# Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres

The men's 800 metres was middle-distance running event on the athletics programme at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. It was held on July 14 and July 16, 1900. The races were held on a track of 500 metres in circumference. 18 athletes from seven nations competed. The event was won by Alfred Tysoe of Great Britain, the nation's first medal in the event. The United States also won its first medals in the 800 metres, with silver and bronze.

## Background

This was the second appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. None of the runners from 1896 returned. Among the favorites were Alexander Grant of the United States (1899 AAU one-mile champion) and Alfred Tysoe of Great Britain (1897 AAA one-mile champion).
Bohemia, Denmark, Italy, and the United States appeared in the event for the first time. France, Great Britain, and Hungary each made their second appearance, having also appeared in 1896.

## Competition format

There were two rounds: heats and a final. There were three heats, of between 5 and 7 runners each. The top 2 runners in each heat advanced to the final.

## Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1900 Summer Olympics.
| World record | Charles Kilpatrick (USA) | 1:53.4 (y)(u) | New York City, United States | 21 September 1895 |
| Olympic record | Edwin Flack (AUS) | 2:10.0 | Athens, Greece | 6 April 1896 |
In the first heat of the first round David Hall set a new Olympic record with 1:59.0.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Round |
| Saturday, 14 July 1900 | 10:15 | Round 1 |
| Monday, 16 July 1900 | | Final |

## Results
### Semifinals

In the first round, there were three semifinals. The top two runners in each advanced to the final.

#### Semifinal 1

Hall's Olympic record time surprised most of those present, as Tysoe had been the favorite in the heat.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | David Hall | United States | 1:59.0 | Q, OR |
| 2 | Alfred Tysoe | Great Britain | 1:59.4 | Q |
| 3 | Howard Hayes | United States | 2:00.2 | |
| 4 | Maurice Salomez | France | Unknown | |
| 5 | Christian Christensen | Denmark | Unknown | |
| 6–7 | Walter Drumheller | United States | Unknown | |
| 6–7 | Alexander Grant | United States | Unknown | |

#### Semifinal 2

Deloge finished three yards in front of Spiedl, with the other runners trailing.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Henri Deloge | France | 2:00.6 | Q |
| 2 | Zoltán Speidl | Hungary | 2:01.1 | Q |
| 3 | Justus Scrafford | United States | 2:01.8 | |
| 4–6 | Emilio Banfi | Italy | Unknown | |
| 4–6 | Edward Bushnell | United States | Unknown | |
| 4–6 | Harrison Smith | United States | Unknown | |

#### Semifinal 3

Cregan won the slowest of the three heats by six yards.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | John Cregan | United States | 2:03.0 | Q |
| 2 | John Bray | United States | 2:03.9 | Q |
| 3 | Harvey Lord | United States | 2:04.5 | |
| 4–5 | Edward Mechling | United States | Unknown | |
| 4–5 | Ondřej Pukl | Bohemia | Unknown | |

### Final

Deloge led early, but was passed just before the final straight by Tysoe and Cregan. Hall, who had set an Olympic record in the heats, was just barely able to catch Deloge to finish third, but had no chance of passing the two leaders.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time |
| | Alfred Tysoe | Great Britain | 2:01.2 |
| | John Cregan | United States | 2:03.0 |
| | David Hall | United States | 2:03.8 |
| 4 | Henri Deloge | France | Unknown |
| 5 | Zoltán Speidl | Hungary | Unknown |
| 6 | John Bray | United States | Unknown |

## Results summary

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Semifinals | Final | Notes |
| | Alfred Tysoe | Great Britain | 1:59.4 | 2:01.2 | |
| | John Cregan | United States | 2:03.0 | 2:03.0 | |
| | David Hall | United States | 1:59.0 | 2:03.8 | OR |
| 4 | Henri Deloge | France | 2:00.6 | Unknown | |
| 5 | Zoltán Speidl | Hungary | 2:01.1 | Unknown | |
| 6 | John Bray | United States | 2:03.9 | Unknown | |
| 7 | Howard Hayes | United States | 2:00.2 | Did not advance | |
| 7 | Justus Scrafford | United States | 2:01.8 | Did not advance | |
| 7 | Harvey Lord | United States | 2:04.5 | Did not advance | |
| 10 | Maurice Salomez | France | Unknown | Did not advance | 4th in semifinal |
| 11 | Edward Mechling | United States | Unknown | Did not advance | 4th–5th in semifinal |
| 11 | Ondřej Pukl | Bohemia | Unknown | Did not advance | 4th–5th in semifinal |
| 13 | Christian Christensen | Denmark | Unknown | Did not advance | 5th in semifinal |
| 14 | Emilio Banfi | Italy | Unknown | Did not advance | 4th–6th in semifinal |
| 14 | Edward Bushnell | United States | Unknown | Did not advance | 4th–6th in semifinal |
| 14 | Harrison Smith | United States | Unknown | Did not advance | 4th–6th in semifinal |
| 17 | Walter Drumheller | United States | Unknown | Did not advance | 6th–7th in semifinal |
| 17 | Alexander Grant | United States | Unknown | Did not advance | 6th–7th in semifinal |