| Host City: Helsinki, Finland |
Format: First round (First 3 & 4 fastest to semi-finals) (Aug 7) |
| Dates: 7–14 August 1983 |
Format: Semi-finals (First 4 to final) (Aug 8) |
| Nations participating: 153 |
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| Athletes participating: 1,355 |
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Main venue: Helsinki Olympic Stadium
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| Overview by IAAF |
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| For some observers, Kratochvílová’s greatest moment in Helsinki came the day before her 400m world record. The Czech runner was faced with a 400m semi-final and an 800m final within 35 minutes. She comfortably won the first of the 400m semi-finals in 51.08 before receiving a massage in preparation for the two-lap final. Precisely 33:27.5 after the finish of that first 400m semi, the gun fired for the 800m final. The leader at the break from lanes in the final was Gurina. She was overtaken by Podkopayeva, who went through the bell in 57.59. After the race, the Soviet duo said they felt they should have set a faster pace. As it was, Kratochvílová stayed comfortably in third place until Gurina went to the front again on the final backstraight. Kratochvílová quickly covered this move, but held back for a further 100m before taking the lead herself. The Czech runner opened up a gap of 10m on the final bend and raced further away in the straight. She crossed the line in 1:54.68, a time which only one other woman had ever bettered. Her final 200m had taken just 27.3 – quicker than three of the runners in the men’s 800m final. |
| These are the official results of the Women's 800 metres event at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 27 participating athletes, with four qualifying heats, two semi-finals and the final held on Tuesday 9 August 1983. |
Records
Existing records at the start of the event.
| World record |
 Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH) |
1:53.28 |
Munich, West Germany |
July 26, 1983 |
| Championship record |
New event |
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800m |
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9 August |
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Final |
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| 1 |
Jarmila Kratochvílová |
TCH |
26 Jan 51 |
1.54.68 |
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| 2 |
Lyubov Gurina |
URS |
6 Aug 57 |
1.56.11 |
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| 3 |
Yekaterina Podkopayeva |
URS |
11 Jun 52 |
1.57.58 |
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| 4 |
Margrit Klinger |
FRG |
22 Jun 60 |
1.58.11 |
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| 5 |
Robin Campbell |
USA |
25 Jan 59 |
2.00.03 |
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| 6 |
Doina Melinte |
ROU |
27 Dec 56 |
2.00.13 |
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| 7 |
Milena Strnadová |
TCH |
23 May 61 |
2.01.72 |
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| 8 |
Antje Schröder |
GDR |
2 Sep 63 |
2.02.13 |
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Semifinals |
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8 August |
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Heat 1 |
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| 1 |
Yekaterina Podkopayeva |
URS |
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1.59.55 |
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| 2 |
Jarmila Kratochvilova |
TCH |
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1.59.58 |
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| 3 |
Milena Matejkovicova-Strnadova |
TCH |
|
2.00.02 |
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| 4 |
Robin Campbell |
USA |
|
2.00.22 |
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| 5 |
Jolanta Januchta |
POL |
|
2.01.23 |
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| 6 |
Jill McCabe |
SWE |
|
2.01.92 |
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| 7 |
Elena Lina |
ROU |
|
2.03.59 |
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| 8 |
Celestine N'Drin |
CIV |
|
2.08.14 |
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Heat 2 |
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| 1 |
Lyubov Gurina |
URS |
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1.59.33 |
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| 2 |
Antje Schroder |
GDR |
|
1.59.46 |
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| 3 |
Margrit Klinger |
FRG |
|
1.59.49 |
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| 4 |
Doina Melinte |
ROU |
|
1.59.60 |
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| 5 |
Zuzana Moravcikova |
TCH |
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1.59.96 |
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| 6 |
Totka Petrova |
BUL |
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2.01.32 |
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| 7 |
Tina Krebs |
DEN |
|
2.02.19 |
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| 8 |
Jennifer Bean |
BER |
|
2.12.93 |
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Heats |
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7 August |
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Heat 1 |
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| 1 |
Margrit Klinger |
FRG |
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2.02.08 |
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| 2 |
Jolanta Januchta |
POL |
|
2.02.58 |
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| 3 |
Milena Matejkovicova-Strnadova |
TCH |
|
2.02.60 |
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| 4 |
Elena Lina |
ROU |
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2.04.50 |
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| 5 |
Attina Sawtell |
CKI |
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2.18.25 |
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| 6 |
Kungu Bakombo |
COD |
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2.19.68 |
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Heat 2 |
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| 1 |
Yekaterina Podkopayeva |
URS |
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2.06.42 |
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| 2 |
Totka Petrova |
BUL |
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2.06.60 |
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| 3 |
Zuzana Moravcikova |
TCH |
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2.06.76 |
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| 4 |
Jill McCabe |
SWE |
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2.07.23 |
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| 5 |
Maria Lomba |
STP |
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2.21.90 |
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| - |
Fatalmoudou Toure |
MLI |
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DQ |
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Heat 3 |
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| 1 |
Antje Schroder |
GDR |
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2.10.61 |
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| 2 |
Jarmila Kratochvilova |
TCH |
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2.12.35 |
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| 3 |
Celestine N'Drin |
CIV |
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2.12.52 |
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| 4 |
Hala El Moughrabi |
SYR |
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2.15.37 |
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| 5 |
Eucaris Caicedo |
COL |
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2.17.06 |
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| 6 |
Sofiya Mohamed |
COM |
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2.55.64 |
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| - |
Irina Podyalovskaya |
URS |
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DNS |
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Heat 4 |
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| 1 |
Lyubov Gurina |
URS |
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2.04.17 |
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| 2 |
Doina Melinte |
ROU |
|
2.04.30 |
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| 3 |
Robin Campbell |
USA |
|
2.04.83 |
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| 4 |
Tina Krebs |
DEN |
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2.05.49 |
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| 5 |
Jennifer Bean |
BER |
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2.13.80 |
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| 6 |
Be Trinh Thi |
VIE |
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2.17.54 |
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| 7 |
Khadija Al Matari |
JOR |
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2.28.72 |
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| Order / Lane | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | PB | SB 1983 |
|---|
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Kungu Bakombo |
 COD |
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Jolanta Januchta |
 POL |
1:56.95 |
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Margrit Klinger |
 FRG |
1:57.22 |
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Elena Lina |
 ROU |
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Milena Matejkovicova-Strnadová |
 TCH |
1:57.28 |
1:57.28 |
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Attina Sawtell |
 COK |
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| Order / Lane | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | PB | SB 1983 |
|---|
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Maria Lomba |
 STP |
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Jill McCabe |
 SWE |
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Zuzana Moravcikova |
TCH |
1:56.96 |
1:56.96 |
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Totka Petrova |
 BUL |
1:56.2 |
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Yekaterina Podkopayeva |
 URS |
1:55.96 |
1:55.96 |
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Fatalmoudou Toure |
 MLI |
2:19.3 |
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| Order / Lane | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | PB | SB 1983 |
|---|
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Eucaris Caicedo |
 COL |
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Hala El Moughrabi |
 SYR |
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Jarmila Kratochvílová |
TCH |
1:53.28 |
1:53.28 |
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Sofiya Mohamed |
 COM |
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Célestine N'Drin |
 CIV |
2:04.34 |
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Irina Podyalovskaya |
URS |
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Antje Schröder |
 GDR |
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| Order / Lane | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | PB | SB 1983 |
|---|
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Khadija Al Matari |
 JOR |
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Jennifer Bean |
 BER |
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Robin Campbell |
 USA |
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Lyubov Gurina |
URS |
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Tina Krebs |
 DEN |
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Doina Melinte |
ROU |
1:55.05 |
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Trinh Thi Be |
 VIE |
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