1974 European Athletics Championships – Men's 800 metres explained

Event:	Men's 800 metres
Competition:	European Athletics Championships

The men's 800 metres at the 1974 European Athletics Championships was held in Rome, Italy, at Stadio Olimpico on 2, 3, and 4 September 1974.

The winning margin was 1.69 seconds which with the conclusion of the 2024 championships remains the only time the men's 800 metres has been won by more than a second at these championships.

Medalists

Gold	Luciano Sušanj
Silver	Steve Ovett
Bronze	Markku Taskinen

Results

Final

4 September

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
	align=left		align=left		1:44.07	NR CR
	align=left		align=left		1:45.76
	align=left		align=left		1:45.89
4	align=left		align=left		1:46.02
5	align=left		align=left		1:46.19
6	align=left		align=left		1:46.28
7	align=left		align=left		1:46.29
8	align=left		align=left		1:46.31

Semi-finals

3 September

Semi-final 1

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	align=left		align=left		1:47.1	Q
2	align=left		align=left		1:47.2	Q
3	align=left		align=left		1:47.4	Q
4	align=left		align=left		1:47.4	Q
5	align=left		align=left		1:47.5
6	align=left		align=left		1:47.7
7	align=left		align=left		1:47.9
8	align=left		align=left		1:48.6

Semi-final 2

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	align=left		align=left		1:47.6	Q
2	align=left		align=left		1:47.7	Q
3	align=left		align=left		1:47.7	Q
4	align=left		align=left		1:47.7	Q
5	align=left		align=left		1:47.8
6	align=left		align=left		1:48.0
7	align=left		align=left		1:48.5
8	align=left		align=left		1:48.6

Heats

2 September

Heat 1

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	align=left		align=left		1:47.7	Q
2	align=left		align=left		1:47.7	Q
3	align=left		align=left		1:47.8	Q
4	align=left		align=left		1:47.9
5	align=left		align=left		1:48.1
6	align=left		align=left		1:48.2
7	align=left		align=left		1:50.2

Heat 2

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	align=left		align=left		1:46.9	Q
2	align=left		align=left		1:47.0	Q
3	align=left		align=left		1:47.1	Q
4	align=left		align=left		1:47.1	q
5	align=left		align=left		1:47.5	NR q
6	align=left		align=left		1:47.5	q
7	align=left		align=left		1:47.6	q

Heat 3

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	align=left		align=left		1:48.4	Q
2	align=left		align=left		1:48.6	Q
3	align=left		align=left		1:48.7	Q
4	align=left		align=left		1:48.9
5	align=left		align=left		1:48.9
6	align=left		align=left		1:49.8
7	align=left		align=left		1:50.9

Heat 4

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
1	align=left		align=left		1:49.7	Q
2	align=left		align=left		1:49.8	Q
3	align=left		align=left		1:49.9	Q
4	align=left		align=left		1:50.0
5	align=left		align=left		1:50.1
6	align=left		align=left		1:54.2

Participation

According to an unofficial count, 27 athletes from 19 countries participated in the event.

• (1)
• (2)
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• (3)
• (1)
• (1)
• (1)
• (1)
• (1)
• (1)
• (1)
• (1)
• (2)
• (2)
• (1)
• (1)
• (2)
• (3)
• (1)