800 metres, Men

Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer had won the 1995, 1997, and 1999 World Championships. He would have been favored in 1996 but the Kenyan émigré was not allowed to compete by the Kenyan Olympic Committee. In 1997 he had tied Sebastian Coe‘s world record on 7 July, and then broken it 13 August and again on 24 August – leaving it at 1:41.11. He was expected to be pushed by 1998 European Champion Nils Schumann (GER), 1996 Olympic silver medalist Hezekiel Sepeng (RSA), rising Russian Yury Borzakovsky, and Swiss André Bucher, who had the fastest time of the year with 1:43.12. Italy’s Andrea Longo led the field thru a slowish first lap (53.43). He continued to lead thru 650 metres, when he pushed Bucher off the track briefly, leading to his own disqualification. Sepeng took the lead as the field neared the end of the curve, but Schumann took over 50 metres from the line, winning gold. Kipketer closed the fastest of the medalists, but was poorly placed coming off the curve, and could only get the silver medal.