Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics
The athletics competitions at the 2012 Olympic Games in London were held during the last 10 days of the Games, on 3–12 August. Track and field events took place at the Olympic Stadium in east London. The road events, however, started and finished on The Mall in central London.[3]
| Athletics at the Games of the XXX Olympiad | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Venue | Olympic Stadium |
| Dates | 3–12 August |
| Competitors | 2,231 (1,160 men, 1,071 women)[1][2] |
Over 2,000 athletes from 201 nations competed in 47 events in total, with both men and women having a very similar schedule of events. Men competed in 24 events and women in 23, of which 21 were the same for both. The women's schedule lacked the 50 km race walk and included 100 m hurdles and heptathlon as opposed to the men's 110 m hurdles and decathlon. The youngest participant in the athletics competition was Andorran 15-year-old Cristina Llovera while the oldest was 46-year-old Ukrainian Oleksandr Dryhol.[4] South African Oscar Pistorius became the first amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympics.[5]
Competition schedule
The venue for the track and field events was the Olympic Stadium while the walks and the marathons started and finished on The Mall.[6] In the tables below, M stands for morning and A for afternoon.
| P | Preliminary round | Q | Qualification | H | Heats | ½ | Semifinals | F | Final |
| Date → | 3 Aug | 4 Aug | 5 Aug | 6 Aug | 7 Aug | 8 Aug | 9 Aug | 10 Aug | 11 Aug | 12 Aug | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event ↓ | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | |||
| 100 m | Q | H | ½ | F | |||||||||||||||||||
| 200 m | H | ½ | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 400 m | H | ½ | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 800 m | H | ½ | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1500 m | H | ½ | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 5000 m | H | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 10,000 m | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 110 m hurdles | H | ½ | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 400 m hurdles | H | ½ | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 3000 m steeplechase | H | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 × 100 m relay | H | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 × 400 m relay | H | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Marathon | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 km walk | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 50 km walk | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long jump | Q | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Triple jump | Q | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| High jump | Q | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Pole vault | Q | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Shot put | Q | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Discus throw | Q | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Javelin throw | Q | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Hammer throw | Q | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Decathlon | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date → | 3 Aug | 4 Aug | 5 Aug | 6 Aug | 7 Aug | 8 Aug | 9 Aug | 10 Aug | 11 Aug | 12 Aug | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event ↓ | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | M | A | ||
| 100 m | H | ½ | F | |||||||||||||||||||
| 200 m | H | ½ | F | |||||||||||||||||||
| 400 m | H | ½ | F | |||||||||||||||||||
| 800 m | H | ½ | F | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1500 m | H | ½ | F | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5000 m | H | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 10,000 m | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 100 m hurdles | H | ½ | F | |||||||||||||||||||
| 400 m hurdles | H | ½ | F | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3000 m steeplechase | H | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 × 100 m relay | H | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 × 400 m relay | H | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Marathon | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 km walk | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Long jump | Q | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Triple jump | Q | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| High jump | Q | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pole vault | Q | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Shot put | Q | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Discus throw | Q | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Javelin throw | Q | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hammer throw | Q | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Heptathlon | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medal summary
(WR = World Record, OR = Olympic Record)
Medal table
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9 | 12 | 7 | 28 |
| 2 |  | 4 | 5 | 3 | 12 |
| 3 |  | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 4 |  | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 5 |  | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 6 |  | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 |
| 7 |  | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 |  | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 |  | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 |
| 10 |  | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| 11 |  | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 12 |  | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 13 |  | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 14 |  | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 15 |  | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 16 |  | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 27 |  | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 28 |  | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 34 |  | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 35 |  | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (42 nations) | 47 | 47 | 48 | 142 | |
Note: Three competitors tied for bronze in the men's high jump event.
Men
- *Indicates the athlete only competed in the preliminary heats.
- 4 × 100 metres relay Tyson Gay was stripped of his silver medal due to a doping violation.[8] The United States team was disqualified.[9][10]
- 50 kilometres walk On 24 March 2016, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has issued decision that all competitive results obtained by Sergey Kirdyapkin of Russia from 20 August 2009 to 15 October 2012 are disqualified.[11] Redistribution of the medals in this event occurred in 17 June 2016, with Tallent awarded the gold medal by the IOC at a ceremony in Melbourne, Australia,[12] with Si claiming silver and Heffernan bronze.
- high jump Gold medalist Ivan Ukhov of Russia was disqualified for doping in 2019. Medals are not yet reallocated.[13]
- javelin throw Original silver medalist Oleksandr Pyatnytsya of Ukraine was stripped of his silver medal and result following a positive finding in a retest of his 2012 anti-doping sample.[14][15] On 24 February 2017 Antti Ruuskanen received the silver medal in Finland.[16] On 28 June 2017 Vítězslav Veselý received the bronze medal in Czech Republic.[17]
Women
- *Indicates the athlete only competed in the preliminary heats.
- 800 metres On 10 February 2017, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a four-year ban that effectively stripped of the gold medal of Mariya Savinova of Russia, based upon her biological passport.[18] Caster Semenya of South Africa was advanced to gold, Ekaterina Poistogova of Russia to silver, and Pamela Jelimo of Kenya to bronze. Poistogova herself was later found guilty of doping, but her Olympic results were unaffected, and the IOC decided to upgrade her medal.
- 1500 metres On 17 August 2015, the Court of Arbitration for Sport says it approved a settlement agreed to by Turkish athlete Aslı Çakır Alptekin and the IAAF. Alptekin has agreed to forfeit her 1500 metres Olympic title and serve an eight-year ban for blood doping.[19][20] On 29 March 2017, Turkish athlete Gamze Bulut was banned for doping and lost her Olympic silver medal.[21] Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain was advanced to gold, the silver medal was awarded to Tatyana Tomashova of Russia, and the bronze medal was awarded to Abeba Aregawi of Ethiopia. Tomashova was earlier found guilty of doping and missed the 2008 Olympics because of that, and was banned after the Olympics for failing another drug test.
- 3000 metres steeplechase On 30 January 2015, the IOC confirmed that runner Yuliya Zaripova, Russia, will be stripped of her gold medal in the 3,000 metres steeplechase after testing positive for anabolic steroids.[22] On 4 June 2016, the gold medal was officially reallocated to second place Habiba Ghribi from Tunisia by the IOC[23] and IAAF updated the results.
- 4 x 400 relay On 1 February 2017, the International Olympic Committee stripped the silver medal of the Russian team due to doping of Antonina Krivoshapka[24] Medals were reallocated.
- 20 kilometres walk On 24 March 2016, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has issued decision that all competitive results obtained by Olga Kaniskina from 15 August 2009 to 15 October 2012 are disqualified.[11][25] Qieyang Shenjie of China was advanced to silver, and Liu Hong of China to bronze.
- high jump Bronze medalist Svetlana Shkolina of Russia was disqualified for doping in 2019. Medals are not yet reallocated.[13]
- shot put The original winner, Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus, was stripped of her gold medal shortly after the event after failing a doping test. The rest of the competitors were elevated by one position accordingly. On 20 August 2016, Yevgeniya Kolodko of Russia was also stripped of her silver medal after retested samples from the competition returned a positive doping result.[26] Gong Lijiao of China was advanced to silver, and Li Ling of China to bronze.
- discus throw The original silver medalist, Darya Pishchalnikova of Russia, was stripped of her silver medal after failing drugs tests. The rest of the competitors were elevated by one position accordingly.[27]
- hammer throw The original gold medalist, Tatyana Lysenko of Russia, was stripped of her gold medal after failing drugs tests.[28] Medals were reallocated.
- heptathlon On 29 November 2016, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has issued decision that all competitive results of original bronze medalist Tatyana Chernova of Russia between 15 August 2011 and 22 July 2013 are annulled.[29][30] The bronze medal was awarded to Austra Skujytė of Lithuania.
Records
World and Olympic records
A total of four world records in athletics and eleven Olympic records were broken during the competition. This was fewer than were set at the Beijing Olympics (5 world, 17 Olympic records) but greater than the number set at the 2004 Games in Athens (2 world, 10 Olympic records).
China's Chen Ding was the first Olympic record breaker, improving the men's 20 km walk record.[31] All three Olympic walk records were broken in London as Sergey Kirdyapkin bettered the Olympic 50 km walk time and Elena Lashmanova set a new world record in the women's 20 km walk.[32][33]
Usain Bolt was the first track athlete to improve an Olympic record as he defended his 100 m title with a run of 9.63 s.[34] He later joined the Jamaican 4 × 100 metres relay team (featuring Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake) to set a world record time of 36.84 s.[35] The women's 4 × 100 metres relay event also saw a world record: an American team of Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter ran 40.82 seconds to take half a second off a record which had stood for nearly 27 years.[36][37] Further women's Olympic records were set by Ethiopia's Tiki Gelana in the marathon and Sally Pearson in the 100 metres hurdles.
David Rudisha improved his own 800 metres world record to 1:40.91 minutes, becoming the first man to break that record at the Olympics since Ralph Doubell did so at the 1968 Games.[38] Renaud Lavillenie was the only man to break a field event record, as he cleared an Olympic best of 5.97 m to win the pole vault competition.[39]
| Event | Date | Name | Nationality | Result | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 100 metres | 5 August | Usain Bolt | | 9.63 | OR |
| Men's 800 metres | 9 August | David Rudisha | | 1:40.91 | WR OR |
| Men's 4 × 100 metres relay | 11 August | Nesta Carter Michael Frater Yohan Blake Usain Bolt | | 36.84 | WR OR |
| Men's 20 kilometres walk | 4 August | Chen Ding | | 1:18:46 | OR |
| Men's 50 kilometres walk | 11 August | Jared Tallent | | 3:36:53 | OR |
| Men's 50 kilometres walk | 11 August | | |||
| Men's pole vault | 10 August | Renaud Lavillenie | | 5.97 m | OR |
| Women's 100 metres hurdles | 7 August | Sally Pearson | | 12.35 | OR |
| Women's marathon | 5 August | Tiki Gelana | | 2:23:07 | OR |
| Women's 20 kilometres walk | 11 August | Elena Lashmanova | | 1:25:02 | WR OR |
| Women's 4 × 100 metres relay | 10 August | Tianna Madison Allyson Felix Bianca Knight Carmelita Jeter | | 40.82 | WR OR |
| Women's hammer throw | 10 August | | |||
Doping
Prior to the Olympic competition, several prominent athletes were ruled out of the competition due to failed tests. World indoor medallists Dimitrios Chondrokoukis, Debbie Dunn, and Mariem Alaoui Selsouli were withdrawn from their Olympic teams in July for doping, as was 2004 Olympic medallist Zoltán Kővágó.[40][41][42] At the Olympic competition, Tameka Williams admitted to taking a banned stimulant and was removed from the games.[43] Ivan Tsikhan did not compete in the hammer throw as a re-test of his sample from the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he won silver, was positive.[44] Hassan Hirt,[45] Amine Laâlou,[46] Marina Marghieva,[47] Diego Palomeque,[48] and defending 50 km walk champion Alex Schwazer were also suspended before taking part in their events.[49]
Syrian hurdler Ghfran Almouhamad became the first track-and-field athlete to be suspended following a positive in-competition doping sample.[50] Nadzeya Astapchuk was stripped of the women's shot put title after her sample came back positive for the banned anabolic agent metenolone.[51] Karin Melis Mey was withdrawn before the long jump final when an earlier failed doping test was confirmed.[52]
Multiple medalists were found guilty of doping after the Olympics. Russia has the most (9) medals stripped.
References
- Number of Entries By Event Archived 4 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF (27 July 2012). Retrieved on 29 July 2012.
- Number of athlete totals based upon information available on 27 July 2012. Totals include reserve athletes (back-ups for injuries/non-starters etc).
- "Marathon Venue". London 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- Athletics at the 2012 London Summer Games. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- "Oscar Pistorius makes Olympic history in 400m at London 2012". BBC News. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
- "London 2012 Athletics - Results & Videos". 10 August 2016.
- Olympic sport competition schedule.
- "US Track & Field Athlete, Gay, Accepts Sanction For Anti-Doping Rule Violation". United States Anti-Doping Agency. 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- "France relay team finally gets Olympic bronze medal". USA Today. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- "2012 Olympic 4x100m relay medals officially reallocated after U.S. team stripped of silver". NBS Sports. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- "The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Upholds Six Appeals Filed by the IAAF Against Russian Athlete" (PDF). tas-cas.org. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- Press, Australian Associated (17 June 2016). "Jared Tallent finally awarded his 2012 Olympic gold medal in Melbourne". theguardian.com. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- "The Court of Arbitration (CAS) issues decisions in 12 first-instance disciplinary procedures concerning Russian track and field athletes" (PDF). 1 February 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- IOC sanctions 4 athletes for failing anti-doping tests. from Olympic.org
- "London 2012 javelin throw men - Olympic Athletics". 10 August 2016.
- "Antti Ruuskanen saa olympiahopeansa Lahden MM-kisojen yhteydessä". kaleva.fi. Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- "Veselý se dočkal olympijské medaile. Asi skončí u babičky, usmál se". iDNES.cz. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- "Mariya Savinova: Russian London 2012 gold medallist stripped of title". 10 February 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via www.bbc.com.
- Association, Press (17 August 2015). "Turkey's Asli Cakir Alptekin stripped of Olympic 1500m title for doping" – via The Guardian.
- "London 2012 1500m women - Olympic Athletics". 9 August 2016.
- "Sport news, results and live scores from New Zealand and around the world". Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via www.nzherald.co.nz.
- "Russian set to be stripped of London 2012 Olympic title after doping ban". Insidethegames.biz. 30 January 2015.
- "Ghribi receives Olympic and world gold medals". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- "IOC sanctions three athletes for failing anti-doping test at London 2012". olympic.org. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- "London 2012 20km race walk women - Olympic Athletics". 9 August 2016.
- "IOC sanctions Evgeniia Kolodko for failing anti-doping test at London 2012". 20 August 2016.
- "Russian stripped of Olympic medal in discus for doping". CBCsports. 1 May 2013.
- "IOC sanctions Tatyana Lysenko for failing anti-doping test at London 2012". olympic.org. 25 January 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- "The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issues decisions in the cases of Tatyana Chernova, Ekaterina Sharmina and Kristina Ugarova" (PDF). tas-cas.org. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- "Russian heptathlete Chernova loses medals". espn.com. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- Chen Race Walks home to gold. London 2012. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Sergey Kirdyapkin wins Olympics 50km walk gold in record time Archived 15 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine. BBC Sport (11 August 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Aspin, Guy (11 August 2011). Russia's Elena Lashmanova sets new world record in thrilling finish to women's 20km race walk . The Independent. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Hayward, Paul (6 August 2012). Usain Bolt wins men's 100m Olympic final in 9.63 seconds to seal legacy. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Garside, Kevin (12 August 2012). Brilliant Usain Bolt leads Jamaica quartet to world record in 4 × 100 m relay. The Independent. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- 40.82! USA shatters women’s 4 × 100 m relay World Record in London!. IAAF (10 August 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- 4x100 Metres Relay All Time. IAAF. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009 Archived 6 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. (pages 546, 548). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Rowbottom, Mike (10 August 2012). Lavillenie – doing his best to continue the story of French vault success. IAAF. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Debbie Dunn withdraws from Olympics after positive drugs test. The Guardian (14 July 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- London 2012: Two more athletes withdrawn over anti-doping tests. The Guardian (26 July 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- London 2012: Selsouli to miss Games after failed drugs test. BBC Sport (25 July 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- London 2012 Olympics: Sprinter Tameka Williams sent home over drugs . Scotsman (30 July 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Ivan Tsikhan tests positive. ESPN (3 August 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- French runner Hirt fails EPO test - source. Reuters (10 August 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- London 2012: Amine Laalou, Moroccan 1500m runner, fails doping test. The Guardian (3 August 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Moldova hammer thrower tossed for doping test. Sports Illustrated (4 August 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Olympics 400m: Colombian Diego Palomeque fails drugs test. BBC Sport (12 August 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Anzolin, Elisa (8 August 2012). Athletics - Tearful Schwazer relieved by doping ban. Reuters. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- London 2012: Positive doping test for Syrian athlete Ghfran Almouhamad. The Guardian (11 August 2012). Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Bryant, Tom (13 August 2012). Belarus shot putter Nadzeya Ostapchuk stripped of gold for doping. The Guardian. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
- Two Olympians banned over doping. Sky News Australia (19 December 2012) Retrieved on 3 March 2012
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics. |
- "Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics (London2012.com)". Archived from the original on 28 February 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2012.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- "Official athlete biographies (London2012.com)". Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2012.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics at SR/Olympics
- IAAF Olympics webpage
- BBC Sport Olympic athletics website
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