| | Event type

800 metres, Men

Date	13 – 15 October 1968
Status	Olympic
Location	Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Ciudad de México
Participants	44 from 32 countries

The favorites were 1964 bronze medalist Wilson Kiprugut (KEN) and American Wade Bell. But Bell developed Montezuma’s Revenge in Mexico and was eliminated in the first round. The semi-finals were won by Australian Ralph Doubell and the FRG’s Walter Adams. Kiprugut led out the final in 24.8 and 51.0, and continued to lead at 600 over Doubell. Doubell kicked off the final curve and Kiprugut could not answer. American Tom Farrell outkicked Adams in the stretch to win the bronze medal. Doubell’s winning time equaled the world record of Peter Snell.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	105	Ralph Doubell	AUS	1:47.2 (1 h4)	1:45.7 (1 h2)	1:44.3 (1)	Gold
2	566	Wilson Kiprugut	KEN	1:46.1 (1 h5)	1:45.8 (2 h2)	1:44.5 (2)	Silver
3	271	Tom Farrell	USA	1:47.9 (2 h5)	1:46.1 (4 h2)	1:45.4 (3)	Bronze
4	2	Walter Adams	FRG	1:48.4 (1 h3)	1:46.4 (1 h1)	1:45.8 (4)
5	222	Jozef Plachý	TCH	1:48.6 (2 h3)	1:45.9 (3 h2)	1:45.9 (5)
6	66	Dieter Fromm	GDR	1:46.9 (1 h2)	1:46.5 (2 h1)	1:46.2 (6)
7	572	Thomas Saisi	KEN	1:47.0 (1 h1)	1:46.6 (3 h1)	1:47.5 (7)
8	773	Ben Cayenne	TTO	1:48.2 (2 h6)	1:46.8 (4 h1)	1:54.3 (8)
5 h1 r2/3	282	Ron Kutschinski	USA	1:47.6 (3 h2)	1:47.3 (5 h1)	–
5 h2 r2/3	570	Robert Ouko	KEN	1:47.6 (3 h4)	1:47.1 (5 h2)	–
6 h1 r2/3	357	Jean-Pierre Dufresne	FRA	1:47.6 (2 h1)	1:51.8 (6 h1)	–
6 h2 r2/3	530	Byron Dyce	JAM	1:48.5 (4 h6)	1:47.2 (6 h2)	–
7 h2 r2/3	21	Franz-Josef Kemper	FRG	1:47.0 (2 h2)	1:47.3 (7 h2)	–
8 h2 r2/3	396	Dave Cropper	GBR	1:47.9 (1 h6)	1:47.6 (8 h2)	–
2 h4 r1/3	684	Henryk Szordykowski	POL	1:47.4 (2 h4)	– (DNS h1)	–
3 h1 r1/3	325	Matias Habtemichael	ETH	1:49.6 (3 h1)	–	–
3 h3 r1/3	483	Noel Carroll	IRL	1:49.0 (3 h3)	–	–
3 h5 r1/3	219	Tomáš Jungwirth	TCH	1:48.7 (3 h5)	–	–
3 h6 r1/3	792	Yevgeny Arzhanov	URS	1:48.4 (3 h6)	– (DNS h1)	–
4 h1 r1/3	711	Papa M'Baye N'Diaye	SEN	1:51.3 (4 h1)	–	–
4 h2 r1/3	593	Ramasamy Subramaniam	MAS	1:50.8 (4 h2)	–	–
4 h3 r1/3	213	Ahmed Issa	CHA	1:49.0 (4 h3)	–	–
4 h4 r1/3	377	John Ametepey	GHA	1:50.7 (4 h4)	–	–
4 h5 r1/3	728	Anders Gärderud	SWE	1:48.9 (4 h5)	–	–
5 h1 r1/3	255	Wade Bell	USA	1:51.5 (5 h1)	–	–
5 h2 r1/3	145	Gilbert Van Manshoven	BEL	1:52.3 (5 h2)	–	–
5 h3 r1/3	626	Roberto Silva	MEX	1:50.4 (5 h3)	–	–
5 h4 r1/3	369	Gilles Sibon	FRA	1:50.8 (5 h4)	–	–
5 h5 r1/3	547	Jun Nagai	JPN	1:51.2 (5 h5)	–	–
5 h6 r1/3	328	Mamo Sebsibe	ETH	1:49.7 (5 h6)	–	–
6 h1 r1/3	460	Róbert Honti	HUN	1:53.8 (6 h1)	–	–
6 h3 r1/3	230	Gerd Larsen	DEN	1:51.9 (6 h3)	–	–
6 h4 r1/3	394	Chris Carter	GBR	1:52.9 (6 h4)	–	–
6 h5 r1/3	720	Angelo Hussein	SUD	1:53.4 (6 h5)	–	–
6 h6 r1/3	503	Gianni Del Buono	ITA	1:50.2 (6 h6)	–	–
7 h4 r1/3	697	José L'Oficial	DOM	1:55.6 (7 h4)	–	–
7 h5 r1/3	138	Jacques Pennewaert	BEL	1:53.8 (7 h5)	–	–
7 h6 r1/3	580	Xaver Frick, Jr.	LIE	1:52.6 (7 h6)	–	–
8 h4 r1/3	238	Manfredo Koeningsberg	ESA	2:08.7 (8 h4)	–	–
8 h5 r1/3	629	Francisco Menocal	NCA	1:58.9 (8 h5)	–	–
8 h6 r1/3	688	Carlos Báez	PUR	1:52.6 (8 h6)	–	–
AC h1 r1/3	143	Rudi Simon	BEL	– (DNF h1)	–	–
AC h2 r1/3	98	Guillermo Cuello	ARG	– (DNF h2)	–	–
AC h3 r1/3	537	Neville Myton	JAM	– (DNF h3)	–	–
DNS	320	Abera Assaye	ETH	–	–	–
DNS	398	John Davies	GBR	–	–	–
DNS	76	Manfred Matuschewski	GDR	–	–	–

Round One

Date	13 October 1968 — 15:50
Format	Top 2 in each heat and next four fastest advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)	Time (hand)
1	566	Wilson Kiprugut	KEN	1:46.17	1:46.1	Q
2	66	Dieter Fromm	GDR	1:46.98	1:46.9	Q
3	572	Thomas Saisi	KEN	1:46.99	1:47.0	Q
4	21	Franz-Josef Kemper	FRG	1:47.02	1:47.0	Q
5	105	Ralph Doubell	AUS	1:47.24	1:47.2	Q
6	684	Henryk Szordykowski	POL	1:47.48	1:47.4	Q
=7	357	Jean-Pierre Dufresne	FRA	1:47.61	1:47.6	Q
=7	282	Ron Kutschinski	USA	1:47.61	1:47.6	q
9	570	Robert Ouko	KEN	1:47.65	1:47.6	q
=10	271	Tom Farrell	USA	1:47.96	1:47.9	Q
=10	396	Dave Cropper	GBR	1:47.96	1:47.9	Q
12	773	Ben Cayenne	TTO	1:48.22	1:48.2	Q
13	792	Yevgeny Arzhanov	URS	1:48.46	1:48.4	q
14	2	Walter Adams	FRG	1:48.50	1:48.4	Q
15	530	Byron Dyce	JAM	1:48.58	1:48.5	q
16	222	Jozef Plachý	TCH	1:48.65	1:48.6	Q
17	219	Tomáš Jungwirth	TCH	1:48.72	1:48.7
18	728	Anders Gärderud	SWE	1:48.99	1:48.9
19	483	Noel Carroll	IRL	1:49.01	1:49.0
20	213	Ahmed Issa	CHA	1:49.09	1:49.0
21	325	Matias Habtemichael	ETH	1:49.63	1:49.6
22	328	Mamo Sebsibe	ETH	1:49.75	1:49.7
23	503	Gianni Del Buono	ITA	1:50.23	1:50.2
24	626	Roberto Silva	MEX	1:50.49	1:50.4
25	377	John Ametepey	GHA	1:50.78	1:50.7
=26	593	Ramasamy Subramaniam	MAS	1:50.87	1:50.8
=26	369	Gilles Sibon	FRA	1:50.87	1:50.8
28	547	Jun Nagai	JPN	1:51.27	1:51.2
29	711	Papa M'Baye N'Diaye	SEN	1:51.31	1:51.3
30	255	Wade Bell	USA	1:51.52	1:51.5
31	230	Gerd Larsen	DEN	1:51.98	1:51.9
32	145	Gilbert Van Manshoven	BEL	1:52.32	1:52.3
33	580	Xaver Frick, Jr.	LIE	1:52.68	1:52.6
34	688	Carlos Báez	PUR	1:52.70	1:52.6
35	394	Chris Carter	GBR	1:52.99	1:52.9
36	720	Angelo Hussein	SUD	1:53.43	1:53.4
37	138	Jacques Pennewaert	BEL	1:53.81	1:53.8
38	460	Róbert Honti	HUN	1:53.88	1:53.8
39	697	José L'Oficial	DOM	1:55.66	1:55.6
40	629	Francisco Menocal	NCA	1:58.96	1:58.9
41	238	Manfredo Koeningsberg	ESA	2:08.72	2:08.7
DNF	143	Rudi Simon	BEL	–	–
DNF	98	Guillermo Cuello	ARG	–	–
DNF	537	Neville Myton	JAM	–	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	2	Thomas Saisi	KEN	1:47.0	1:46.99	Q
2	4	Jean-Pierre Dufresne	FRA	1:47.6	1:47.61	Q
3	1	Matias Habtemichael	ETH	1:49.6	1:49.63
4	6	Papa M'Baye N'Diaye	SEN	1:51.3	1:51.31
5	3	Wade Bell	USA	1:51.5	1:51.52
6	5	Róbert Honti	HUN	1:53.8	1:53.88
DNF	7	Rudi Simon	BEL	–	–

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	Thomas Saisi		52.6

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	2	Dieter Fromm	GDR	1:46.9	1:46.98	Q
2	1	Franz-Josef Kemper	FRG	1:47.0	1:47.02	Q
3	3	Ron Kutschinski	USA	1:47.6	1:47.61	q
4	5	Ramasamy Subramaniam	MAS	1:50.8	1:50.87
5	4	Gilbert Van Manshoven	BEL	1:52.3	1:52.32
DNF	6	Guillermo Cuello	ARG	–	–

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	Ron Kutschinski		53.6

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	6	Walter Adams	FRG	1:48.4	1:48.50	Q
2	4	Jozef Plachý	TCH	1:48.6	1:48.65	Q
3	1	Noel Carroll	IRL	1:49.0	1:49.01
4	3	Ahmed Issa	CHA	1:49.0	1:49.09
5	2	Roberto Silva	MEX	1:50.4	1:50.49
6	7	Gerd Larsen	DEN	1:51.9	1:51.98
DNF	5	Neville Myton	JAM	–	–

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	Walter Adams		55.1

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	5	Ralph Doubell	AUS	1:47.2	1:47.24	Q
2	8	Henryk Szordykowski	POL	1:47.4	1:47.48	Q
3	7	Robert Ouko	KEN	1:47.6	1:47.65	q
4	3	John Ametepey	GHA	1:50.7	1:50.78
5	4	Gilles Sibon	FRA	1:50.8	1:50.87
6	2	Chris Carter	GBR	1:52.9	1:52.99
7	1	José L'Oficial	DOM	1:55.6	1:55.66
8	6	Manfredo Koeningsberg	ESA	2:08.7	2:08.72

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	Robert Ouko		52.1

Heat #5

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	7	Wilson Kiprugut	KEN	1:46.1	1:46.17	Q
2	2	Tom Farrell	USA	1:47.9	1:47.96	Q
3	6	Tomáš Jungwirth	TCH	1:48.7	1:48.72
4	3	Anders Gärderud	SWE	1:48.9	1:48.99
5	1	Jun Nagai	JPN	1:51.2	1:51.27
6	5	Angelo Hussein	SUD	1:53.4	1:53.43
7	4	Jacques Pennewaert	BEL	1:53.8	1:53.81
8	8	Francisco Menocal	NCA	1:58.9	1:58.96

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	Wilson Kiprugut		51.1

Heat #6

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	3	Dave Cropper	GBR	1:47.9	1:47.96	Q
2	4	Ben Cayenne	TTO	1:48.2	1:48.22	Q
3	8	Yevgeny Arzhanov	URS	1:48.4	1:48.46	q
4	7	Byron Dyce	JAM	1:48.5	1:48.58	q
5	2	Mamo Sebsibe	ETH	1:49.7	1:49.75
6	5	Gianni Del Buono	ITA	1:50.2	1:50.23
7	6	Xaver Frick, Jr.	LIE	1:52.6	1:52.68
8	1	Carlos Báez	PUR	1:52.6	1:52.70

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result	Notes
400 m	Ben Cayenne		53.0

Semi-Finals

Date	14 October 1968 — 16:20
Format	Top 4 in each heat advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)	Time (hand)
1	105	Ralph Doubell	AUS	1:45.78	1:45.7	Q
2	566	Wilson Kiprugut	KEN	1:45.84	1:45.8	Q
3	222	Jozef Plachý	TCH	1:45.96	1:45.9	Q
4	271	Tom Farrell	USA	1:46.11	1:46.1	Q
5	2	Walter Adams	FRG	1:46.41	1:46.4	Q
6	66	Dieter Fromm	GDR	1:46.54	1:46.5	Q
7	572	Thomas Saisi	KEN	1:46.64	1:46.6	Q
8	773	Ben Cayenne	TTO	1:46.83	1:46.8	Q
9	570	Robert Ouko	KEN	1:47.15	1:47.1
10	530	Byron Dyce	JAM	1:47.30	1:47.2
11	282	Ron Kutschinski	USA	1:47.39	1:47.3
12	21	Franz-Josef Kemper	FRG	1:47.47	1:47.3
13	396	Dave Cropper	GBR	1:47.67	1:47.6
14	357	Jean-Pierre Dufresne	FRA	1:51.89	1:51.8
DNS	684	Henryk Szordykowski	POL	–	–
DNS	792	Yevgeny Arzhanov	URS	–	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	3	Walter Adams	FRG	1:46.4	1:46.41	Q
2	4	Dieter Fromm	GDR	1:46.5	1:46.54	Q
3	5	Thomas Saisi	KEN	1:46.6	1:46.64	Q
4	6	Ben Cayenne	TTO	1:46.8	1:46.83	Q
5	1	Ron Kutschinski	USA	1:47.3	1:47.39
6	2	Jean-Pierre Dufresne	FRA	1:51.8	1:51.89
DNS	684	Henryk Szordykowski	POL	–	–
DNS	7	Yevgeny Arzhanov	URS	–	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	3	Ralph Doubell	AUS	1:45.7	1:45.78	Q
2	8	Wilson Kiprugut	KEN	1:45.8	1:45.84	Q
3	5	Jozef Plachý	TCH	1:45.9	1:45.96	Q
4	1	Tom Farrell	USA	1:46.1	1:46.11	Q
5	4	Robert Ouko	KEN	1:47.1	1:47.15
6	6	Byron Dyce	JAM	1:47.2	1:47.30
7	7	Franz-Josef Kemper	FRG	1:47.3	1:47.47
8	2	Dave Cropper	GBR	1:47.6	1:47.67

Final Round

Date	15 October 1968 — 18:10

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	4	Ralph Doubell	AUS	1:44.3	1:44.40	=WR
2	6	Wilson Kiprugut	KEN	1:44.5	1:44.57
3	8	Tom Farrell	USA	1:45.4	1:45.46
4	5	Walter Adams	FRG	1:45.8	1:45.83
5	3	Jozef Plachý	TCH	1:45.9	1:45.99
6	7	Dieter Fromm	GDR	1:46.2	1:46.30
7	1	Thomas Saisi	KEN	1:47.5	1:47.59
8	2	Ben Cayenne	TTO	1:54.3	1:54.40

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	Result
200 m	Wilson Kiprugut	24.1
400 m	Wilson Kiprugut	51.0
600 m	Wilson Kiprugut	1:17.8