| # | Performance | Athlete(s) | NOC | Games | Date | Phase | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2:10 | Teddy Flack |  AUS |
Athina 1896 | 6 April 1896 | Round One, Heat #1 | 1 | ||
| 2 | 1:59.0 | Dave Hall |  USA |
Paris 1900 | 14 July 1900 | Round One, Heat #1 | 1 | ||
| 3 | 1:56.0 | Jim Lightbody | USA |
St. Louis 1904 | 1 September 1904 | Final Standings | 1 | ||
| 4 | 1:52.8 WR | Mel Sheppard | USA |
London 1908 | 21 July 1908 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 5 | 1:51.9 WR | Ted Meredith | USA |
Stockholm 1912 | 8 July 1912 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 6 | 1:51.8 | Douglas Lowe |  GBR |
Amsterdam 1928 | 31 July 1928 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 7 | 1:49.7 WR | Tommy Hampson | GBR |
Los Angeles 1932 | 2 August 1932 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 8 | 1:49.2 | Mal Whitfield | USA |
London 1948 | 2 August 1948 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 9 | 1:49.2 | Mal Whitfield | USA |
Helsinki 1952 | 22 July 1952 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 10 | 1:47.7 | Tom Courtney | USA |
Melbourne 1956 | 26 November 1956 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 11 | 1:47.1 | George Kerr |  WIF |
Roma 1960 | 1 September 1960 | Semi-Finals, Heat #1 | 1 | ||
| 12 | 1:46.3 | Peter Snell |  NZL |
Roma 1960 | 2 September 1960 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 13 | 1:46.1 | George Kerr |  JAM |
Tokyo 1964 | 15 October 1964 | Semi-Finals, Heat #2 | 1 | ||
| 14 | 1:46.1 | Wilson Kiprugut |  KEN |
Tokyo 1964 | 15 October 1964 | Semi-Finals, Heat #2 | 2 | ||
| 15 | 1:45.1 | Peter Snell | NZL |
Tokyo 1964 | 16 October 1964 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 16 | 1:44.3 WR | Ralph Doubell | AUS |
Ciudad de México 1968 | 15 October 1968 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 17 | 1:43.50 WR | Alberto Juantorena |  CUB |
Montréal 1976 | 25 July 1976 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 18 | 1:43.00 | Joaquim Cruz |  BRA |
Los Angeles 1984 | 6 August 1984 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 19 | 1:42.58 | Vebjørn Rodal |  NOR |
Atlanta 1996 | 31 July 1996 | Final Round | 1 | ||
| 20 | 1:40.91 WR | David Rudisha | KEN |
London 2012 | 9 August 2012 | Final Round | 1 |
