Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metres
Rank Lane Name Nationality Result Notes
1 3 Kelly Holmes Great Britain 1:56.38 SB
2 7 Hasna Benhassi Morocco 1:56.43 NR
3 4 Jolanda Čeplak Slovenia 1:56.43 SB
4 5 Maria de Lurdes Mutola Mozambique 1:56.51 SB
5 6 Tatyana Andrianova Russia 1:56.88
6 2 Jearl Miles Clark United States 1:57.27 SB
7 1 Maria Cioncan Romania 1:59.62
8 8 Zulia Calatayud Cuba 2:00.95
Results -- Final
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The women's 800 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics program were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 20 to 23. The first round had split a full roster of runners into six heats with the first three gaining a direct qualification and then the next six fastest across all heats advancing to the semifinals. The top two runners in each of the three semifinal heats moved on directly to the final, and they were immediately joined by the next two fastest from any of the semifinals. The final started with a fast first 200 metres, but Kelly Holmes and Maria de Lurdes Mutola were last at this stage. As the pace slowed, Mutola and Holmes moved forward through the field. The time at 400 metres was 56.37 seconds, with American Jearl Miles Clark leading. They entered the finishing straight with Mutola taking the lead, before Holmes took the lead and held off Mutola to take gold. Hasna Benhassi and Jolanda Čeplak finished strongly, both with a time of 1:56.43s, Benhassi winning silver in a photo finish. Mutola was forced into fourth place. Holmes' face lit up as she crossed the line, but then, unsure of the result, she anxiously waited for the times to come up. Holmes had only decided to enter the 800 metres at the last moment, and went on to also win gold in her preferred event, the 1500 m. This feat made her one of the UK's most successful ever athletes ; the Olympic 800-1500 metres double was never accomplished by any of their great 1980s middle distance trio, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett or Steve Cram.