It all started with Andreas Almgren: the name that’s sprawled over countless headlines, Instagram posts, TikToks. Ever since he won the Valencia 10km last week in that European record time of 26:45, he’s been there. Would it surprise you to know that the majority of his professional career up until 2019 was as an 800m specialist? He only made his 10km road race debut two years ago at age 28.

Then there’s Alex Bell. She was the second highest placed British woman in Valencia and 11th overall. She is also a former 800m runner who first ventured out onto the roads two years ago. Jess Warner-Judd, formerly the fastest ever European woman at the Valencia 10km with her 30:41 in 2024, is another who comes to mind. She made her transition from the 800m around the same time as Almgren.

The list goes on, but I’ll stop there. What is clear is that there seems to be an increasing pattern of athletes creeping their way up the distances to leave behind one in particular: the 800m. Is it perhaps the shortest track career to exist? Maybe, and let’s take a look at why.

The 800m: A Split of Personalities

Before I begin any analysis, let me start off by specifying what it is these athletes have in common that allows them to make not only such big, but also successful, moves up in distance. If you’re familiar with running, you’ll know that 800m runners are often divided into two groups. Those are the 800m/1500m runners or 400m/800m runners.

This is because the 800m can be approached from two different standpoints. The approach depends on whether an athlete relies more on natural speed, or is stronger on an endurance front. The perfect balance of course is a mix of the two. Only a certain level of endurance can draw out that finishing speed. That said, it’s generally thought, and with the likes of Keely Hodgkinson and Mary Moraa the medals tend to prove, that the 400m/800m combination is the strongest.

The names I mentioned at the beginning of the article? Not one of them competed on a senior professional level in the 400m. If your training and skillset is already geared towards more aerobic fitness and less pure speed work, a move towards more mileage and lower paces is a lot easier to make.

Career Stage Makes a Difference

With that in mind, let me bring you to the first reason as to why we’re seeing so many athletes shun the 800m for longer distances. This has to do with the stage in their career and the surrounding circumstances. Take the women’s 800m entries at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships for example. Of those 55, only 10 were aged over 30 (18%). Whereas, in the women’s marathon, 44 out of 73 (60%) were in that age bracket. Both marathon winners, male and female, were over 30. In the 800m? The only medallist over 30, across both the male and female categories, was Georgia Hunter-Bell. That being said, her professional career as an 800m runner only began a few years ago.

Now these stats aren’t just for fun – they’re telling us something. That something speaks to the sheer intensity of the training needed for this event. For some, like Almgren himself has said, it comes down to just one too many injuries. For others, it will be age-based. Almost all get to that point at the latter stages of an 800m career where the training is just too much.

The 800m walks that fine line between the sprints and distance running. The combination of those two focal points makes for high mileage at high paces. This is something a body can only sustain for so long. There is maybe a misconception that the marathon, simply due to its length, is a harder event to master as you age. However, at the point when your natural speed decreases, aerobic fitness can still be built up. That is the key. With the number of up and coming young athletes in the 800m, success is bound to wane. Therefore, the opportunity to lower the intensity of training by moving up a distance is a welcome one.

Times Make Headlines on the Roads

Speaking of success, what it is, and who we deem to have it, is very much relevant in this discussion. I mentioned Alex Bell in my introduction. While you may have heard her name floated around this past week because of her great performance in Valencia. What you probably wouldn’t know is that she was a finalist in the 800m at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

To come 7th overall on the biggest global stage is arguably more impressive than her 11th place at Valencia last week, but the difference is in the recognition. On the road and with longer distances in general, what we’re looking at is performance.

Times.

In these races which aren’t stacked with the biggest names and are often dominated by specific nations, each country looks to their own runners. While they may be back in 20th, if they were the first of their team to cross the line, or set a new personal best, then you bet they make a headline.

When it comes to the track though, how many times do we look at past 1st, 2nd or 3rd at a championship race? The focus is on the medals and no matter how well you did by making that final, unless it’s a national record, chances are you won’t be talked about.

What is Elite?

This is not to say that 800m runners who make the transition to road racing weren’t successful or elite in their field. I’m saying we’ve lost sight of what it is to be elite. Having no individual global medals to your name but still making multiple finals is an achievement in itself and something few manage to do in their careers. It just so happens that the 800m is one of the most competitive and challenging events both technically and physically. That leaves many athletes in a sort of vacuum, flying just under the radar of public recognition.

Road racing gives them that spotlight. Moreover, it does so in a way that is more enjoyable than the high pressure environment of major championships and the inevitable frustration that comes with never quite making that podium. That frustration in itself, let alone the training, is enough to wear you down.

But let’s not forget who we’re talking about: these are athletes, and a key part of that is mentality. A drive for success, to push the limits, exceed expectations. That brings me to my final point.

Now, more than ever, we’re seeing this trend of athletes switching disciplines, and not just in the distance field. Take Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone for example, who made the move to focus on the 400m flat last year. She ended up finishing that same season as world champion. The same goes for Sifan Hassan. She was another athlete at the top of her field in the 1500m with multiple records and gold medals under her belt. She made her marathon debut in London in 2023 and won.

Both could have continued in their respective events but they gave up that security for the challenge. A challenge that of course more than paid off, but that was by no means guaranteed. Success was only guaranteed if they stayed put, and they didn’t.

A Curious Life Beyond the 800m

Curiosity and an excitement to see how much can be achieved over a career is at the root of it all. It’s hard to not think that distance runners are some of the most fortunate in the sense that they do have a huge range to explore. This is how get athletes like Sifan Hassan with world class times from the 800m to the marathon.

On the other hand if you’re a sprinter, or 400m/800m based, that range is limited. With the latter, a career holds less longevity. You’ll notice that with all these 800m athletes I’ve mentioned, not one has returned to the distance. They may do some 1500m races, but that’s where it ends. The 800m seems to be some sort of island in and of itself. It has such specific and intense training that, although it sits in the distance category, doesn’t easily translate to its other fellow disciplines. 

The Future’s Bright, the Future’s Femke

So what about the future? Well that future has a name, and it’s Femke Bol. There is, as I’ve been discussing, an emerging pattern of 800m runners choosing to tackle longer distances as they get further into their careers. That said, what she is doing is a revelation: that exact pattern in reverse. The 400m and the 800m share characteristics and do pair well, but traditionally only as a duo.

If you come from a career competing in the 100m, 200m and 400m, you’re a sprinter. Forever trapped on the other side of the Venn diagram. No overlap. To then transition to the 800m is to completely overhaul your training. In some ways the anatomy of your body itself. Granted, Femke Bol has always been more of a speed endurance specialist. Her flat speed at 100m (11.47) and 200m (22.64) are not quite at global final standard, so she does have a natural advantage. But the essence is the same. Curiosity, and as she said herself, not being afraid of failing. 

It’s clear by now that few people want the 800m for their entire career, so why not share? If distance runners are moving away from the 800m, who’s to say sprinters can’t take their place.