| men's national records 800m as at 31.12.1980 | ||||||||
| Great Britain | Sebastian Coe | 1:42,33 (1.) | Oslo | 05.07.79 | Bislett Games | Europe | ||
| Cuba | Alberto Juantorena | 1:43,44 (1.) | Sofia | 21.08.77 | World University Games | America | ||
| Kenya | Mike Boit | 1:43,57 (1.) | Berlin, West | 20.08.76 | ISTAF | Africa | ||
| Italy | Marcello Fiasconaro | 1:43,7h (1.) | Milano | 27.06.73 | ITA v. TCH | Europe | ||
| German DR | Olaf Beyer | 1:43,84 (1.) | Praha | 31.08.78 | European Championships | Europe | ||
| Belgium | Ivo Van Damme | 1:43,86 (2.) | Montréal | 25.07.76 | Olympic Games | Europe | ||
| United States of America | Rick Wolhuter | 1:43,91 (1.) | Stockholm | 18.07.74 | International | America | ||
| Rick Wolhuter | 1:44,1h (1.) | Eugene | 08.06.74 | Hayward Field Restoration | 880y | |||
| France | José Marajo | 1:43,9h (1.) | Saint-Maur (FRA) | 12.09.79 | record attempt | Europe | ||
| Yugoslavia | Luciano Susanj | 1:44,07 (1.) | Roma | 04.09.74 | European Championships | Europe | ||
| New Zealand | Peter George Snell | 1:44,3h (1.) | Christchurch | 03.02.62 | International | Ozeania | ||
| Australia | Ralph Doubell | 1:44,40 (1.) | Ciudad de México | 15.10.68 | Olympic Games | Ozeania | ||
| South Africa | Daniel "Danie" Malan | 1:44,4h (2.) | Vons Classic | 27.05.73 | Los Angeles | Africa | ||
| Finland | Pekka Antero Vasala | 1:44,5h (1.) | Helsinki | 20.08.72 | FIN v. SWE | Europe | ||
| FR Germany | Wilhelm "Willi" Wülbeck | 1:44,66 (2.) | Zürich | 15.08.79 | Weltklasse Zürich | Europe | ||
| New Zealand | John Walker | 1:44,92 (3.) | Christchurch | 29.01.74 | Commonwealth Games | Ozeania | ||
| Jamaica | Seymour Newman | 1:45,21 (2.) | Helsinki | 29.06.77 | America | |||
| South Africa | Daniel "Danie" Malan | 1:45,21 (2.) | London | 14.07.73 | Africa | |||
| Tansania | Filbert Bay | 1:45,32 (4.) | Christchurch | 29.01.74 | Commonwealth Games | Africa | ||
| Soviet Union | Yevgeniy Arzhanov | 1:45,49 (2.) | Zürich | 06.07.73 | Weltklasse Zürich | Asia | ||
| Czechoslovakia | Jozef Plachý | 1:45,53 (5.) | Düsseldorf | 02.09.77 | World Cup | Europe | ||
| Spain | Antonio Paez | 1:45,69 (1.) | Madrid | 19.07.80 | Europe | |||
| Canada | Bill Crothers | 1:45,6h (2.) | Tokyo | 16.10.64 | Olympic Games | America | ||
| Sudan | Omar Khalifa | 1:45,71 (3.) | Köln | 10.08.80 | Internationales des ASV Köln | Africa | ||
| India | Sri Ram Singh | 1:45,77 (7.) | Montréal | 25.07.76 | Olympic Games | Asia | ||
| France | José Marajo | 1:45,78 (3.) | Frankfurt | 05.09.78 | International | Europe | ||
| Algeria | Abderrahmane Morceli | 1:45,7h (2.) | Ostrava | 07.06.78 | Golden Spike | Africa | ||
| Abderrahmane Morceli | 1:46,38 (2.) | Split | 23.09.79 | Mediterranean Games | Africa | |||
| Finland | Markku Taskinen | 1:45,89 (3.) | Roma | 04.09.74 | European Championships | Europe | ||
| Brazil | Abgberto Guimaraes | 1:45,94 (2.) | Rieti | 21.07.79 | International | Africa | ||
| Sweden | Åke Svenson | 1:45,94 (3.) | Stockholm | 30.06.75 | Dagens Nyheter Galan | Europe | ||
| Switzerland | Rolf Gysin | 1:45,97 (3.) | Zürich | 20.08.75 | Weltklasse Zürich | Europe | ||
| Norway | Audun Boysen | 1:45,9h (2.) | Oslo | 03.08.55 | International | Europe | ||
| Hungary | András Paróczai | 1:46,11 (1.) | Budapest | 11.08.80 | Europe | |||
| Liechtenstein | Günther Hasler | 1:46,16 (4.) | Zürich | 20.08.75 | Weltklasse Zürich | Europe | ||
| Barbados | Orlando Green | 1:46,24 (3.) | Philadelphia | 22.05.76 | America | |||
| Italy | Carlo Grippo | 1:46,25 (2.) | Firenze | 18.05.76 | Europe | |||
| Poland | Marian Gęsicki | 1:46,36 (q.) | Montréal | 23.07.76 | Olympic Gamesh/1 | Europe | ||
| Romania | Gheorghe Ghipu | 1:46,37 (3.) | Nice | 05.08.73 | European Cup – Semi Final | Europe | ||
| Ethiopia | Mulugueta Tadesse | 1:46,45 (4.) | Durham | 19.07.75 | Africa | |||
| Guyana | Rayfield Beaton | 1:46,47 (1.) | Westwood (USA) | 29.04.78 | America | |||
| Netherlands | Sjef Hensgens | 1:46,4h (?.) | Papendal | 16.06.71 | Europe | |||
| Greece | Sotirios Moutsanas | 1:46,66 (3.) | Split | 23.09.79 | Jeux Mediterranean | Europe | ||
| Tunisia | Mansour Guettaya | 1:46,6h (1.) | Izmir | 16.10.71 | Jeux Mediterranean | Africa | ||
| Ireland | Niall O'Shaugnessy | 1:46,79 (3.) | London | 02.08.75 | Europe | |||
| Noel Carroll | 1:46,7h (1.) | Dublin | 23.07.68 | 880y-0,6s | Europe | |||
| Trinidad Tobago | Benedict Cayenne | 1:46,83 (q.) | Ciudad de México | 14.10.68 | Olympic Games/sf1 | (4.) | America | OF 1:46,8h |
| Venezuela | William Wuycke | 1:47,00 (1.) | Caracas | 20.04.80 | America | |||
| Guyana | Rayfield Beaton | 1:47,11 (?.) | Eugene | 21.06.75 | America | |||
| Denmark | Sven-Erik Nielsen | 1:47,1h (1.) | Oslo | 31.07.74 | Martin-Luther-King-Memorial | Europe | ||
| Turkey | Sermet Timurlenk | 1:47,23 (n.) | Praha | 29.08.78 | European Championships/h4 | (6.) | Asia | |
| Taipeh | Wang Jung-Hua | 1:47,24 (1.) | Westwood (USA) | 03.05.80 | Asia | |||
| Bulgaria | Binko Kolev | 1:47,27 (n.) | Moskva | 25.07.80 | Olympic Games/sf2 | (3.) | Europe | |
| Portugal | Carlos Cabral | 1:47,33 (6.) | Berlin | 06.08.80 | ISTAF | 8.8.80?? | Europe | |
| Chile | Cristian Molina | 1:47,35 (h.) | Fürth | 26.05.80 | Internationales des LAC Quelle Fürth | America | ||
| Portugal | Fernando Mamede | 1:47,45 (q.) | Roma | 02.09.74 | European Championships/h2 | (5.) | Europe | |
| Surinam | Gerald Pawirodikromo | 1:47,46 (2.) | Medellin | 18.07.78 | America | |||
| Japan | Mamoru Morimoto | 1:47,4h (?.) | Mainz (FRG) | 11.06.64 | Asia | |||
| Austria | Rudolph Klaban | 1:47,4h (n.) | Tokyo | 15.10.64 | Olympic Games/sf2 | (5.) | Europe | |
| Morocco | Said Aouita | 1:47,8h (1.) | Grasse (FRA) | 11.07.80 | Africa | |||
| Burma/Myanmar | Jimmy Crampton | 1:47,9h (1.) | Bangkok | 11.12.70 | Asia | |||
| Botswana | Samuel Ditsele | 1:48,0h (?.) | Stellenbosch | 20.12.76 | Africa | |||
| Pakistan | Mohammed Siddique | 1:48,10 (?.) | Hannover | 28.07.74 | Asia | |||
| Ghana | Halidu Zinata | 1:48,15 (6.) | Edmonton | 10.08.78 | Commonwealth Games | America | ||
| Uganda | John Michael Bisase | 1:48,2h (?.) | Champaign | 03.06.77 | Africa | |||
| Rhodesia | Terence "Terry" Sullivan | 1:48,4h (?.) | Salisbury (GBR) | 27.05.62 | from 1979 Zimbabwe | 880y-0,6s | Africa | |
| Iran | Reza Entezari | 1:48,50 (?.) | Tehran | 15.09.74 | Asia | |||
| Panama | Donaldo Arza | 1:48,5h (?.) | Trier (FRG) | 29.05.71 | America | |||
| Puerto Rico | Jorge Ortiz | 1:48,67 (?.) | Xalapa (MEX) | 07.08.77 | America | |||
| Chad | Ahmed Issa | 1:48,6h (?.) | Thonon-les-Bains | 26.08.62 | Africa | |||
| Nigeria | Jaiye Abidoye | 1:48,7h (?.) | London | 14.07.72 | Africa | |||
| Luxemburg | Michel Medinger | 1:49,0h (?.) | Kerpen (FRG) | 26.07.67 | Europe | |||
| André Pierrard | 1:49,0h (?.) | Esch sur Alzette | 23.09.71 | Europe | ||||
| Justin Gloden | 1:49,0h (n.) | Praha | 29.08.78 | European Championships/h2 | (4.) | Europe | ||
| Antigua | Fred Sowerby | 1:49,1h (?.) | Les Abymes | 06.05.79 | America | |||
| Colombia | Gabriel Lopera | 1:49,33 (?.) | Medellin | 18.07.78 | America | |||
| Dominican Republic | Francisco Solis | 1:49,4h (?.) | Santo Domingo | 04.06.76 | America | |||
| Madagascar | Edouard Rasoanaivo | 1:49,4h (?.) | Paris | 30.07.72 | Africa | |||
| Libya | Mohamed Maghar | 1:49,4h (?.) | Tripoli | 25.07.77 | Africa | |||
| Cyprus | Ioannis Konnari | 1:49,4h (?.) | Athinai | 07.06.76 | Europe | |||
| Nigeria | Musa Dogon-Yaro | 1:49,5y (?.) | San Diego | 14.05.71 | Africa | |||
| Congo | Florent N'Senda | 1:49,7h (?.) | Brazzaville | 20.07.65 | All-Africa Games | Africa | ||
| Fiji | Richard Kermode | 1:49,81 (n.) | Christchurch | 27.01.74 | Commonwealth Games/h3 | (5.) | Ozeania | |
| Egypt | Ibrahima Mustafa | 1:49,9h (?.) | Athinai | 15.06.72 | Africa | |||
| China | Li Kuo-chiung | 1:50,2h (?.) | Nanking (CHI) | 22.09.77 | Asia | |||
| DPR Korea | Park Suk Kwon | 1:51,0e (?.) | Seoul | 12.06.75 | Asia | |||
| Netherlands Antilles | Richard Riley | 1:51,0h (?.) | Papendal | 11.08.73 | America | |||
| Cameroon | Matéké Ekwé | 1:51,5h (?.) | Yaoundé | 27.07.75 | Africa | |||
| Zambia | Archfel Musango | 1:51,6h (n.) | Moskva | 24.07.80 | Olympic Games/h4 | (5.) | Africa | |
| Togo | Roger Kangni | 1:52,09 (n.) | München | 31.08.72 | Olympic Games/h4 | time??? | Africa | |
| Saint Kitts | Ezzard Wilson | 1:52,0y (?.) | Bozeman | 21.05.77 | America | |||
| Burkina Faso | Kondia Ouoba | 1:52,1h (?.) | Abidjan | 13.04.74 | Africa | |||
| Peru | Roger Soler | 1:52,4h (?.) | Sao Paulo | 17.12.78 | America | |||
| Albania | Gani Alia | 1:52,4h (n.) | Budapest | 02.09.66 | European Championships/h3 | (7.) | Europe | |
| Costa Rica | Julio Marin | 1:52,4y (?.) | Los Angeles | 13.04.63 | America | |||
| Bermuda | Anthony Harper | 1:52,4y (?.) | Hamilton | 12.06.66 | America | |||
| Lebanon | Kassem Hamzé | 1:52,54 (n.) | München | 31.08.72 | Olympic Games/h6 | (7.) | Asia | |
| Palestine | Fawez Fayez | 1:53,2h (?.) | Al Kuwait | 11.04.79 | Asia | |||
| Reunion | Paul Asty | 1:53,4h (?.) | Rose Hill | 30.05.77 | Africa | |||
| Guatemala | Gonzalo Javier | 1:53,6y (?.) | Sioux Falls | 03.06.60 | America | |||
| Mongolia | Banzragch Batcengel | 1:53,7h (?.) | Ostrava | 08.06.79 | Asia | |||
| Papua New Guinea | Philipp John Kayo | 1:53,96 (n.) | Christchurch | 27.06.74 | Commonwealth Games/h1 | (6.) | Ozeania | |
| El Salvador | Salvador Torres | 1:54,1h (?.) | San Salvador | 08.11.75 | America | |||
| Burundi | Bazombanza | 1:54,2h (2.) | Libreville | 05.07.76 | Central African Games | 8.7.76?? | Africa | |
| Yemen PDR | Mohamed Ahmed Abadi | 1:54,59 (?.) | Tripoli | 14.10.77 | Asia | |||
| Gaboon | Georges Okomba | 1:54,5h (3.) | Libreville | 05.07.76 | Central African Games | 8.7.76?? | Africa | |
| Liberia | O'Brien Howe | 1:54,8h (?.) | Athinai (NF)?? | 13.06.71 | Africa | |||
| Guinea | Fodé Keita | 1:55,0h (?.) | 25.04.67 | 1:57,9??? | Africa | |||
| Cambodia | Nhea Khay | 1:55,1h (?.) | Phnom Penh | 28.11.66 | Asia | |||
| Mali | Adam Touré | 1:55,6h (?.) | Bamako | 08.07.65 | Africa | |||
| Mali | Diouratié Sanogo | 1:55,6h (?.) | Yaoundé | ??.02.78 | Africa | |||
| Vietnam | Pham Thieu Tu | 1:56,0h (?.) | Ho Chi Minh | ??.??.77 | Asia | |||
| Central African Republic | Fabien Sakanga | 1:56,3h (?.) | Brazzaville | 20.07.65 | Africa | |||
| Bahrain | Abdullah El Daoudi | 1:56,46 (?.) | Damascus | 29.09.77 | Asia | |||
| Benin | Laurent Tchankpega | 1:56,7h (?.) | Abidjan | 03.05.73 | Africa | |||
| Montserrat | Cardinal Maynard | 1:57,7h (?.) | Road Town | 10.07.77 | America | |||
| Belize | E. Quimas | 1:58,0h (?.) | Kingston | 14.07.71 | America | |||
| Comoros | Kamal Abdul Wahab | 1:58,2h (?.) | Moroni | ??.07.66 | Africa | |||
| Afgahnistan | Mohammed Asif | 1:59,0h (?.) | Kaboul | ??.??.62 | Asia | |||
| Monaco | Hubert Pastorelly | 1:59,3h (?.) | Monte Carlo | 20.06.65 | America | |||
| Western Samoa | Elvis Hoeflich | 2:01,0h (?.) | Apia (WSM) | 21.07.79 | Ozeania | |||
| Djibouti | Yassim Hassan | 2:02,0h (?.) | Djibouti | ??.??.69 | Africa | |||
| Belau Islands | Alfonso Thaley | 2:10,64 (?.) | Tumon (GUM) | 06.08.75 | Ozeania | |||
| Guam | Joseph Quitano | 2:10,75 (?.) | Suva (FJI) | 30.08.79 | Ozeania | |||
| FS Micronesia | 2:11,95 (?.) | Ozeania | ||||||
| Tuvalu | Nelu Auega | 2:12,0h (?.) | Meneñ (NRU) | ??.??.71 | Ozeania | |||
| Nauru | W. Tabwia | 2:18,5h (?.) | Port Moresby (PNG) | 15.08.69 | Ozeania | |||
| Kiribati | Antony Tatireta | 2:19,4h (?.) | Suva (FJI) | 31.08.63 | Ozeania | |||
| North Mariana | Jesus Quitana | 2:24,43 (?.) | Suva (FJI) | 30.08.79 | Ozeania | |||