800 metres, Men

The top 800 metre runner in the past two years had been American Donovan Brazier, who had won the 2019 World Championship. In a complete shock, Brazier did not make the US Olympic Team for Tokyo, which left the event wide open. The favorite, in Brazier’s absence, was Botswanan Nijel Amos, the silver medalist in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro. The Rio bronze medalist, Clayton Murphy, was also back after winning the US Olympic Trials.

Both Amos and Murphy made the final, along with Kenyans Emmanuel Korir, the 2017 NCAA Champion, and Ferguson Rotich, who had run 1:43.75 in the first round and 1:44.04 in the semi-finals. The final was led at a slow pace by Korir and Australian Peter Bol, with the first lap run in only 53.76, the slowest Olympic final opening lap since 1980.

Bol led at the bell with Korir on his shoulder, and the Aussie continued to lead through 600 metres as the pace quickened. Korir took the lead on the final turn and was never challenged in the straight to win the gold medal. Behind him Rotich, who had been boxed on the turn when Korir made his move, closed quickly to take silver and Poland’s Patryk Dobek, formerly mostly known as a 400 hurdler, came up for the bronze. Murphy was never a factor and finished ninth and last in the final.