# Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 1500 metres

The Women's 1500 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics programme was held at Stadium Australia on Wednesday 27 September, Thursday 28 September, and Saturday 30 September 2000. There were a total number of 43 participating athletes.
The winning margin was 0.05 seconds which as of 2023 remains the only time the women's Olympic 1500 metres has been won by less than 0.1 seconds.
The top six runners in each of the initial three heats automatically qualified for the semi-final. The next six fastest runners from across the heats also qualified for the semi-final. The top five runners in each semi-final automatically qualified for the final. The next two fastest runners from across the heats also qualified for the final.
The last lap was the battleground for this final. Going into this lap, Portugal's Carla Sacramento held the lead, with Poland's Lidia Chojecka on the outside and America's Suzy Favor-Hamilton edging ahead on the inside. Over the next 200 metres, Favor-Hamilton edged ahead of Sacramento while a pack of six formed behind, led by Algeria's Nouria Mérah-Benida. Favor-Hamilton held the lead around the turn as Mérah-Benida moved to her shoulder. As the final straightaway neared, Favor-Hamilton looked at her feet expecting her usual final acceleration. It was not there, as first Mérah-Benida went by, followed by the other Polish runner, Anna Jakubczak, and then Chojecka and Romania's Violeta Szekely. After a small gap, Ethiopia's Kutre Dulecha went by Favor-Hamilton, who then crashed to the track untouched. Years later, Favor-Hamilton admitted that the fall was deliberate, as she realised that she was not going to win. As a result, she finished in last place.
At the head of the straightaway, Mérah-Benida opened up a clear lead over the two Polish runners. Moving out to lane 3, Szekely ran around Jakubczak and Chojecka, with Dulecha following in her wake. With speed, suddenly Mérah-Benida's lead started to shrink. The Algerian runner was tiring fast, but she managed to hold off Szekely's furious charge, crossing the line 0.05 seconds ahead. All the way down the straightaway, Dulecha looked like she would hold on for the bronze – but from last place with 200 metres to go, Gabriela Szabo came sprinting down the outside to take the medal, meaning that there were two Romanians on the podium. Only 0.23 seconds separated the first four runners – but none of them were directly battling the others, each taking a different pace and path to the tight finish.

## Records

| World Record | 3:50.46 | Yunxia Qu | China | Beijing, China | 11 September 1993 |
| Olympic Record | 3:53.96 | Paula Ivan | Romania | Seoul, South Korea | 1 October 1988 |

## Medals

| Gold: | Silver: | Bronze: |
| Nouria Mérah-Benida, Algeria | Violeta Szekely, Romania | Gabriela Szabo, Romania |

## Results

All times shown are in seconds.
* Q denotes qualification by place in heat.
* q denotes qualification by overall place.
* DNS denotes did not start.
* DNF denotes did not finish.
* DQ denotes disqualification.
* NR denotes national record.
* OR denotes Olympic record.
* WR denotes world record.
* PB denotes personal best.
* SB denotes season best.

## Qualifying heats
### Round 1

Heat 1 of 3 Date: Wednesday 27 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 1 | Suzy Favor Hamilton | United States | 15 | 4:08.08 | Q | |
| 2 | 2 | Anna Jakubczak | Poland | 1 | 4:08.13 | Q | |
| 3 | 3 | Gabriela Szabo | Romania | 14 | 4:08.33 | Q | |
| 4 | 4 | Süreyya Ayhan | Turkey | 5 | 4:08.37 | Q | |
| 5 | 5 | Carla Sacramento | Portugal | 12 | 4:08.41 | Q | |
| 6 | 6 | Helen Pattinson | Great Britain | 7 | 4:08:80 | Q | |
| 7 | 7 | Margaret Crowley | Australia | 13 | 4:08.85 | q | |
| 8 | 8 | Anita Weyermann | Switzerland | 6 | 4:09.28 | q | |
| 9 | 9 | Lyudmila Rogachova | Russia | 9 | 4:09.81 | q | |
| 10 | 12 | Mardrea Hyman | Jamaica | 4 | 4:10.21 | q | |
| 11 | 33 | Abebech Negussie | Ethiopia | 2 | 4:15.52 | | |
| 12 | 35 | Julia Sakara | Zimbabwe | 3 | 4:21.94 | | |
| 13 | 36 | Tetyana Kryvobok | Ukraine | 11 | 4:22.11 | | |
| 14 | 40 | Shazia Hidayat | Pakistan | 8 | 5:07.17 | | |
| | | Leah Pells | Canada | 10 | DNF | | |
Heat 2 of 3 Date: Wednesday 27 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 11 | Violeta Szekely | Romania | 11 | 4:10.18 | Q | |
| 2 | 14 | Lidia Chojecka | Poland | 10 | 4:10.34 | Q | |
| 3 | 15 | Kelly Holmes | Great Britain | 6 | 4:10.38 | Q | |
| 4 | 17 | Veerle Dejaeghere | Belgium | 2 | 4:10.68 | Q | |
| 5 | 18 | Sabine Fischer | Switzerland | 13 | 4:10.78 | Q | |
| 6 | 19 | Seloua Ouaziz | Morocco | 8 | 4:10:82 | Q | |
| 7 | 20 | Marla Runyan | United States | 3 | 4:10.83 | q | |
| 8 | 24 | Georgie Clarke | Australia | 1 | 4:11.74 | q | |
| 9 | 28 | Toni Hodgkinson | New Zealand | 9 | 4:12.59 | | |
| 10 | 31 | Naomi Mugo | Kenya | 7 | 4:13.18 | | |
| 11 | 32 | Hareg Sidelil | Ethiopia | 5 | 4:14.05 | | |
| 12 | 37 | Natalia Rodriguez | Spain | 4 | 4:22.82 | | |
| 13 | 38 | Daniela Kuleska | Macedonia | 14 | 4:33.50 | | |
| | | Svetlana Masterkova | Russia | 12 | DNF | | |
Heat 3 of 3 Date: Wednesday 27 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 10 | Kutre Dulecha | Ethiopia | 4 | 4:09.88 | Q | |
| 2 | 13 | Nouria Mérah-Benida | Algeria | 1 | 4:10.24 | Q | |
| 3 | 16 | Hayley Tullett | Great Britain | 5 | 4:10.58 | Q | |
| 4 | 21 | Elena Iagăr | Romania | 8 | 4:11.35 | Q | |
| 5 | 22 | Nuria Fernandez | Spain | 13 | 4:11.46 | Q | |
| 6 | 23 | Irina Krakoviak | Lithuania | 6 | 4:11:57 | Q | |
| 7 | 25 | Sinead Delahunty | Ireland | 14 | 4:11.75 | | |
| 8 | 26 | Fatma Lanouar | Tunisia | 11 | 4:11.87 | | |
| 9 | 27 | Shayne Culpepper | United States | 12 | 4:12.52 | | |
| 10 | 29 | Natalya Gorelova | Russia | 9 | 4:12.84 | | |
| 11 | 30 | Sarah Jamieson | Australia | 3 | 4:12.90 | | |
| 12 | 34 | Helena Javornik | Slovenia | 10 | 4:18.18 | | |
| 13 | 39 | Silvia Felipo | Andorra | 2 | 4:45.32 | | |
| | | Hasna Benhassi | Morocco | 7 | DNS | | |
Overall Results Round 1
Round 1 Overall Results :
| Place | Athlete | Nation | Heat | Lane | Place | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | Suzy Favor Hamilton | United States | 1 | 15 | 1 | 4:08.08 | Q |
| 2 | Anna Jakubczak | Poland | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4:08.13 | Q |
| 3 | Gabriela Szabo | Romania | 1 | 14 | 3 | 4:08.33 | Q |
| 4 | Süreyya Ayhan | Turkey | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4:08.37 | Q |
| 5 | Carla Sacramento | Portugal | 1 | 12 | 5 | 4:08.41 | Q |
| 6 | Helen Pattinson | Great Britain | 1 | 7 | 6 | 4:08.80 | Q |
| 7 | Margaret Crowley | Australia | 1 | 13 | 7 | 4:08.85 | q |
| 8 | Anita Weyermann | Switzerland | 1 | 6 | 8 | 4:09.28 | q |
| 9 | Lyudmila Rogachova | Russia | 1 | 9 | 9 | 4:09.81 | q |
| 10 | Kutre Dulecha | Ethiopia | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4:09.88 | Q |
| 11 | Violeta Szekely | Romania | 2 | 11 | 1 | 4:10.18 | Q |
| 12 | Mardrea Hyman | Jamaica | 1 | 4 | 10 | 4:10.21 | q |
| 13 | Nouria Mérah-Benida | Algeria | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4:10.24 | Q |
| 14 | Lidia Chojecka | Poland | 2 | 10 | 2 | 4:10.34 | Q |
| 15 | Kelly Holmes | Great Britain | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4:10.38 | Q |
| 16 | Hayley Tullett | Great Britain | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4:10.58 | Q |
| 17 | Veerle Dejaeghere | Belgium | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4:10.68 | Q |
| 18 | Sabine Fischer | Switzerland | 2 | 13 | 5 | 4:10.78 | Q |
| 19 | Seloua Ouaziz | Morocco | 2 | 8 | 6 | 4:10.82 | Q |
| 20 | Marla Runyan | United States | 2 | 3 | 7 | 4:10.83 | q |
| 21 | Elena Iagăr | Romania | 3 | 8 | 4 | 4:11.35 | Q |
| 22 | Nuria Fernandez | Spain | 3 | 13 | 5 | 4:11.46 | Q |
| 23 | Irina Krakoviak | Lithuania | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4:11.57 | Q |
| 24 | Georgie Clarke | Australia | 2 | 1 | 8 | 4:11.74 | q |
| 25 | Sinead Delahunty | Ireland | 3 | 14 | 7 | 4:11.75 | |
| 26 | Fatma Lanouar | Tunisia | 3 | 11 | 8 | 4:11.87 | |
| 27 | Shayne Culpepper | United States | 3 | 12 | 9 | 4:12.62 | |
| 28 | Toni Hodgkinson | New Zealand | 2 | 9 | 9 | 4:12.59 | |
| 29 | Natalya Gorelova | Russia | 3 | 9 | 10 | 4:12.84 | |
| 30 | Sarah Jamieson | Australia | 3 | 3 | 11 | 4:12.90 | |
| 31 | Naomi Mugo | Kenya | 2 | 7 | 10 | 4:13.18 | |
| 32 | Hareg Sidelil | Ethiopia | 2 | 5 | 11 | 4:14.05 | |
| 33 | Abebech Negussie | Ethiopia | 1 | 2 | 11 | 4:15.52 | |
| 34 | Helena Javornik | Slovenia | 3 | 10 | 12 | 4:18:18 | |
| 35 | Julia Sakara | Zimbabwe | 1 | 3 | 12 | 4:21.94 | |
| 36 | Tetyana Kryvobok | Ukraine | 1 | 11 | 13 | 4:22.11 | |
| 37 | Natalia Rodriguez | Spain | 2 | 4 | 12 | 4:22.82 | |
| 38 | Daniela Kuleska | Macedonia | 2 | 14 | 13 | 4:33.50 | |
| 39 | Silvia Felipo | Andorra | 3 | 2 | 13 | 4:45.32 | |
| 40 | Shazia Hidayat | Pakistan | 1 | 8 | 14 | 5:07.17 | |
| | Svetlana Masterkova | Russia | 2 | 12 | | DNF | |
| | Leah Pells | Canada | 1 | 10 | | DNF | |
| | Hasna Benhassi | Morocco | 3 | 7 | | DNS | |

### Semi-finals

Heat 1 of 2 Date: Thursday 28 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 1 | Nouria Mérah-Benida | Algeria | 6 | 4:05.24 | Q | |
| 2 | 2 | Suzy Favor Hamilton | United States | 2 | 4:05.25 | Q | |
| 3 | 3 | Hayley Tullett | Great Britain | 1 | 4:05.34 | Q | |
| 4 | 4 | Kelly Holmes | Great Britain | 10 | 4:05.35 | Q | SB |
| 5 | 5 | Lidia Chojecka | Poland | 12 | 4:05.78 | Q | |
| 6 | 6 | Marla Runyan | United States | 1 | 4:06:14 | q | SB |
| 7 | 8 | Sabine Fischer | Switzerland | 4 | 4:06.67 | q | |
| 8 | 15 | Margaret Crowley | Australia | 3 | 4:09.16 | | |
| 9 | 16 | Lyudmila Rogachova | Russia | 5 | 4:09.18 | | |
| 10 | 19 | Nuria Fernandez | Spain | 9 | 4:10.92 | | |
| 11 | 22 | Irina Krakoviak | Lithuania | 8 | 4:14.57 | | |
| 12 | 23 | Elena Iagăr | Romania | 3 | 4:21.94 | | |
Heat 2 of 2 Date: Thursday 28 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 7 | Violeta Szekely | Romania | 8 | 4:06.60 | Q | |
| 2 | 9 | Kutre Dulecha | Ethiopia | 3 | 4:06.78 | Q | |
| 3 | 10 | Anna Jakubczak | Poland | 11 | 4:07.03 | Q | SB |
| 4 | 11 | Gabriela Szabo | Romania | 12 | 4:07.38 | Q | |
| 5 | 12 | Carla Sacramento | Portugal | 7 | 4:07.65 | Q | |
| 6 | 13 | Veerle Dejaeghere | Belgium | 2 | 4:07:87 | | |
| 7 | 14 | Seloua Ouaziz | Morocco | 6 | 4:09.11 | | |
| 8 | 17 | Süreyya Ayhan | Turkey | 10 | 4:09.42 | | |
| 9 | 18 | Helen Pattinson | Great Britain | 4 | 4:09.60 | | |
| 10 | 20 | Georgie Clarke | Australia | 1 | 4:10.99 | | |
| 11 | 21 | Mardrea Hyman | Jamaica | 5 | 4:14.20 | | |
| 12 | 24 | Anita Weyermann | Switzerland | 9 | 4:30.80 | | |
Overall Results Semi-finals
Round 1 Overall Results :
| Place | Athlete | Nation | Heat | Lane | Place | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | Nouria Mérah-Benida | Algeria | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4:05.24 | Q | |
| 2 | Suzy Favor Hamilton | United States | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4:05.25 | Q | |
| 3 | Hayley Tullett | Great Britain | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4:05.34 | Q | |
| 4 | Kelly Holmes | Great Britain | 1 | 10 | 4 | 4:05.35 | Q | SB |
| 5 | Lidia Chojecka | Poland | 1 | 12 | 5 | 4:05.78 | Q | |
| 6 | Marla Runyan | United States | 1 | 11 | 6 | 4:16.14 | q | SB |
| 7 | Violeta Szekely | Romania | 2 | 8 | 1 | 4:06.60 | Q | |
| 8 | Sabine Fischer | Switzerland | 1 | 4 | 7 | 4:06.67 | q | |
| 9 | Kutre Dulecha | Ethiopia | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4:06.78 | Q | |
| 10 | Anna Jakubczak | Poland | 2 | 11 | 3 | 4:07.03 | Q | SB |
| 11 | Gabriela Szabo | Romania | 2 | 12 | 4 | 4:07.38 | Q | |
| 12 | Carla Sacramento | Portugal | 2 | 7 | 5 | 4:07.65 | Q | |
| 13 | Veerle Dejaeghere | Belgium | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4:07.87 | | |
| 14 | Seloua Ouaziz | Morocco | 2 | 6 | 7 | 4:09.11 | | |
| 15 | Margaret Crowley | Australia | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4:09.16 | | |
| 16 | Lyudmila Rogachova | Russia | 1 | 5 | 9 | 4:09.18 | | |
| 17 | Süreyya Ayhan | Turkey | 2 | 10 | 8 | 4:09.42 | | |
| 18 | Helen Pattinson | Great Britain | 2 | 4 | 9 | 4:09.60 | | |
| 19 | Nuria Fernandez | Spain | 1 | 9 | 10 | 4:10.92 | | |
| 20 | Georgie Clarke | Australia | 2 | 1 | 10 | 4:10.99 | | |
| 21 | Mardrea Hyman | Jamaica | 2 | 5 | 11 | 4:14.20 | | |
| 22 | Irina Krakoviak | Lithuania | 1 | 11 | 8 | 4:14.57 | | |
| 23 | Elena Iagăr | Romania | 1 | 7 | 12 | 4:14.75 | | |
| 24 | Anita Weyermann | Switzerland | 2 | 9 | 12 | 4:30.80 | | |

## Final

Date: Saturday 30 September 2000 :
| Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Time | Record |
| | Nouria Mérah-Benida | Algeria | 8 | 4:05.10 | |
| | Violeta Szekely | Romania | 4 | 4:05.15 | |
| | Gabriela Szabo | Romania | 11 | 4:05.27 | |
| 4 | Kutre Dulecha | Ethiopia | 5 | 4:05.33 | |
| 5 | Lidia Chojecka | Poland | 2 | 4:06.42 | |
| 6 | Anna Jakubczak | Poland | 9 | 4:06.49 | SB |
| 7 | Kelly Holmes | Great Britain | 12 | 4:08.02 | |
| 8 | Marla Runyan | United States | 10 | 4:08.30 | |
| 9 | Sabine Fischer | Switzerland | 7 | 4:08.84 | |
| 10 | Carla Sacramento | Portugal | 1 | 4:11.15 | |
| 11 | Hayley Tullett | Great Britain | 6 | 4:22.29 | |
| 12 | Suzy Favor Hamilton | United States | 3 | 4:23.05 | |