Posted: January 6, 2006

Athletics: 800M Running History Goes Under The Hammer – What’s Your Bid?

Monte-Carlo - The competition vest of Wilson Kipketer of Denmark, which he wore when setting the current World record for 800m, the 1997 World 800m Championship winning body suit of Cuba’s Ana Quirot, and the Sydney Olympic gold medal competition kit and track suit of Maria Mutola of Mozambique are just three more of the stunning items of athletics history which will be up for auction beginning Monday 16 January. Details of the web based auction venue and the bidding process will be confirmed shortly.

The IAAF’s humanitarian project ‘Athletics for a Better World: The IAAF Stars’ Donation Fund’, offers fans of World and Olympic track and field athletics the chance to buy pieces of unique sporting history.

Fifty star athletes from the Olympics’ number one sport, 23 of whom have been World Record breakers during their career have donated items of personal memorabilia associated with some of their greatest sporting triumphs, to the project whose proceeds are to be distributed between three United Nations organisations, FAO, UNICEF and the WFP.

Check out – IAAF.org for further information.

World 800m record – 1:41.11

On 24 August 1997, Wilson Kipketer of Denmark who earlier in the month had successfully defended his World 800m title in Athens, sped to a 1:41.11 World record for the men’s 800m in Cologne, Germany. This was to be the third, and last 800m World record for the Kenyan born Kipketer, who took his third World title in 1999.

Kipketer’s signed 1997 World Record breaking kit will be up for auction on 16 January.

1997 World Championships - women’s 800m gold

On 9 August 1997 in Athens, Greece, Cuba’s Ana Quirot followed the fast pace of Mozambique’s Maria Mutola, and kicked to victory some 50m from the finish to become the first repeat winner of a global title in the women’s 800m. Her winning time was 1:57.14.

Quirot’s 1997 World 800m Championship signed winning body suit will be up for auction on 16 January.

2000 Olympic Games – women’s 800m gold

On 25 September 2000, Maria Mutola of Mozambique at last managed to add Olympic gold to what was then her list of five 800m World indoor and outdoor titles. After going through the fastest ever first half in a global 800m championship (55.04), Mutola took the lead at the start of the home straight and sprinted home to a 1:56.15 win.

Mutola’s signed Olympic winning competition kit and track suit will be up for auction on 16 January.

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