| | Event type

1,500 metres, Women

Date	31 July – 3 August 1996
Status	Olympic
Location	Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Participants	32 from 21 countries

The pre-Olympic favorites were defending champion Hassiba Boulmerka, who had also won the 1995 World Championships, and Ireland’s Sonia O’Sullivan. Not highly considered was Russia Svetlana Masterkova, who had not raced in 1994-95, but she had earlier won the 800 gold medal in Atlanta. She had also posted some fast times in pre-Olympic meets. O’Sullivan ran the 5,000 earlier in the Games but came down with an intestinal disorder and was not herself, and did not qualify for the 1,500 final. In the semis, Boulmerka stumbled in heavy traffic, sprained an ankle, and finished last, also not qualifying. That left the final open for Masterkova, who took the lead at 1,200 metres. Though Gabriela Szabo (ROM) and Theresia Kiesl (AUT) moved to her shoulder on the final curve, she powered away to an easy victory. She was the first women to win the 800/1,500 double since Soviet Tatyana Kazankina in 1976.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	3700	Svetlana Masterkova	RUS	4:09.88 (2 h1)	4:10.35 (3 h1)	4:00.83 (1)	Gold
2	3664	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	4:07.32 (1 h3)	4:09.83 (2 h1)	4:01.54 (2)	Silver
3	3050	Theresia Kiesl	AUT	4:09.24 (1 h1)	4:09.44 (1 h1)	4:03.02 (3)	Bronze
4	3135	Leah Pells	CAN	4:13.17 (8 h1)	4:06.26 (4 h2)	4:03.56 (4)
5	3023	Marg Crowley	AUS	4:07.51 (4 h3)	4:06.21 (3 h2)	4:03.79 (5)
6	3644	Carla Sacramento	POR	4:13.57 (3 h2)	4:06.70 (5 h2)	4:03.91 (6)
7	3675	Lyudmila Borisova	RUS	4:13.29 (1 h2)	4:06.89 (6 h2)	4:05.90 (7)
8	3626	Małgorzata Rydz	POL	4:07.51 (5 h3)	4:10.77 (4 h1)	4:05.92 (8)
9	3669	Gwen Griffiths	RSA	4:10.80 (6 h1)	4:11.12 (5 h1)	4:06.33 (9)
10	3847	Regina Jacobs	USA	4:07.41 (3 h3)	4:06.13 (2 h2)	4:07.21 (10)
11	3313	Kelly Holmes	GBR	4:07.36 (2 h3)	4:05.88 (1 h2)	4:07.46 (11)
12	3620	Anna Brzezińska	POL	4:11.06 (7 h1)	4:07.17 (7 h2)	4:08.27 (12)
6 h1 r2/3	3076	Natallia Dukhnova	BLR	4:14.75 (8 h2)	4:11.43 (6 h1)	–
7 h1 r2/3	3383	Carmen Wüstenhagen	GER	4:10.06 (4 h1)	4:11.47 (7 h1)	–
8 h1 r2/3	3283	Blandine Bitzner-Ducret	FRA	4:13.83 (5 h2)	4:12.27 (8 h1)	–
8 h2 r2/3	3259	Kutre Dulecha	ETH	4:07.69 (7 h3)	4:09.03 (8 h2)	–
9 h1 r2/3	3419	Sinéad Delahunty	IRL	4:10.20 (5 h1)	4:12.52 (9 h1)	–
9 h2 r2/3	3770	Malin Ewerlöf	SWE	4:09.06 (8 h3)	4:13.85 (9 h2)	–
10 h1 r2/3	3253	Maite Zúñiga	ESP	4:14.05 (6 h2)	4:14.10 (10 h1)	–
10 h2 r2/3	3359	Sylvia Kühnemund	GER	4:14.35 (7 h2)	4:16.85 (10 h2)	–
11 h1 r2/3	3708	Lyudmila Rogachova	RUS	4:07.61 (6 h3)	4:14.54 (11 h1)	–
11 h2 r2/3	3518	Naomi Mugo	KEN	4:13.35 (2 h2)	4:20.01 (11 h2)	– (DNS)
12 h1 r2/3	3003	Hassiba Boulmerka	ALG	4:09.96 (3 h1)	4:23.86 (12 h1)	–
AC h2 r2/3	3654	Cătălina Gheorghiu	ROU	4:13.82 (4 h2)	[4:09.30] (DQ h2)	–
9 h1 r1/3	3300	Frédérique Quentin	FRA	4:15.95 (9 h1)	–	–
9 h2 r1/3	3845	Vicki Huber	USA	4:14.82 (9 h2)	–	–
9 h3 r1/3	3230	Marta Domínguez	ESP	4:15.00 (9 h3)	–	–
10 h1 r1/3	3841	Juli Henner	USA	4:27.14 (10 h1)	–	–
10 h2 r1/3	3425	Sonia O'Sullivan	IRL	4:19.77 (10 h2)	–	–
10 h3 r1/3	3138	Paula Schnurr	CAN	4:29.67 (10 h3)	–	–
11 h1 r1/3	3571	Khin Khin Htwe	MYA	4:30.64 (11 h1)	–	–
11 h2 r1/3	3115	Petya Strashilova	BUL	4:26.66 (11 h2)	–	–

Round One

Date	31 July 1996
Format	Top six in each heat and next six fastest advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	3664	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	4:07.32	Q
2	3313	Kelly Holmes	GBR	4:07.36	Q
3	3847	Regina Jacobs	USA	4:07.41	Q
4	3023	Marg Crowley	AUS	4:07.51	Q
5	3626	Małgorzata Rydz	POL	4:07.51	Q
6	3708	Lyudmila Rogachova	RUS	4:07.61	Q
7	3259	Kutre Dulecha	ETH	4:07.69	q
8	3770	Malin Ewerlöf	SWE	4:09.06	q
9	3050	Theresia Kiesl	AUT	4:09.24	Q
10	3700	Svetlana Masterkova	RUS	4:09.88	Q
11	3003	Hassiba Boulmerka	ALG	4:09.96	Q
12	3383	Carmen Wüstenhagen	GER	4:10.06	Q
13	3419	Sinéad Delahunty	IRL	4:10.20	Q
14	3669	Gwen Griffiths	RSA	4:10.80	Q
15	3620	Anna Brzezińska	POL	4:11.06	q
16	3135	Leah Pells	CAN	4:13.17	q
17	3675	Lyudmila Borisova	RUS	4:13.29	Q
18	3518	Naomi Mugo	KEN	4:13.35	Q
19	3644	Carla Sacramento	POR	4:13.57	Q
20	3654	Cătălina Gheorghiu	ROU	4:13.82	Q
21	3283	Blandine Bitzner-Ducret	FRA	4:13.83	Q
22	3253	Maite Zúñiga	ESP	4:14.05	Q
23	3359	Sylvia Kühnemund	GER	4:14.35	q
24	3076	Natallia Dukhnova	BLR	4:14.75	q
25	3845	Vicki Huber	USA	4:14.82
26	3230	Marta Domínguez	ESP	4:15.00
27	3300	Frédérique Quentin	FRA	4:15.95
28	3425	Sonia O'Sullivan	IRL	4:19.77
29	3115	Petya Strashilova	BUL	4:26.66
30	3841	Juli Henner	USA	4:27.14
31	3138	Paula Schnurr	CAN	4:29.67
32	3571	Khin Khin Htwe	MYA	4:30.64

Heat #1

Time	10:00

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3050	Theresia Kiesl	AUT	4:09.24	Q
2	3700	Svetlana Masterkova	RUS	4:09.88	Q
3	3003	Hassiba Boulmerka	ALG	4:09.96	Q
4	3383	Carmen Wüstenhagen	GER	4:10.06	Q
5	3419	Sinéad Delahunty	IRL	4:10.20	Q
6	3669	Gwen Griffiths	RSA	4:10.80	Q
7	3620	Anna Brzezińska	POL	4:11.06	q
8	3135	Leah Pells	CAN	4:13.17	q
9	3300	Frédérique Quentin	FRA	4:15.95
10	3841	Juli Henner	USA	4:27.14
11	3571	Khin Khin Htwe	MYA	4:30.64

Heat #2

Time	10:10

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3675	Lyudmila Borisova	RUS	4:13.29	Q
2	3518	Naomi Mugo	KEN	4:13.35	Q
3	3644	Carla Sacramento	POR	4:13.57	Q
4	3654	Cătălina Gheorghiu	ROU	4:13.82	Q
5	3283	Blandine Bitzner-Ducret	FRA	4:13.83	Q
6	3253	Maite Zúñiga	ESP	4:14.05	Q
7	3359	Sylvia Kühnemund	GER	4:14.35	q
8	3076	Natallia Dukhnova	BLR	4:14.75	q
9	3845	Vicki Huber	USA	4:14.82
10	3425	Sonia O'Sullivan	IRL	4:19.77
11	3115	Petya Strashilova	BUL	4:26.66

Heat #3

Time	10:20

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3664	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	4:07.32	Q
2	3313	Kelly Holmes	GBR	4:07.36	Q
3	3847	Regina Jacobs	USA	4:07.41	Q
4	3023	Marg Crowley	AUS	4:07.51	Q
5	3626	Małgorzata Rydz	POL	4:07.51	Q
6	3708	Lyudmila Rogachova	RUS	4:07.61	Q
7	3259	Kutre Dulecha	ETH	4:07.69	q
8	3770	Malin Ewerlöf	SWE	4:09.06	q
9	3230	Marta Domínguez	ESP	4:15.00
10	3138	Paula Schnurr	CAN	4:29.67

Semi-Finals

Date	1 August 1996
Format	Top five in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	3313	Kelly Holmes	GBR	4:05.88	Q
2	3847	Regina Jacobs	USA	4:06.13	Q
3	3023	Marg Crowley	AUS	4:06.21	Q
4	3135	Leah Pells	CAN	4:06.26	Q
5	3644	Carla Sacramento	POR	4:06.70	Q
6	3675	Lyudmila Borisova	RUS	4:06.89	q
7	3620	Anna Brzezińska	POL	4:07.17	q
8	3259	Kutre Dulecha	ETH	4:09.03
9	3050	Theresia Kiesl	AUT	4:09.44	Q
10	3664	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	4:09.83	Q
11	3700	Svetlana Masterkova	RUS	4:10.35	Q
12	3626	Małgorzata Rydz	POL	4:10.77	Q
13	3669	Gwen Griffiths	RSA	4:11.12	Q
14	3076	Natallia Dukhnova	BLR	4:11.43
15	3383	Carmen Wüstenhagen	GER	4:11.47
16	3283	Blandine Bitzner-Ducret	FRA	4:12.27
17	3419	Sinéad Delahunty	IRL	4:12.52
18	3770	Malin Ewerlöf	SWE	4:13.85
19	3253	Maite Zúñiga	ESP	4:14.10
20	3708	Lyudmila Rogachova	RUS	4:14.54
21	3359	Sylvia Kühnemund	GER	4:16.85
22	3518	Naomi Mugo	KEN	4:20.01
23	3003	Hassiba Boulmerka	ALG	4:23.86
DQ	3654	Cătălina Gheorghiu	ROU	[4:09.30]

Heat #1

Time	19:30

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3050	Theresia Kiesl	AUT	4:09.44	Q
2	3664	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	4:09.83	Q
3	3700	Svetlana Masterkova	RUS	4:10.35	Q
4	3626	Małgorzata Rydz	POL	4:10.77	Q
5	3669	Gwen Griffiths	RSA	4:11.12	Q
6	3076	Natallia Dukhnova	BLR	4:11.43
7	3383	Carmen Wüstenhagen	GER	4:11.47
8	3283	Blandine Bitzner-Ducret	FRA	4:12.27
9	3419	Sinéad Delahunty	IRL	4:12.52
10	3253	Maite Zúñiga	ESP	4:14.10
11	3708	Lyudmila Rogachova	RUS	4:14.54
12	3003	Hassiba Boulmerka	ALG	4:23.86

Heat #2

Time	19:45

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3313	Kelly Holmes	GBR	4:05.88	Q
2	3847	Regina Jacobs	USA	4:06.13	Q
3	3023	Marg Crowley	AUS	4:06.21	Q
4	3135	Leah Pells	CAN	4:06.26	Q
5	3644	Carla Sacramento	POR	4:06.70	Q
6	3675	Lyudmila Borisova	RUS	4:06.89	q
7	3620	Anna Brzezińska	POL	4:07.17	q
8	3259	Kutre Dulecha	ETH	4:09.03
9	3770	Malin Ewerlöf	SWE	4:13.85
10	3359	Sylvia Kühnemund	GER	4:16.85
11	3518	Naomi Mugo	KEN	4:20.01
DQ	3654	Cătălina Gheorghiu	ROU	[4:09.30]

Final Round

Date	3 August 1996 — 20:15

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	3700	Svetlana Masterkova	RUS	4:00.83
2	3664	Gabriela Szabo	ROU	4:01.54
3	3050	Theresia Kiesl	AUT	4:03.02
4	3135	Leah Pells	CAN	4:03.56
5	3023	Marg Crowley	AUS	4:03.79
6	3644	Carla Sacramento	POR	4:03.91
7	3675	Lyudmila Borisova	RUS	4:05.90
8	3626	Małgorzata Rydz	POL	4:05.92
9	3669	Gwen Griffiths	RSA	4:06.33
10	3847	Regina Jacobs	USA	4:07.21
11	3313	Kelly Holmes	GBR	4:07.46
12	3620	Anna Brzezińska	POL	4:08.27
DNS	3518	Naomi Mugo	KEN	–