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The 800-metre event is one of the most competitive races to compete in — perhaps the most. An Olympic or World Championships-level athlete can be fit enough to win, but just the same, could end up dead last if the tactics go awry. The women’s 800m event is taking shape and all the usual players appear ready for the 2022 World Athletics Championships taking place in Eugene, Oregon in mid-July.

Athing Mu

Olympic gold medallist, Athing Mu, and Ajee Wilson battled hard to go 1-2 during the USATF Championships and World’s Trials in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday. Mu won in the time of 1:57.16 over Wilson with her 1:57.23 finish time. The 20-year-old split 400m in 57.25 while leading the field.

Raevyn Rogers finished third in the time of 1:57.96, after making a big move from sixth place. But it was Wilson that raised eyebrows, having appeared to be destined to second, she passed Mu on the bend with less than 200m to go. Mu wasn’t having any of that and responded for the win, but it was close.

Based on this performance, the two could go 1-2 in July at the World Championships. But the 800m is so competitive and Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson is looking in top form too. She earned the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games behind Mu.

Keely Hodgkinson

Hodgkinson won the Oslo Bislett Games on June 16 in the time of 1:57.71. The 20-year-old competed in the 400m event at the British Championships instead of the 800m event. She clocked a 52.41 performance to finish second.

Mu and Hodgkinson negative split the 800m during the Olympic final — a rare outcome for the distance. Mu owns a 400m best of 49.57 from June 2021.

Jemma Reekie is the 2022 British national champion. The 24-year-old clocked a 1:56.90 personal best at the Tokyo Olympic Games to finish fourth in the final. Rogers took bronze in Tokyo in the time of 1:56.90.

The 28-year-old American Wilson has earned five global medals in the distance, therefore shouldn’t be counted out. She owns a best of 1:55.61.

On Friday during the Kenyan national championships in Moi Stadium, 22-year-old Mary Moraa won in a new personal best time of 1:57.58. Finishing in second place was Faith Kipyegon who stepped down in distance from her usual 1500m event. She clocked a 1:58.18, her best is 1:57.68. Jarinter Mawia took third in the time of 2:00.36. The Kenyans don’t look deep, but Moraa could make things interesting.

In Canada, Madeleine Kelly won her first national championship on the weekend. For Canadians, it was hot at 31C after the long cool spring finally broke. She clocked a 2:00.82 finish time over Lindsey Butterworth who finished in the time of 2:00.85, while the third-place finisher Jash Shukla recorded a 2:01.90 clocking. World rankings and the standard of 1:59.50 weigh equally in factors that Athletics Canada measures in the nomination process for Team Canada. Both Butterworth and Kelly have run sub-2:00.

From World Athletics

Entry number: 

48 Qualification period for entry standard: 28 JUN 2021- 26 JUN 2022Entry standard: 1:59.50World rankings period: 28 JUN 2021 – 26 JUN 2022Maximum quota per MF*: 3Number of athletes

  • By entry standard: 26
  • By finishing position at designated competitions: 3
  • By world rankings position: to complete the required entry number: 19
  • By top list: 0
  • By universality places: 0

QP: quota place in event (counts max3per country) CP: country place in event -in bold first3* per country.*NB: the final list of athletes/teams eligible for entry through the world rankings (or top lists in the case of relays) will be that of 29 June 2022 (or 1 June 2022 for marathon or 35km race walk)* In case of a wild card the maximum quota is 4

Road to Eugene World Athletics Championships ranking

QPCPNatAthleteStatusDetails
11UGAHalimah NAKAAYIQualified by Wild CardDefending World Champion
21GBRKeely HODGKINSONQualified by Wild CardDiamond League winner
31USAAthing MUQualified by Entry Standard1:55.04 – Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) – 21 AUG 2021
41CUBRose Mary ALMANZAQualified by Entry Standard1:56.28 – Olympiastadion, Stockholm (SWE) – 04 JUL 2021
51JAMNatoya GOULEQualified by Entry Standard1:56.44 – Olympiastadion, Stockholm (SWE) – 04 JUL 2021
62GBRLaura MUIRQualified by Entry Standard1:56.73 – Stade Louis II, Monaco (MON) – 09 JUL 2021
72USARaevyn ROGERSQualified by Entry Standard1:56.81 – National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) – 03 AUG 2021
83GBRJemma REEKIEQualified by Entry Standard1:56.90 – National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) – 03 AUG 2021
91CHNChunyu WANGQualified by Entry Standard1:57.00 – National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) – 03 AUG 2021
103USAKate GRACEQualified by Entry Standard1:57.20 – Stade Louis II, Monaco (MON) – 09 JUL 2021
4USAAjee WILSONQualified by Entry Standard1:57.23 – Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) – 26 JUN 2022
111KENMary MORAAQualified by Entry Standard1:57.45 – Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Nairobi (KEN) – 24 JUN 2022
121ETHHabitam ALEMUQualified by Entry Standard1:57.56 – National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) – 03 AUG 2021
134GBRAlexandra BELLQualified by Entry Standard1:57.66 – National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) – 03 AUG 2021
141FRARenelle LAMOTEQualified by Entry Standard1:57.98 – Stade Louis II, Monaco (MON) – 09 JUL 2021
5USAAllie WILSONQualified by Entry Standard1:58.18 – JSerra Catholic HS, San Juan Capistrano, CA (USA) – 06 MAY 2022
152KENFaith KIPYEGONQualified by Entry Standard1:58.18 – Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Nairobi (KEN) – 24 JUN 2022
162ETHDiribe WELTEJIQualified by Entry Standard1:58.28 – Stadion Śląski, Chorzów (POL) – 05 JUN 2022
6USASage HURTAQualified by Entry Standard1:58.30 – Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) – 24 JUN 2022
171RSAPrudence SEKGODISOQualified by Entry Standard1:58.41 – Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Nairobi (KEN) – 07 MAY 2022
181AUSCatriona BISSETQualified by Entry Standard1:58.42 – Stade Louis II, Monaco (MON) – 09 JUL 2021
7USAOlivia BAKERQualified by Entry Standard1:58.46 – Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) – 24 JUN 2022
193ETHHirut MESHESHAQualified by Entry Standard1:58.54 – Castellón (ESP) – 16 JUN 2022
8USASadi HENDERSONQualified by Entry Standard1:58.62 – Hughes Stadium, Sacramento, CA (USA) – 10 JUL 2021
9USASabrina SOUTHERLANDQualified by Entry Standard1:58.77 – Hughes Stadium, Sacramento, CA (USA) – 10 JUL 2021
10USANia AKINSQualified by Entry Standard1:58.82 – JSerra Catholic HS, San Juan Capistrano, CA (USA) – 06 MAY 2022
201ITAElena BELLÒQualified by Entry Standard1:58.97 – Stadio Olimpico, Roma (ITA) – 09 JUN 2022
211POLSofia ENNAOUIQualified by Entry Standard1:58.98 – Stadion Śląski, Chorzów (POL) – 05 JUN 2022
11USAJuliette WHITTAKERQualified by Entry Standard1:59.04 – Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) – 25 JUN 2022
221SUILore HOFFMANNQualified by Entry Standard1:59.06 – Bislett Stadion, Oslo (NOR) – 01 JUL 2021
12USABrooke FELDMEIERQualified by Entry Standard1:59.08 – Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) – 26 JUN 2022
231GERMajtie KOLBERGQualified by Entry Standard1:59.24 – VITA Atletiek, Ninove (BEL) – 17 JUL 2021
4ETHWorknesh MESELEQualified by Entry Standard1:59.39 – Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium, Bydgoszcz (POL) – 30 JUN 2021
5ETHFreweyni HAILUQualified by Entry Standard1:59.39 – Stadio Olimpico, Roma (ITA) – 09 JUN 2022
241FINSara KUIVISTOQualified by Entry Standard1:59.41 – National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) – 31 JUL 2021
251IRLLouise SHANAHANQualified by Entry Standard1:59.42 – Mary Peters Track, Belfast (GBR) – 14 MAY 2022
261SWELovisa LINDHQualified by Entry Standard1:59.49 – Boudewijnstadion, Bruxelles (BEL) – 03 SEP 2021
273KENJarinter Mawia MWASYA JECINTERQualified by Designated Competition1st – Cote d’Or National Sports Complex, St Pierre (MRI) – 12 JUN 2022
281URUDéborah RODRÍGUEZQualified by Designated Competition1st – Estadio Alberto Spencer Herrera, Guayaquil (ECU) – 31 MAY 2021
292AUSTess KIRSOPP-COLEQualified by Designated Competition1st – Aquatic and Recreation Centre, Mackay (AUS) – 08 JUN 2022
302GERChristina HERINGIn World Rankings quota*20th – 1257p
311CANLindsey BUTTERWORTHIn World Rankings quota*21st – 1255p
5GBRAdelle TRACEYIn World Rankings quota*24th – 1247p
321NORHedda HYNNEIn World Rankings quota*27th – 1232p
331BENNoélie YARIGOIn World Rankings quota*29th – 1231p
342POLAnna WIELGOSZIn World Rankings quota*30th – 1228p
4KENEglay Nafuna NALYANYAIn World Rankings quota*32nd – 1224p
6GBREllie BAKERIn World Rankings quota*33rd – 1223p
7GBRIsabelle BOFFEYIn World Rankings quota*34th – 1216p
8GBRJenny SELMANIn World Rankings quota*36th – 1209p
13USAChanelle PRICEIn World Rankings quota*37th – 1209p
5KENNaomi KORIRIn World Rankings quota*38th – 1207p
352JAMChrisann GORDON-POWELLIn World Rankings quota*41st – 1200p
362CANMadeleine KELLYIn World Rankings quota*42nd – 1200p
14USABrenna DETRAIn World Rankings quota*44th – 1196p
15USASamantha WATSONIn World Rankings quota*47th – 1192p
371HUNBianka BARTHA-KÉRIIn World Rankings quota*49th – 1186p
383POLAngelika SARNAIn World Rankings quota*50th – 1184p
391UKROlha LYAKHOVAIn World Rankings quota*52nd – 1183p
402FRACinthia ANAISIn World Rankings quota*53rd – 1180p

4
POLAdrianna CZAPLAIn World Rankings quota*54th – 1178p
413FRAAgnès RAHAROLAHYIn World Rankings quota*55th – 1175p
422CUBSahily DIAGO MESAIn World Rankings quota*56th – 1175p
431CZEDiana MEZULIÁNÍKOVÁIn World Rankings quota*57th – 1171p
16USACharlene LIPSEYIn World Rankings quota*58th – 1171p
441SLOAnita HORVATIn World Rankings quota*59th – 1170p
6KENVivian Chebet KIPROTICHIn World Rankings quota*60th – 1168p

5
POLMargarita KOCZANOWAIn World Rankings quota*61st – 1167p
17USAEmily RICHARDSIn World Rankings quota*62nd – 1166p
451MARAssia RAZIKIIn World Rankings quota*63rd – 1166p
18USAAnna CAMP BENNETTIn World Rankings quota*64th – 1163p
463AUSBendere OBOYAIn World Rankings quota*65th – 1163p
472SUIAudrey WERROIn World Rankings quota*66th – 1162p
482FINEveliina MÄÄTTÄNENIn World Rankings quota*67th – 1161p



5
POLMargarita KOCZANOWAIn World Rankings quota*61st – 1167p
17USAEmily RICHARDSIn World Rankings quota*62nd – 1166p
451MARAssia RAZIKIIn World Rankings quota*63rd – 1166p
18USAAnna CAMP BENNETTIn World Rankings quota*64th – 1163p
463AUSBendere OBOYAIn World Rankings quota*65th – 1163p
472SUIAudrey WERROIn World Rankings quota*66th – 1162p
482FINEveliina MÄÄTTÄNENIn World Rankings quota*67th – 1161p


Top-20 global rankings before respective national championships

PlaceCompetitorDOBNatScoreEvent List
1Keely HODGKINSON03 MAR 2002GBRGBR1436800m
2Athing MU08 JUN 2002USAUSA1427800m
3Kate GRACE24 OCT 1988USAUSA1381800m
4Natoya GOULE30 MAR 1991JAMJAM1380800m
5Jemma REEKIE06 MAR 1998GBRGBR1371800m
6Raevyn ROGERS07 SEP 1996USAUSA1363800m
7Habitam ALEMU09 JUL 1997ETHETH1344800m
8Renelle LAMOTE26 DEC 1993FRAFRA1334800m
9Halimah NAKAAYI16 OCT 1994UGAUGA1334800m [800m ind.]
10Ajee WILSON08 MAY 1994USAUSA1326800m [800m ind.]
11Catriona BISSET01 MAR 1994AUSAUS1314800m [800m ind.]
12Mary MORAA15 JUN 2000KENKEN1309800m
13Rose Mary ALMANZA13 JUL 1992CUBCUB1293800m
14Alexandra BELL04 NOV 1992GBRGBR1290800m
15Chunyu WANG17 JAN 1995CHNCHN1283800m
16Lore HOFFMANN25 JUL 1996SUISUI1283800m [800m ind.]
17Elena BELLÒ18 JAN 1997ITAITA1275800m [800m ind.]
18Lovisa LINDH09 JUL 1991SWESWE1268800m
19Lindsey BUTTERWORTH27 SEP 1992CANCAN1263800m [800m ind.]
20Prudence SEKGODISO05 JAN 2002RSARSA1259800m