News Archive

News Archive

The Historic Series on Olympic Running (III): Men’s 800m

In less than two months, the Olympic Games will be opening in Athens. Each week

until then we will be introducing one of the eleven running disciplines, as

well as naming the favourites for the Olympic gold medals.

This series, however, is on the history of Olympic running—about the

past, rich in medals, of the German track and field athletes from both East

(GDR) and West (FRG).

While in the past German track and field has been very successful at the

Olympic Games, following the results of the world championships in 2003, one

should not expect too much in Athens. It seems even more appropriate then to

remember the great achievements of the Germans in the past and to honour their

performances.

Today we will look at the men’s 800m race.

This series on the history of Olympic running will follow the weekly series on

running which focuses on Athens 2004—out of respect for the great

achievements and as an inspiration for imitation.

Similar to the 1500m, the 800m has a long Olympic tradition and has been

part of the Olympic programme since 1896. The two most successful nations in

the 800m have been the USA and Great Britain, both of which, interestingly

enough, were not present in the 800m and 1500m in 1896 in Athens.

Since 1896, 75 medals have been awarded, of which 22 have gone to the USA,

including 9 gold medals. Great Britain follows with 10 medals, including 6

gold. Not much more has to be said about the superiority of these middle

distance nations.

Since 1896, a total of 24 countries have participated in the fight for

the medals at the Olympic Games, which documents the popularity of

this fast 2-lap middle distance race.

"5" />Nils Schumann crowned the long tradition of the German middle

distance runners with a gold medal.

The list of German successes in the men’s 800m include 19 finalists from

1st to 9th place. Like in the 1500m, the Germans have achieved great

accomplishments with victories at the European and World Championships, as well

as world records, but until Nils Schumann’s surprising victory at the

Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, the gold medal had been elusive. The German

female 800m runners have had greater success than the men, with 3 gold medals

— and that although the 800m was not introduced until 1928, and then

later dropped again for a long period.

Three bronze medals won by Hanns Braun (1908 / London), Hermann

Engelhard (1928 / Amsterdam) and Heinz Ulzheimer (1952 / Helsinki) and

four fourth place finishes by Paul Schmidt (1960 /Rome), Walter Adams (1968 /

Mexico City), Franz-Josef Kemper (1972 / Munich) and Willi Wülbeck ( 1976

/ Montréal) are the results of a long running tradition which

unfortunately is not always directly reflected through the winning of

medals.

Overview of the distribution of medals of the most successful nations

in the 800m:

Germany: 1 Gold / 0 Silver / 3 x Bronze / 4 x 4th place / 3 x fifth

place / 5 x sixth place / 1 x seventh place / 1 x eighth place / 1 x ninth

place

USA: 9 G / 5 S / 8 B

GBR: 6 G / 3 S / 1 B

KEN: 2 G / 2 S / 3 B

AUS: 2 G

NZL: 2 G

BRA: 1 G / 1 S

NOR: 1 G / 1 B

CUB: 1 G

CAN: 0 G / 2 S / 2 B

ITA: 0 G / 2 S

BEL: 0 G / 2 S

JAM: 0 G / 2 S

URS: 0 G / 2 S

A further 10 countries won silver and bronze medals.

Athens 1896 – Only 3 runners in the finals

Charles Kilpatrick (USA) set a new world record in the 880yard race on

September 21, 1895 in New York in 1:53.4, but no Americans participated in

Athens. Traun came in third in the first preliminaries in 2:14.0 (estimated

time), Kurt Doerry, who was injured in the 100m, did not participate.

Finals (April 9. 1896):

1.Edwin Flack (AUS) 2:11.0 – 2. Nandor Dani (HUN) 2:11.8 –

Demetrius Golemis (GRE) 2:28.0 (estimated time)

Paris 1900 – Werkmüller only in the

preliminaries

Werkmüller: 4th in the preliminaries with no time kept

Finals (July 16, 1900)

1. Alfred Tysoe (GBR) – 2:01.4 - 2. John Cregan (USA) 2:03.0 (estimated

time) 3. David Hall (USA) – (no time)

St. Louis 1904 – 5th place again for Johannes

Runge

"Three runners collapsed, and all gave their best." Johannes Runge

was considered to be the favourite by the American press. But in the finals he

was closed in by the nine (9!) Americans and was not able to start his sprint

early enough — and the climate knocked him out, as well.

Finals (September 1, 1904)

5. Johannes Runge 1:57.1 (estimated time) 1. James Lightbody (USA) 1:56.0 (OR)

2. Howard Valentine (USA) 1:56.2* – 3. Emil Breitkreuz (USA) 1:56.3* - 4.

George Underwood (USA) 1:56.5*

* estimated time

London 1908 – Hanns Braun rewarded with the bronze

medal

This time, the Europeans were considered to have a chance against the

Americans. Lightbody (USA), the defending champion, was eliminated in the

preliminaries. After the first lap, Braun was already lagging at the back, the

first 400m run in 53.0. 120 metres before the finish, Braun started a final

sprint that “disregarded the already murderous pace”, according to

one spectator, and just five metres before the finish, his untiring energy

triumphed, rewarding him with the well-earned bronze medal.

Finals (July 21, 1908)

1. Melvin Sheppard (USA) 1:52.8 WR – 2. Emilio Lunghi (ITA) 1:54.2

– 3. Hanns Braun 1:55.2

Stockholm 1912 – Sixth place for Hanns

Braun

Ekkehard zur Megede writes: “In the eyes of the Germans, the 800m was

THE event at the Olympic Games in Stockholm. Hanns Braun (b. October 26, 1886

in Munich, 1.80m, 60 kg), who won the Olympic bronze medal in London, had won

the British Championships in the 880 yard race three times, which means

something!” However, Braun had no chance against the six (6!) Americans

– and he had no final sprint.

Finals ( July 8. 1912):

6. Hanns Braun 1:53.1

1. James Meredith (USA) 1:51.9 WR – 2. Melvon Sheppard (USA) 1:52.0

– 3. Ira Davenport (USA) 1:52.0

Amsterdam 1928 – Engelhard, the bronze medal surprise –

Peltzer, just a shadow of himself

As often occurs in great sporting careers, Dr. Otto Peltzer, the German

middle distance record man, was not able to demonstrate his true abilities

during the Olympic Games. In 1926, he ran 1:51.6 for the 880-yard world record

in London, and on September 11, 1926, he set a sensational world record in the

1500m at the SCC Sport Fest Stadium at the AVUS in Berlin in 3:51.0, with a

victory over Paavo Nurmi and Edwin Wide. He had injured himself playing

handball, and although he was able to win the second preliminary in 1:57.4, he

was only 5th in the intermediates.

The outsider Hermann Engelhard made it to the finals (b. June 21, 1903 in

Darmstadt, 1.76m, 65 kg) and even managed to beat the world record holder

Séraphin Martin (FRA) – 1:50.6.

Finals (July, 31, 1928): 1. Douglas Lowe (GBR) 1:51.8 (OR) – 2. Erik

Byléhn (SWE) 1:52.8 – 3. Hermann Engelhard 1:53.2

Los Angeles 1932 – Otto Peltzer resigned in the Finals, Max

Danz in the Preliminaries

Max Danz, who later headed the DLV (German track and field federation)for

many years as the president, was fifth in the 3rd preliminary in 1:59.2 –

Otto Peltzer resigned in the finals.

Finals (August 2, 1932) 9. Otto Peltzer – no time -

1. Thomas Hampson (GBR) 1:49.7 (WR) – Alexander Wilson (CAN) 1:49.9

– Philip Edwards (CAN) 1:51.5

Berlin 1936 – No Germans made it further – Rudolf Harbig

was just at the beginning of his career

Wolfgang Dessecker and Ewald Mertens were eliminated in the intermediates.

Rudolf Harbig, later the world record holder in the 800m (1:46.6 on July 15,

1939 in Milan) and 400m (46.0 – August 12, 1939 in Frankfurt), who was

not at his best (intestinal disease), was sixth in the preliminaries.

Helsinki 1952 – Bronze for Heinz Ulzheimer – Günther

Steines Sixth

For the first time since WWII, Germany was again allowed to participate in

the XV Olympic Games in Helsinki. The Soviet Union participated for the first

time ever.

Heinz Ulzheimer and Günther Steines easily reached the finals, while

the German 800m champion from 1951, Urban Cleve, was eliminated in 5th place in

1:51.6 in his intermediate race, even though his time was faster than

Ulzheimer, the winner of a different intermediate race in 1:51.9.

The greatest threat to Ulzheimer on the last 100m was the sprint by Nielsen of

Denmark, who came to Helsinki with a house record of 1:52.3 and surpassed his

best time in the finals. At the finish, Ulzheimer threw out his chest and

caught Nielsen with an identical time.

Finals (July 22,1952):

6. Günther Steines 1:50.6

1. Malvin Whitfield (USA) 1:49.2 (met the OR) – 2. Arthur Wint (JAM)

1:49.4 – 3. Heinz Ulzheimer 1:49.7 – 4. Gunnar Nielsen (DEN)

1:49.7

Melbourne 1956 – 3 German runners in the preliminaries

only

In Melbourne, the 3 German participants did not make it past the

preliminaries. Paul Schmidt was just at the start of his career, Klaus

Richtzenhain was conserving his energy for the 1500m, and Günther Dohrow

already had his best times behind him.

Rome 1960 – Paul Schmidt fought out the Bronze – Manfred

Matuschewski Sixth

Peter Snell (NZL) became as star in Rome — and the favourite Roger

Moens (BEL) was his victim. For the first time in the 800m, the first 100m were

run in lanes. Two German runners again made it to the finals. The third runner,

Jörg Balke (PSV Berlin), who ran faster in the preliminaries in 1:47.5

than any previous Olympic Champion, still was eliminated.

At the finals, Snell surprised the favourite on the inside lane and stormed off

to victory. Paul Schmidt (b. August 9,1931 in Groß-Nebrau/West Prussia,

1.72 m, 64 kg) ran a good race but could not make a run for the medals. Manfred

Matuschewski turned 21 on that day, (1.76 m, 63 kg) and was not able to achieve

more than 6th place, which, however, was well-earned.

Finals (September 2, 1960):

6. Manfred Matuschewski 1:52.0

1.Peter Snell (NZL) 1:46.3 (OR) – 2. Roger Moens (BEL) 1:46.5 – 3.

Georg Kerr (West-Ind.) 1:47.1 – 4. Paul Schmidt 1:47.6

Tokyo 1964 – Dieter Bogatzki 7th

There were three German 800m runners in Tokyo: Manfred Kinder (b. April 20,

1938 / Wuppertaler SV), Manfred Matuschewski and Dieter Bogatzki (b. January

25, 1942 / USC Mainz). Kinder and Matuschewski ran good times in the

intermediates, but still were eliminated. Only Dieter Bogatzki made it to the

finals.

Peter Snell, a student of Arthur Lydiard, defended his title from Rome and was

double Olympic champion in the 800m and 1500m. Dieter Bogatzki set a personal

best in the intermediates with a time of 1:46.9.

Finals (October 16, 1964)

7. Dieter Bogatzki 1:47.2 1. Peter Snell (NZL 1:45.1 (OR) – 2. William

Crothers (CAN) 1:45.6 – Wislon Kiprugut (KEN) 1:45.9

Mexico 1968 – Walter Adams and Dieter Fromm in the finals -

Kemper eliminated

Again, there were two Germans in the finals. Franz-Josef Kemper, the

European record holder, was eliminated in the intermediates due to an illness

with a time of 1:47.3. Walter Adams (b. March 15,1945 in Wasseralfingen, 1.72

m, 67 kg) and Dieter Fromm (b. April 21, 1948 in Bad Langensalza, 1.76 m, 64

kg). Walter Adams, a student of Paul Schmidt’s (now coach of the

federation), was side by side with Thomas Farrell (USA) 40 metres before the

finish. There was a very dramatic final battle between the two, which was

decided to the advantage of the American.

The Australian experts anticipated Ralph Doubell (AUS), a student of the famous

trainer Franz Stampfl, to be the champion and world record man. And that is

exactly what he was:

Finals (October 15, 1968):

6. Dieter Fromm 1:46.2

1.Ralph Doubell (AUS) 1:44.3 (matched the WR) – 2. Wilson Kiprugut (KEN)

1:44.5 – 3. Thomas Farrell (USA) 1:45.4 – 4. Walter Adams

1:45.8

Munich 1972 – Fourth place for Franz-Josef Kemper –

Dieter Fromm Eighth

In Munich, again two German runners made it to the finals. Walter Adams was

not able to survive the preliminaries due to an injury, while Josef Schmid made

it to the preliminaries where he came in fourth in 1:48.8. Dave Wottle (USA),

the man with the cap, and Franz-Josef Kemper (b. September 30, 1945 /

Preußen Münster) were the millimetre runners who made their way from

what looked like hopeless positions to victory.

It appeared that Arshanow (URS) could not be caught, but Wottle managed to

reach him at the finish. Franz-Josef Kemper, who had been in the back in 8th

place - like Wottle before -, sprinted in his unique style to fourth

place.

Dieter Fromm spent all of his energy in early fighting for positioning in the

first lap and had nothing left for the finish.

Finals (September 2, 1972):

8. Dieter Fromm 1:48.0 1. David Wottle (USA) 1:45.9 – 2. Jewgeni Arshanow

(URS) 1:45.9 – 3. Mike Boit (KEN) 1:46.0 – 4. Franz-Josef Kemper

1:46.5

Montréal – 1976 – Willi Wülbeck improved

from 1:47.1 to 1:45.26

Paul-Heinz Wellmann, Thomas Wessinghage and Willi Wülbeck (b. December

18, 1954 / Rot Weiß Oberhausen) were the three German participants.

Wellmann was eliminated in the preliminaries in 1:48.47, Thomas Wessinghage

made it to the intermediates (7th in 1:48.18) – and only Wülbeck

reached the finals.

“Leichtathletik“ writes: “Wülbeck ran the race of his

life, avoided every possible tactical error, and in the end even put away Steve

Ovett, who had beaten him in 1973 at the Junior-European-Championships in

Duisburg.”

He was nominated for the Olympics with a time of 1:47.1, and in the finals came

in fourth with a time of 1:45.26!

Alberto Juantorena (CUB) accomplished victories in both the 400m and the

800m.

Finals (July 25, 1976)

1. Alberto Juantorena (CUB) 1:43.50 (WR) – 2.Ivo van Damme (BEL) 1:43.86

– 3. Rick Wohlhuter (USA) 1:44.12 – 4. Willi Wülbeck

1:45.26

Moscow – 1980 – Andreas Busse and Detlef Wagenknecht in

the Finals

Olaf Beyer was eliminated in the intermediates with a time of 1:47.6. In the

finals, the first lap was run in 54.3 seconds. Then Ovett and the world record

holder Coe fought it out. Coe began his sprint much too late and was just

barely able to put down Nikolai Kirow (URS).

Busse (b. May 6, 1959 / SC Einheit Dresden) and Wagenknecht (b. January 3, 1959

/ SC Dynamo Berlin) could not hold their own in the finals.

Finals (July 26, 1980):

5. Andreas Busse 1:46.9 – 6. Detlef Wagenknecht 1:47.0

1. Steve Ovett (GBR) 1:45.4 – 2. Sebastian Coe (GBR) – 1:45.9

– 3. Nikolai Kirow (URS) 1:46.0

Atlanta – 1996 – Nico Motchebon fifth with a fantastic

time of 1:43.91

Joachim Dehmel was eliminated in the preliminaries in 1:47.12. Nico

Motchebon (b. November 13, 1969 / Quelle Fürth) on the other hand fought

out an excellent fifth place finish in the finals with a time of 1:43.91.

Vebjörn Rodal (NOR) won the first gold medal ever for his country.

5. Nico Motchebon 1:43.91

1. Vebjörn Rodal (NOR) 1:42.58 – 2. Hezekiel Sepeng (RSA) 1:42.74

– 3. Fred Onyancha (KEN) 1:42.79

Sydney 2000 – Nils Schumann relieves the nation with a gold

medal

"After 104 years of preparation", Nils Schumann

(b. May 20, 1978 / SV Creaton Großengottern / Trainer Dieter Hermann)

earned the long sought gold medal at the Olympic Games, thus crowning not only

himself, but the decade-long dream of the German 800m runners to take the top

step at the award ceremony at the Olympics.

1. Nils Schumann 1:45.08 – 2. Wilson Kipketer (DEN) 1:45.14 – 3.

Djabir Said-Duerni (ALG) 1:45.18

The 800m is the heart of Olympic track and field.

Its history since 1896 is full of suspense, drama, tragedy, of the fall of

favourites and sensational achievements, of the breakthrough of unknown

athletes, but also of many names one never heard of again. Those who survived

the preliminaries and intermediates, fighting their way to the finals, belong

to the best of their trade. Many came as nobodies — and returned as

shining stars and champions. But even worse, it was often the other way

around.

It makes no sense to prevent athletes from participating because their

chances to make it to the finals appear slim; one only has to look back over

the 108 years of the history of the 800m to see that great favourites often

came in last in the preliminaries, while nobodies made achievements beyond

their comprehension, showing up the experts.

The German 800m runners have successfully been keeping up with the top nations

in the “running generations“ and have made great

accomplishments.

The future does not look easy, however.

Let us look forward to the glorious unexpectedness of Olympic

competition.

Horst Milde

Interesting tips and supplementary information on the great Olympic history

of the addressed topics may be sent to:

info@berlin-marathon.com

800m women (Olympia historic I):

www.berlin-marathon.com/news/show/002083

1500 m men (Olympia historic II):

www.real-berlin-marathon.com/news/show/002108

 

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