| | Event type
1,500 metres, Women
| Date | 27 – 30 September 2000 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Participants | 42 from 27 countries |
The defending champion Svetlana Masterkova, had won the 1998 European and 1999 World Championship, and was favored. But in her heat, she collided with another runner, fell, and was out of the competition. Without her, the final was wide open. The first lap of the final was absurdly slow, at over 70 seconds, the lead taken by Marla Runyan (USA), who was partially blind. America’s Suzy Favor-Hamilton then took over and led for most of the next two laps, fighting off several challenges. Going into the final turn, she still led with Romania’s Violeta Szekely and Algeria’s Noria Mérah-Benida on her shoulder. Mérah-Benida took the lead coming into the final straight and would not be caught, although Szekely pushed her to the end, finishing only 0.05 down. Romania’s Gabriela Szabo had been almost in last place on the backstretch but closed strongly to get the bronze medal.
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1024 | Nouria Mérah-Benida |  ALG | 4:10.24 (2 h3) | 4:05.24 (1 h1) | 4:05.10 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 2833 | Violeta Szekely |  ROU | 4:10.18 (1 h2) | 4:06.60 (1 h2) | 4:05.15 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 2832 | Gabriela Szabo | ROU | 4:08.33 (3 h1) | 4:07.38 (4 h2) | 4:05.27 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 1668 | Kutre Dulecha |  ETH | 4:09.88 (1 h3) | 4:06.78 (2 h2) | 4:05.33 (4) | |||
| 5 | 2730 | Lidia Chojecka |  POL | 4:10.34 (2 h2) | 4:05.78 (5 h1) | 4:06.42 (5) | |||
| 6 | 2733 | Anna Jakubczak | POL | 4:08.13 (2 h1) | 4:07.03 (3 h2) | 4:06.49 (6) | |||
| 7 | 1831 | Kelly Holmes |  GBR | 4:10.38 (3 h2) | 4:05.35 (4 h1) | 4:08.02 (7) | |||
| 8 | 3375 | Marla Runyan |  USA | 4:10.83 (7 h2) | 4:06.14 (6 h1) | 4:08.30 (8) | |||
| 9 | 3077 | Sabine Fischer |  SUI | 4:10.78 (5 h2) | 4:06.67 (7 h1) | 4:08.84 (9) | |||
| 10 | 2778 | Carla Sacramento |  POR | 4:08.41 (5 h1) | 4:07.65 (5 h2) | 4:11.15 (10) | |||
| 11 | 1846 | Hayley Tullett | GBR | 4:10.58 (3 h3) | 4:05.34 (3 h1) | 4:22.29 (11) | |||
| 12 | 3348 | Suzy Favor-Hamilton | USA | 4:08.08 (1 h1) | 4:05.25 (2 h1) | 4:23.05 (12) | |||
| 6 h2 r2/3 | 1209 | Veerle Dejaeghere |  BEL | 4:10.68 (4 h2) | 4:07.87 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h2 r2/3 | 2536 | Seloua Ouaziz |  MAR | 4:10.82 (6 h2) | 4:09.11 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r2/3 | 1106 | Marg Crowley |  AUS | 4:08.85 (7 h1) | 4:09.16 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h2 r2/3 | 3183 | Süreyya Ayhan |  TUR | 4:08.37 (4 h1) | 4:09.42 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 9 h1 r2/3 | 2969 | Lyudmila Rogachova |  RUS | 4:09.81 (9 h1) | 4:09.18 (9 h1) | – | |||
| 9 h2 r2/3 | 1840 | Helen Pattinson | GBR | 4:08.80 (6 h1) | 4:09.60 (9 h2) | – | |||
| 10 h1 r2/3 | 1623 | Nuría Fernández |  ESP | 4:11.46 (5 h3) | 4:10.92 (10 h1) | – | |||
| 10 h2 r2/3 | 1102 | Georgie Clarke | AUS | 4:11.74 (8 h2) | 4:10.99 (10 h2) | – | |||
| 11 h1 r2/3 | 2494 | Irina Krakoviak |  LTU | 4:11.57 (6 h3) | 4:14.57 (11 h1) | – | |||
| 11 h2 r2/3 | 2289 | Mardrea Hyman |  JAM | 4:10.21 (10 h1) | 4:14.20 (11 h2) | – | |||
| 12 h1 r2/3 | 2824 | Elena Iagăr | ROU | 4:11.35 (4 h3) | 4:14.75 (12 h1) | – | |||
| 12 h2 r2/3 | 3080 | Anita Weyermann | SUI | 4:09.28 (8 h1) | 4:30.80 (12 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h3 r1/3 | 2147 | Sinéad Delahunty |  IRL | 4:11.75 (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 8 h3 r1/3 | 3179 | Fatma Lanouar |  TUN | 4:11.87 (8 h3) | – | – | |||
| 9 h2 r1/3 | 2682 | Toni Hodgkinson |  NZL | 4:12.59 (9 h2) | – | – | |||
| 9 h3 r1/3 | 3340 | Shayne Culpepper | USA | 4:12.52 (9 h3) | – | – | |||
| 10 h2 r1/3 | 2403 | Naomi Mugo |  KEN | 4:13.18 (10 h2) | – | – | |||
| 10 h3 r1/3 | 2934 | Nataliya Gorelova | RUS | 4:12.84 (10 h3) | – | – | |||
| 11 h1 r1/3 | 1672 | Abebech Negussie | ETH | 4:15.52 (11 h1) | – | – | |||
| 11 h2 r1/3 | 1674 | Hareg Sidelil | ETH | 4:14.05 (11 h2) | – | – | |||
| 11 h3 r1/3 | 1120 | Sarah Jamieson | AUS | 4:12.90 (11 h3) | – | – | |||
| 12 h1 r1/3 | 3461 | Julia Sakara |  ZIM | 4:21.94 (12 h1) | – | – | |||
| 12 h2 r1/3 | 1640 | Natalia Rodríguez | ESP | 4:22.82 (12 h2) | – | – | |||
| 12 h3 r1/3 | 3034 | Helena Javornik |  SLO | 4:18.18 (12 h3) | – | – | |||
| 13 h1 r1/3 | 3233 | Tetiana Kryvobok |  UKR | 4:22.11 (13 h1) | – | – | |||
| 13 h2 r1/3 | 2582 | Daniela Kuleska |  MKD | 4:33.50 (13 h2) | – | – | |||
| 13 h3 r1/3 | 1028 | Silvia Felipo |  AND | 4:45.32 (13 h3) | – | – | |||
| 14 h1 r1/3 | 2691 | Shazia Hidayat |  PAK | 5:07.17 (14 h1) | – | – | |||
| AC h1 r1/3 | 1347 | Leah Pells |  CAN | – (DNF h1) | – | – | |||
| AC h2 r1/3 | 2958 | Svetlana Masterkova | RUS | – (DNF h2) | – | – | |||
| 2531 | Hasna Benhassi | MAR | – (DNS h3) | – | – |
Round One (27 September 2000)
Top six in each heat and next six fastest advanced to the semi-finals.
Heat One (9:35)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Suzy Favor-Hamilton | USA | 4:08.08 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Anna Jakubczak | POL | 4:08.13 | |||
| 3 | 14 | Gabriela Szabo | ROU | 4:08.33 | |||
| 4 | 5 | Süreyya Ayhan | TUR | 4:08.37 | |||
| 5 | 12 | Carla Sacramento | POR | 4:08.41 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Helen Pattinson | GBR | 4:08.80 | |||
| 7 | 13 | Marg Crowley | AUS | 4:08.85 | |||
| 8 | 6 | Anita Weyermann | SUI | 4:09.28 | |||
| 9 | 9 | Lyudmila Rogachova | RUS | 4:09.81 | |||
| 10 | 4 | Mardrea Hyman | JAM | 4:10.21 | |||
| 11 | 2 | Abebech Negussie | ETH | 4:15.52 | |||
| 12 | 3 | Julia Sakara | ZIM | 4:21.94 | |||
| 13 | 11 | Tetiana Kryvobok | UKR | 4:22.11 | |||
| 14 | 8 | Shazia Hidayat | PAK | 5:07.17 | |||
| 10 | Leah Pells | CAN | – |
Heat Two (9:44)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Violeta Szekely | ROU | 4:10.18 | |||
| 2 | 10 | Lidia Chojecka | POL | 4:10.34 | |||
| 3 | 6 | Kelly Holmes | GBR | 4:10.38 | |||
| 4 | 2 | Veerle Dejaeghere | BEL | 4:10.68 | |||
| 5 | 13 | Sabine Fischer | SUI | 4:10.78 | |||
| 6 | 8 | Seloua Ouaziz | MAR | 4:10.82 | |||
| 7 | 3 | Marla Runyan | USA | 4:10.83 | |||
| 8 | 1 | Georgie Clarke | AUS | 4:11.74 | |||
| 9 | 9 | Toni Hodgkinson | NZL | 4:12.59 | |||
| 10 | 7 | Naomi Mugo | KEN | 4:13.18 | |||
| 11 | 5 | Hareg Sidelil | ETH | 4:14.05 | |||
| 12 | 4 | Natalia Rodríguez | ESP | 4:22.82 | |||
| 13 | 14 | Daniela Kuleska | MKD | 4:33.50 | |||
| 12 | Svetlana Masterkova | RUS | – |
Heat Three (9:53)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Kutre Dulecha | ETH | 4:09.88 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Nouria Mérah-Benida | ALG | 4:10.24 | |||
| 3 | 5 | Hayley Tullett | GBR | 4:10.58 | |||
| 4 | 8 | Elena Iagăr | ROU | 4:11.35 | |||
| 5 | 13 | Nuría Fernández | ESP | 4:11.46 | |||
| 6 | 6 | Irina Krakoviak | LTU | 4:11.57 | |||
| 7 | 14 | Sinéad Delahunty | IRL | 4:11.75 | |||
| 8 | 11 | Fatma Lanouar | TUN | 4:11.87 | |||
| 9 | 12 | Shayne Culpepper | USA | 4:12.52 | |||
| 10 | 9 | Nataliya Gorelova | RUS | 4:12.84 | |||
| 11 | 3 | Sarah Jamieson | AUS | 4:12.90 | |||
| 12 | 10 | Helena Javornik | SLO | 4:18.18 | |||
| 13 | 2 | Silvia Felipo | AND | 4:45.32 | |||
| 7 | Hasna Benhassi | MAR | – |
Semi-Finals (28 September 2000)
Top five in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final.
Heat One (19:00)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Nouria Mérah-Benida | ALG | 4:05.24 | |||
| 2 | 2 | Suzy Favor-Hamilton | USA | 4:05.25 | |||
| 3 | 1 | Hayley Tullett | GBR | 4:05.34 | |||
| 4 | 10 | Kelly Holmes | GBR | 4:05.35 | |||
| 5 | 12 | Lidia Chojecka | POL | 4:05.78 | |||
| 6 | 11 | Marla Runyan | USA | 4:06.14 | |||
| 7 | 4 | Sabine Fischer | SUI | 4:06.67 | |||
| 8 | 3 | Marg Crowley | AUS | 4:09.16 | |||
| 9 | 5 | Lyudmila Rogachova | RUS | 4:09.18 | |||
| 10 | 9 | Nuría Fernández | ESP | 4:10.92 | |||
| 11 | 8 | Irina Krakoviak | LTU | 4:14.57 | |||
| 12 | 7 | Elena Iagăr | ROU | 4:14.75 |
Heat Two (19:10)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Violeta Szekely | ROU | 4:06.60 | |||
| 2 | 3 | Kutre Dulecha | ETH | 4:06.78 | |||
| 3 | 11 | Anna Jakubczak | POL | 4:07.03 | |||
| 4 | 12 | Gabriela Szabo | ROU | 4:07.38 | |||
| 5 | 7 | Carla Sacramento | POR | 4:07.65 | |||
| 6 | 2 | Veerle Dejaeghere | BEL | 4:07.87 | |||
| 7 | 6 | Seloua Ouaziz | MAR | 4:09.11 | |||
| 8 | 10 | Süreyya Ayhan | TUR | 4:09.42 | |||
| 9 | 4 | Helen Pattinson | GBR | 4:09.60 | |||
| 10 | 1 | Georgie Clarke | AUS | 4:10.99 | |||
| 11 | 5 | Mardrea Hyman | JAM | 4:14.20 | |||
| 12 | 9 | Anita Weyermann | SUI | 4:30.80 |
Final (30 September 2000 — 20:20)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Nouria Mérah-Benida | ALG | 4:05.10 | |||
| 2 | 4 | Violeta Szekely | ROU | 4:05.15 | |||
| 3 | 11 | Gabriela Szabo | ROU | 4:05.27 | |||
| 4 | 5 | Kutre Dulecha | ETH | 4:05.33 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Lidia Chojecka | POL | 4:06.42 | |||
| 6 | 9 | Anna Jakubczak | POL | 4:06.49 | |||
| 7 | 12 | Kelly Holmes | GBR | 4:08.02 | |||
| 8 | 10 | Marla Runyan | USA | 4:08.30 | |||
| 9 | 7 | Sabine Fischer | SUI | 4:08.84 | |||
| 10 | 1 | Carla Sacramento | POR | 4:11.15 | |||
| 11 | 6 | Hayley Tullett | GBR | 4:22.29 | |||
| 12 | 3 | Suzy Favor-Hamilton | USA | 4:23.05 |
Splits
| 400 m | 1:10.56 | Marla Runyan | |
| 800 m | 2:15.93 | Suzy Favor-Hamilton | |
| 1,200 m | 3:17.85 | Carla Sacramento | |