[2] The event was won by 0.46 seconds by David Rudisha of Kenya, the fourth man to successfully defend Olympic gold in the 800 metres.

The United States had an even longer medal-less streak broken, as Clayton Murphy's bronze was their first since 1992.

[4][2] Djibouti, Kosovo, Slovenia, and the Refugee Olympic Team appeared in the event for the first time.

Great Britain made its 27th appearance, most among all nations, having had no competitors in the event only in the 1904 Games in St. Louis.

In the first round, Amos was a surprise elimination, faring poorly at the end of a slow, tactical race.

[6] In the final, Kenyan trials winner Kipketer took the lead, closing off Rudisha's challenge after the break.

Makhloufi set the national record for Algeria and became the seventeenth fastest man in history.

[8] Rudisha joined Douglas Lowe, Mal Whitfield and Peter Snell in defending the Olympic 800 metres championship, the first to accomplish the feat in over 50 years.