2:00.06 minutes, achieved at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz.-Achievements:-References:...		2:04.49
27	5	Kenia Sinclair Kenia Sinclair Kenia Sinclair is a Jamaican athlete competing over 800 metres. Kenia first broke onto the international scene in 2005. On June 12 Sinclair broke Inez Turners 10 Year old record to become the 5th Jamaican woman to go under two minutes. Less than a month later Kenia again broke the Jamaican record...		2:04.52	Q
28	1	Neisha Bernard-Thomas Neisha Bernard-Thomas Neisha Bernard-Thomas is a Grenadian middle distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres.Her personal best is 2:00.09 minutes, achieved at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. This is the Grenadian record. She also holds the 1500 metres record with 4:23.24 minutes, achieved in March 2008 in...		2:04.55
29	5	Rosibel García Rosibel García Rosibel García Mena is a Colombian track and field athlete who specialises in middle-distance track events. She has represented her country at the Summer Olympics and has also competed at the World Championships in Athletics.She is the Colombian record holder for the 800 metres and 1500 metres...		2:04.73
30	5	Jana Hartmann		2:04.99
31	1	Madeleine Pape		2:05.85
32	6	Daniela Reina		2:06.30
33	4	Eléni Filándra		2:06.39
34	6	Anabelle Lascar		2:06.53	SB
35	5	Nataliia Lupu Nataliia Lupu Nataliia Lupu is a Ukrainian runner who specializes in the and 800 metres.She won the gold medal at the fourth at the 2003 European Junior Championships and finished fourth at the 2004 World Junior Championships...		2:06.74
36	2	Leonor Piuza Leonor Piuza Leonor Piuza is a Mozambican runner, who specializes in the 800 metres.Piuza won the gold medal at the 2007 All-Africa Games and finished sixth at the 2008 African Championships. She also competed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games....		2:08.08
37	5	Salome Dell		2:08.22
38	1	Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei		2:12.81	Q
39	3	Yeliz Kurt		2:13.42
40	4	Natalia Gallego		2:18.75
41	3	Aishath Reesha		2:28.00	NR Maldivian records in athletics The following are the national records in athletics in Maldives maintained by Maldives' national athletics federation: Athletics Association of Maldives .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:-External links:* * *...
42	6	Nikki Hamblin Nikki Hamblin Nikki Hamblin is a New Zealand middle distance runner who specialises in the 800 and 1500 metres. Born in England, Hamblin ran for the Dorchester Athletics Club before moving to New Zealand in 2006. She gained New Zealand citizenship in 2009...		2:31.94

} || 3 ||align=left| Sanaa Abubkheet ||align=left| || || DQ
|}

Key: NR = National record, Q = qualification by place in heat, q = qualification by overall place, SB = Seasonal best

Semi-finals

Janeth Jepkosgei was tripped in the first round heats, and after protest by the Kenyan Federation, was added to the semi-finals; she will run in lane 7 of heat 2 along with Hazel Clark. The ruling was that the trip was accidental, by Caster Semenya, who was therefore not disqualified.

Qualification: First 2 in each semfinals(Q) and the next 2 fastest(q) advance to the final.

Rank	Heat	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
	2	Caster Semenya Caster Semenya Mokgadi Caster Semenya is a South African middle-distance runner and world champion. Semenya won gold in the women's 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships with a time of 1:55.45 in the final....		1:58.66	Q
	1	Mariya Savinova Mariya Savinova Mariya Savinova is a Russian athlete, who specializes in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona with a time of 1:58.22....		1:59.30	Q
	1	Yuliya Krevsun Yuliya Krevsun Yuliya Krevsun is a Ukrainian middle-distance athlete who specialises in the 800 metres. She is a member of the Fenerbahçe S.K. athletics club in Turkey....		1:59.38	Q
	2	Jenny Meadows Jenny Meadows Jennifer Brenda "Jenny" Meadows is a British athlete. Her main event is the 800 m, although she previously competed over the 400 m.She is the third-fastest British woman over 800 m, behind Kelly Holmes and Kirsty Wade....		1:59.45	Q
	2	Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei		1:59.47	q
	1	Mayte Martínez Mayte Martínez María Teresa Martínez Jiménez is a Spanish athlete competing in the 800 m. She has reached 4 consecutive finals in the World Championships , being third with an incredible last straight in Osaka...		1:59.72	q, SB
	2	Hazel Clark Hazel Clark Hazel Mae "Peachy" Clark-Riley , née Hazel Mae Clark, is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 meters middle distance race. Clark was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000, 2004 and 2008. She has won six national titles and two USA Olympic trials during her...		1:59.96	SB
	1	Hasna Benhassi Hasna Benhassi Hasna Benhassi is a Moroccan middle distance athlete.She first came to international prominence at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning a surprise silver medal behind Kelly Holmes. She repeated this feat by winning silver at the 2005 World Athletics Championships in Helsinki,...		2:00.06
	2	Svetlana Klyuka Svetlana Klyuka Svetlana Vasiliyevna Klyuka is a Russian middle distance runner. Klyuka ran the 6th fastest women's 800m time in the world in 2006, a 1:57:21. She was the winner of the 2006 European Cup.-Achievements:-References:...		2:00.48
10	1	Jemma Simpson Jemma Simpson Jemma Louise Simpson is a Cornish and British athlete who competes in the 800 metres and 1500 metres. She is the current British champion over 800m, winning both 2007, 2009 and 2010 British Championships...		2:00.57
11	3	Elisa Cusma Piccione Elisa Cusma Piccione Elisa Cusma Piccione is a female Italian middle distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres.She finished seventh at the 2007 World Athletics Final, sixth at the 2008 World Indoor Championships, sixth at the 2008 World Athletics Final and won the bronze medal at the 2009 European Indoor...		2:00.62	Q
12	2	Tetyana Petlyuk Tetyana Petlyuk Tetyana Petlyuk is a Ukrainian runner who specializes in the 800 metres.Her personal best time is 1:57.34 minutes, achieved in June 2006 in Kiev.-Achievements:-External links:...		2:00.90
13	3	Marilyn Okoro Marilyn Okoro Marilyn Chinwenwa Okoro is a British athlete of Igbo Nigerian ancestry. She received a bronze medal for the 800 metres at both the 2007 and 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final. She was on the bronze winning 4 × 400 m relay at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics...		2:01.01	Q
14	1	Geena Gall Geena Gall Geena Gall , is an American mid-distance runner who ran for the University of Michigan and now runs for the Oregon Track Club...		2:01.30
15	3	Anna Rostkowska		2:01.40
16	1	Zulia Calatayud Zulia Calatayud Zulia Inés Calatayud Torres is a Cuban runner competing mostly in the 800 metres event.-Early career:Calatayud, who attended Havana's Manuel Permuy Sports School, got involved in athletics to help her deal with her asthma. She first gained prominence by reaching the semi-finals of the 400m at the...		2:01.53
17	2	Lucia Klocová Lucia Klocová Lucia Klocová is a Slovak middle distance athlete, who specialises in the 800 metres. She represented Slovakia at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games...		2:01.56
18	3	Elena Kofanova		2:02.02
19	3	Kenia Sinclair Kenia Sinclair Kenia Sinclair is a Jamaican athlete competing over 800 metres. Kenia first broke onto the international scene in 2005. On June 12 Sinclair broke Inez Turners 10 Year old record to become the 5th Jamaican woman to go under two minutes. Less than a month later Kenia again broke the Jamaican record...		2:02.31
20	3	Lenka Masná Lenka Masná Lenka Masná is a Czech runner who specializes in the 800 metres.She competed at the 2009 World Championships and the 2010 World Indoor Championships without reaching the final....		2:02.55
21	2	Marian Burnett Marian Burnett Marian Joan Burnett is a female middle-distance runner from Guyana who specialises in the 800 metres...		2:02.75
22	3	Maggie Vessey Maggie Vessey Maggie Vessey is an American athlete who competes in middle distance track events. Vessey represented the United States at the 2009 World Championships in the 800 m....		2:03.55
23	1	Élodie Guégan		2:04.38

} || 2 ||align=left| Halima Hachlaf

Halima Hachlaf

Halima Hachlaf is a Moroccan runner who specializes in the 800 metres. She is the younger sister of Abdelkader Hachlaf, an international steeplechase athlete. She won silver medals in the 800 m at the Mediterranean Games and Jeux de la Francophonie in 2009...

 ||align=left| || || DNF
|-
| || 3 ||align=left| Pamela Jelimo

Pamela Jelimo

Pamela Jelimo is a Kenyan middle-distance runner, specialising in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She is the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal and also the first Kenyan to win the Golden League Jackpot...

 ||align=left| || || DNF
|}

Final

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
	Caster Semenya Caster Semenya Mokgadi Caster Semenya is a South African middle-distance runner and world champion. Semenya won gold in the women's 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships with a time of 1:55.45 in the final....		1:55.45	WL
	Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei		1:57.90	SB
	Jenny Meadows Jenny Meadows Jennifer Brenda "Jenny" Meadows is a British athlete. Her main event is the 800 m, although she previously competed over the 400 m.She is the third-fastest British woman over 800 m, behind Kelly Holmes and Kirsty Wade....		1:57.93	PB
4	Yuliya Krevsun Yuliya Krevsun Yuliya Krevsun is a Ukrainian middle-distance athlete who specialises in the 800 metres. She is a member of the Fenerbahçe S.K. athletics club in Turkey....		1:58.00	SB
5	Mariya Savinova Mariya Savinova Mariya Savinova is a Russian athlete, who specializes in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona with a time of 1:58.22....		1:58.68
6	Elisa Cusma Piccione Elisa Cusma Piccione Elisa Cusma Piccione is a female Italian middle distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres.She finished seventh at the 2007 World Athletics Final, sixth at the 2008 World Indoor Championships, sixth at the 2008 World Athletics Final and won the bronze medal at the 2009 European Indoor...		1:58.81	SB
7	Mayte Martinez Mayte Martínez María Teresa Martínez Jiménez is a Spanish athlete competing in the 800 m. She has reached 4 consecutive finals in the World Championships , being third with an incredible last straight in Osaka...		1:58.81	SB
8	Marilyn Okoro Marilyn Okoro Marilyn Chinwenwa Okoro is a British athlete of Igbo Nigerian ancestry. She received a bronze medal for the 800 metres at both the 2007 and 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final. She was on the bronze winning 4 × 400 m relay at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics...		2:00.31

Key: PB = Personal best, SB = Seasonal best, WL = World leading (in a given season)