Women's Olympic 800m: From Banned Event to Marquee Race

The women's 800m has become one of the most closely watched events at major athletics championships, according to a report by BBC Sport, despite a history that once saw it removed entirely from the Olympic programme.

The event made its Olympic debut in 1928, BBC Sport reported, but was subsequently cut from the Games. The report did not specify the exact year of its return, but noted that the race is now often billed as a must-see event at major athletics championships.

BBC Sport's account examines the trajectory of the event from its early exclusion to its current status as a headline fixture, though the report did not detail the specific reasons cited at the time for the event's removal or the process by which it was eventually reinstated.

The women's 800m has in recent years featured prominently in Olympic and world championship schedules, drawing significant attention from fans and broadcasters, according to the report.