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The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to 3 miles 188 yards or 16,404 feet 2 inches. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over 12+12 laps of a standard 400 m track, or 25 laps on an indoor 200 m track. The same distance in road running is called a 5K run; referring to the distance in metres rather than kilometres serves to disambiguate the two events. The 5000 m has been present on the Olympic programme since 1912 for men and since 1996 for women. Prior to 1996, women had competed in an Olympic 3000 metres race since 1984. The 5000 m has been held at each of the World Championships in Athletics in men's competition and since 1995 in women's.

Quick Facts Athletics, World records ...
Athletics
5000 metres
Thumb
Runners in the 5000 metres at IAAF World Championships in Osaka 2007
World records
Men Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 12:35.36 (2020)
Women Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) 14:00.21 (2023)
Short track world records
Men Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 12:49.60 (2004)
Women Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 14:18.86 (2015)
Olympic records
Men Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 12:57.82 (2008)
Women Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 14:26.17 (2016)
World Championship records
Men Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 12:52.79 (2003)
Women Hellen Obiri (KEN) 14:26.72 (2019)
World junior (U20) records
Men Selemon Barega (ETH) 12:43.02 (2018)
Women Medina Eisa (ETH) 14:16.54 (2023)
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The event is almost the same length as the dolichos race held at the Ancient Olympic Games, introduced in 720 BCE. World Athletics keeps official records for both outdoor and indoor 5000-metre track events.[1][2]

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3 miles

The 5000 metres is the (slightly longer) approximate metric equivalent of the 3-mile (4,828.0 m) run, an event common in countries which used the imperial measurement system. The 3-mile event featured in the Commonwealth Games through 1966, and was a championship in the United States in non-Olympic years from 1953 to 1973. It required 12 laps around a 14-mile (402 m; 440 yd; 1,320 ft) track.

Continental records

  • Updated 17 September 2023.[3][4]
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All-time top 25

Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 5000m times and the top 25 athletes:
- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 5000m times
- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 5000m times, by repeat athletes
- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 5000m times

Men (outdoor)

  • Updated May 2024.[5]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...
Ath.#Perf.#TimeAthleteNationDatePlaceRef.
1112:35.36Joshua Cheptegei Uganda14 August 2020Monaco[6]
2212:36.73Hagos Gebrhiwet Ethiopia30 May 2024Oslo[7]
3312:37.35Kenenisa Bekele Ethiopia31 May 2004Hengelo
4412:38.95Yomif Kejelcha Ethiopia30 May 2024Oslo[8]
5512:39.36Haile Gebrselassie Ethiopia13 June 1998Helsinki
6612:39.74Daniel Komen Kenya22 August 1997Brussels
712:40.18K. Bekele #21 July 2005Saint-Denis
7 8 12:40.45 Berihu Aregawi  Ethiopia 30 June 2023 Lausanne [9]
8 9 12:40.96 Jacob Kiplimo  Uganda 30 May 2024 Oslo [10]
10 12:41.61 Cheptegei #2 30 June 2023 Lausanne [9]
1112:41.73Kejelcha #215 June 2023Oslo[11]
Kiplimo #215 June 2023Oslo[11]
1312:41.86Gebrselassie #213 August 1997Zürich
1412:42.18Gebrhiwet #221 July 2023Monaco[12]
1512:42.58Aregawi #221 July 2023Monaco[12]
9 16 12:42.70 Telahun Haile Bekele  Ethiopia 21 July 2023Monaco[12]
101712:43.02Selemon Barega Ethiopia31 August 2018Brussels[13]
1812:44.39Gebrselassie #316 August 1995Zürich
1912:44.90Komen #213 August 1997Zürich
11 20 12:45.01 Mohamed Katir  Spain 21 July 2023 Monaco [12]
2112:45.09Komen #314 August 1996Zürich
12 22 12:45.71 Jacob Krop  Kenya 2 September 2022 Brussels [14]
2312:45.82Gebrhiwet #331 August 2018Brussels[13]
2412:46.02Krop #221 July 2023Monaco[12]
2512:46.21T. H. Bekele #215 June 2023Oslo[11]
13 12:46.33 Nicholas Kimeli  Kenya 9 June 2022 Rome [15]
1412:46.53Eliud Kipchoge Kenya2 July 2004Rome
1512:46.81Dejen Gebremeskel Ethiopia6 July 2012Saint-Denis[16]
16 12:46.96 Grant Fisher  United States 2 September 2022 Brussels [14]
1712:47.04Sileshi Sihine Ethiopia2 July 2004Rome
1812:47.20Mohammed Ahmed Canada10 July 2020Portland[17]
1912:48.10Thierry Ndikumwenayo Spain30 May 2024Oslo[18]
2012:48.45Jakob Ingebrigtsen Norway10 June 2021Florence[19]
2112:48.64Isaiah Koech Kenya6 July 2012Saint-Denis[16]
2212:48.66Isaac Kiprono Songok Kenya18 August 2006Zürich
2312:48.77Yenew Alamirew Ethiopia6 July 2012Saint-Denis[16]
2412:48.81Stephen Cherono Kenya12 June 2003Ostrava
2512:49.04Thomas Longosiwa Kenya6 July 2012Saint-Denis
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Women (outdoor)

  • Updated September 2024.[20]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...
Ath.#Perf.#TimeAthleteNationDatePlaceRef.
1 1 14:00.21 Gudaf Tsegay  Ethiopia 17 September 2023 Eugene [21]
2 2 14:05.20 Faith Kipyegon  Kenya 9 June 2023 Paris [22]
3 3 14:05.92 Beatrice Chebet  Kenya 17 September 2023 Eugene [21]
4414:06.62Letesenbet Gidey Ethiopia7 October 2020Valencia[23]
5 14:07.94 Gidey #2 9 June 2023 Paris [22]
6 14:08.79 Gidey #3 3 September 2023 Berlin [24]
7 14:09.52 Chebet #2 5 September 2024 Zurich [25]
8 14:09.82 Chebet #3 14 September 2024 Brussels [26]
5914:11.15Tirunesh Dibaba Ethiopia6 June 2008Oslo
10 14:12.29 Tsegay #2 23 July 2023 London [27]
61114:12.59Almaz Ayana Ethiopia2 June 2016Rome[28]
71214:12.88Meseret Defar Ethiopia22 July 2008Stockholm
13 14:12.92 Chebet #4 23 July 2023 London [27]
8 14 14:12.98 Ejgayehu Taye  Ethiopia 27 May 2022 Eugene [29]
15 14:13.31 Taye #2 9 June 2023 Paris [22]
1614:13.32Tsegay #38 June 2021Hengelo[30]
9 17 14:13.42 Sifan Hassan  Netherlands 23 July 2023 London [27]
1814:14.09Taye #38 June 2021Hengelo[30]
1914:14.32Ayana #217 May 2015Shanghai
102014:15.24Senbere Teferi Ethiopia8 June 2021Hengelo[30]
112114:15.41Genzebe Dibaba Ethiopia4 July 2015Saint-Denis[31]
2214:16.31Ayana #322 May 2016Rabat
122314:16.54Medina Eisa Ethiopia23 July 2023London[32]
2414:16.63Defar #215 June 2007Oslo
132514:18.37Hellen Obiri Kenya8 June 2017Rome[33]
1414:18.76Tsigie Gebreselama Ethiopia25 May 2024Eugene[34]
1514:19.45Alicia Monson United States23 July 2023London[32]
1614:20.61Freweyni Hailu Ethiopia25 May 2024Eugene[35]
1714:20.68Agnes Tirop Kenya21 July 2019London[36]
1814:20.87Vivian Cheruiyot Kenya29 July 2011Stockholm
1914:21.89Medina Eisa Ethiopia14 September 2024Brussels[37]
20 14:22.76 Aynadis Mebratu  Ethiopia 25 May 2024 Eugene [38]
21 14:23.05 Lilian Kasait Rengeruk  Kenya 9 June 2023 Paris [22]
22 14:23.67 Margaret Kipkemboi  Kenya 9 June 2023 Paris [22]
23 14:23.71 Birke Haylom  Ethiopia 25 May 2024 Eugene [39]
2414:23.75Liliya Shobukhova Russia19 July 2008Kazan
2514:23.92Shelby Houlihan United States10 July 2020Portland[40]
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Men (indoor)

  • Updated 7 December 2024.[41]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...
Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref.
1 1 12:49.60 Kenenisa Bekele  Ethiopia 20 February 2004 Birmingham
2 2 12:50.38 Haile Gebrselassie  Ethiopia 14 February 1999 Birmingham
3 3 12:51.48 Daniel Komen  Kenya 19 February 1998 Stockholm
4 4 12:51.61 William Kincaid  United States 27 January 2023 Boston [42]
5 5 12:51.84 Grant Fisher  United States 16 February 2024 Boston [43]
6 6 12:53.29 Isiah Koech  Kenya 11 February 2011 Düsseldorf
7 12:53.73 Fisher #2 12 February 2022 Boston
7 8 12:54.99 Joe Klecker  United States 27 January 2023 Boston [42]
8 9 12:55.72 Eliud Kipchoge  Kenya 11 February 2011 Düsseldorf
9 10 12:56.76 Adriaan Wildschutt  South Africa 26 January 2024 Boston [44]
10 11 12:56.87 Mohammed Ahmed  Canada 12 February 2022 Boston
11 12 12:57.08 Marc Scott  Great Britain 12 February 2022 Boston
12 13 12:57.14 Nico Young  United States 26 January 2024 Boston [44]
13 14 12:57.52 Edwin Kurgat  Kenya 26 January 2024 Boston [45]
14 15 12:58.67 Thomas Longosiwa  Kenya 10 February 2012 Düsseldorf
15 16 12:58.68 George Mills  Great Britain 26 January 2024 Boston [46]
16 17 12:58.73 Sam Atkin  Great Britain 26 January 2024 Boston [44]
18 12:59.04 Gebrselassie #2 20 February 1997 Stockholm
17 19 12:59.89 Graham Blanks  United States 7 December 2024 Boston [47]
18 20 13:00.48 Emmanuel Bor  United States 12 February 2022 Boston
19 21 13:01.26 Galen Rupp  United States 16 January 2014 Boston
20 22 13:02.09 Yared Nuguse  United States 26 January 2024 Boston [48]
23 13:02.36 I. Koech #2 10 February 2012 Düsseldorf
21 24 13:02.69 Paul Kipsiele Koech  Kenya 10 February 2012 Düsseldorf
25 13:02.95 P. K. Koech #2 3 February 2010 Düsseldorf
22 13:03.17 Abdihamid Nur  United States 26 January 2024 Boston [44]
23 13:03.46 John Heymans  Belgium 26 January 2024 Boston [44]
24 13:03.57 Morgan Beadlescomb  United States 26 January 2024 Boston [44]
25 13:04.05 Patrick Dever  Great Britain 16 February 2024 Boston
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Women (indoor)

  • Updated 7 December 2024.[49]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...
Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref.
1 1 14:18.86 Genzebe Dibaba  Ethiopia 19 February 2015 Stockholm
2 2 14:24.37 Meseret Defar  Ethiopia 18 February 2009 Stockholm
3 14:24.79 Defar #2 10 February 2010 Stockholm
3 4 14:27.42 Tirunesh Dibaba  Ethiopia 27 January 2007 Boston
4 5 14:30.79 Konstanze Klosterhalfen  Germany 27 February 2020 Boston
5 6 14:31.38 Gabriela DeBues-Stafford  Canada 11 February 2022 Boston
7 14:32.93 T. Dibaba #2 29 January 2005 Boston
6 8 14:33.17 Elise Cranny  United States 11 February 2022 Boston
9 14:35.46 T. Dibaba #3 28 January 2006 Boston
7 10 14:39.29 Berhane Adere  Ethiopia 31 January 2004 Stuttgart
8 11 14:39.89 Kimberley Smith  New Zealand 27 February 2009 New York City
9 12 14:42.94 Senayet Getachew  Ethiopia 27 January 2024 Boston [50]
10 13 14:43.25 Fantaye Belayneh  Ethiopia 27 January 2024 Boston [51]
14 14:44.53 T. Dibaba #4 6 February 2010 Boston
11 15 14:44.94 Aynadis Mebratu  Ethiopia 27 January 2024 Boston [52]
12 16 14:46.37 Marta Garcia  Spain 27 January 2024 Boston [53]
13 17 14:46.51 Josette Andrews  United States 27 January 2024 Boston [54]
14 18 14:46.80 Sentayehu Ejigu  Ethiopia 10 February 2010 Stockholm
15 19 14:47.35 Gabriela Szabo  Romania 13 February 1999 Dortmund
20 14:47.62 Ejigu #2 7 February 2009 Boston
16 21 14:47.62 Shalane Flanagan  United States 7 February 2009 Boston
22 14:48.21 Adere #2 5 February 2003 Dortmund
17 23 14:48.51 Vanessa Fraser  United States 27 February 2020 Boston
18 24 14:48.75 Courtney Frerichs  United States 11 February 2022 Boston
19 25 14:49.12 Laura Muir  Great Britain 4 January 2017 Glasglow
20 14:49.36 Gete Wami  Ethiopia 11 February 2001 Dortmund
21 14:49.78 Courtney Wayment  United States 27 January 2024 Boston [54]
22 14:51.69 Tegla Loroupe  Kenya 13 February 1999 Dortmund
23 14:51.91 Emily Infeld  United States 27 February 2020 Boston
24 14:52.21 Natosha Rogers  United States 10 February 2023 Boston
25 14:52.57 Doris Lemngole  Kenya 7 December 2024 Boston [55]
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Olympic medalists

Men

Two men have won the Olympic 5000 metres on two occasions, both times back-to-back. Lasse Virén of Finland was the first to achieve the feat, winning the title in 1972 in Munich, before retaining the title in 1976 in Montreal. Mo Farah of Great Britain matched the achievement, winning the title in 2012 in London, and retaining it four years later in Rio de Janeiro. Both men achieved 5000/10,000 m doubles on each occasion.

Finnish legend Paavo Nurmi is the only male runner to have won three Olympic medals at the distance, a gold and two silvers between 1920 and 1928.

More information Games, Gold ...
Games Gold Silver Bronze
1912 Stockholm
details
Hannes Kolehmainen
 Finland
Jean Bouin
 France
George Hutson
 Great Britain
1920 Antwerp
details
Joseph Guillemot
 France
Paavo Nurmi
 Finland
Eric Backman
 Sweden
1924 Paris
details
Paavo Nurmi
 Finland
Ville Ritola
 Finland
Edvin Wide
 Sweden
1928 Amsterdam
details
Ville Ritola
 Finland
Paavo Nurmi
 Finland
Edvin Wide
 Sweden
1932 Los Angeles
details
Lauri Lehtinen
 Finland
Ralph Hill
 United States
Lauri Virtanen
 Finland
1936 Berlin
details
Gunnar Höckert
 Finland
Lauri Lehtinen
 Finland
Henry Jonsson
 Sweden
1948 London
details
Gaston Reiff
 Belgium
Emil Zátopek
 Czechoslovakia
Willem Slijkhuis
 Netherlands
1952 Helsinki
details
Emil Zátopek
 Czechoslovakia
Alain Mimoun
 France
Herbert Schade
 Germany
1956 Melbourne
details
Vladimir Kuts
 Soviet Union
Gordon Pirie
 Great Britain
Derek Ibbotson
 Great Britain
1960 Rome
details
Murray Halberg
 New Zealand
Hans Grodotzki
 United Team of Germany
Kazimierz Zimny
 Poland
1964 Tokyo
details
Bob Schul
 United States
Harald Norpoth
 United Team of Germany
Bill Dellinger
 United States
1968 Mexico City
details
Mohammed Gammoudi
 Tunisia
Kipchoge Keino
 Kenya
Naftali Temu
 Kenya
1972 Munich
details
Lasse Virén
 Finland
Mohammed Gammoudi
 Tunisia
Ian Stewart
 Great Britain
1976 Montreal
details
Lasse Virén
 Finland
Dick Quax
 New Zealand
Klaus-Peter Hildenbrand
 West Germany
1980 Moscow
details
Miruts Yifter
 Ethiopia
Suleiman Nyambui
 Tanzania
Kaarlo Maaninka
 Finland
1984 Los Angeles
details
Saïd Aouita
 Morocco
Markus Ryffel
 Switzerland
António Leitão
 Portugal
1988 Seoul
details
John Ngugi
 Kenya
Dieter Baumann
 West Germany
Hansjörg Kunze
 East Germany
1992 Barcelona
details
Dieter Baumann
 Germany
Paul Bitok
 Kenya
Fita Bayisa
 Ethiopia
1996 Atlanta
details
Vénuste Niyongabo
 Burundi
Paul Bitok
 Kenya
Khalid Boulami
 Morocco
2000 Sydney
details
Million Wolde
 Ethiopia
Ali Saïdi-Sief
 Algeria
Brahim Lahlafi
 Morocco
2004 Athens
details
Hicham El Guerrouj
 Morocco
Kenenisa Bekele
 Ethiopia
Eliud Kipchoge
 Kenya
2008 Beijing
details
Kenenisa Bekele
 Ethiopia
Eliud Kipchoge
 Kenya
Edwin Soi
 Kenya
2012 London
details
Mo Farah
 Great Britain
Dejen Gebremeskel
 Ethiopia
Thomas Longosiwa
 Kenya
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Mo Farah
 Great Britain
Paul Chelimo
 United States
Hagos Gebrhiwet
 Ethiopia
2020 Tokyo
details
Joshua Cheptegei
 Uganda
Mohammed Ahmed
 Canada
Paul Chelimo
 United States
2024 Paris
details
Jakob Ingebrigtsen
 Norway
Ronald Kwemoi
 Kenya
Grant Fisher
 United States
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Women

Only one woman has won the Olympic 5000 metres title twice, Ethiopian Meseret Defar winning in Athens in 2004, taking silver behind compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba in 2008, before regaining the title in London in 2012. Defar and Dibaba are the only athletes with three Olympic medals at the distance, with both reaching the podium in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

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World Championships medalists

Men

In the World Championships, Great Britain's Mo Farah stands alone, the most successful and most decorated athlete in the event with three gold medals (2011, 2013 and 2015) and four medals in total (including silver in 2017) between 2011 and 2017. Kenya's Ismael Kirui was the first athlete to win the title twice in 1993 and 1995, and Ethiopia's Muktar Edris the third between 2017 and 2019.

More information Championships, Gold ...
Championships Gold Silver Bronze
1983 Helsinki
details
 Eamonn Coghlan (IRL)  Werner Schildhauer (GDR)  Martti Vainio (FIN)
1987 Rome
details
 Saïd Aouita (MAR)  Domingos Castro (POR)  Jack Buckner (GBR)
1991 Tokyo
details
 Yobes Ondieki (KEN)  Fita Bayisa (ETH)  Brahim Boutayeb (MAR)
1993 Stuttgart
details
 Ismael Kirui (KEN)  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)  Fita Bayisa (ETH)
1995 Gothenburg
details
 Ismael Kirui (KEN)  Khalid Boulami (MAR)  Shem Kororia (KEN)
1997 Athens
details
 Daniel Komen (KEN)  Khalid Boulami (MAR)  Tom Nyariki (KEN)
1999 Seville
details
 Salah Hissou (MAR)  Benjamin Limo (KEN)  Mohammed Mourhit (BEL)
2001 Edmonton
details
 Richard Limo (KEN)  Million Wolde (ETH)  John Kibowen (KEN)
2003 Saint-Denis
details
 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)  Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR)  Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
2005 Helsinki
details
 Benjamin Limo (KEN)  Sileshi Sihine (ETH)  Craig Mottram (AUS)
2007 Osaka
details
 Bernard Lagat (USA)  Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)  Moses Kipsiro (UGA)
2009 Berlin
details
 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)  Bernard Lagat (USA)  James Kwalia (QAT)
2011 Daegu
details
 Mo Farah (GBR)  Bernard Lagat (USA)  Dejen Gebremeskel (ETH)
2013 Moscow
details
 Mo Farah (GBR)  Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH)  Isiah Koech (KEN)
2015 Beijing
details
 Mo Farah (GBR)  Caleb Ndiku (KEN)  Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH)
2017 London
details
 Muktar Edris (ETH)  Mo Farah (GBR)  Paul Chelimo (USA)
2019 Doha
details
 Muktar Edris (ETH)  Selemon Barega (ETH)  Mohammed Ahmed (CAN)
2022 Eugene
details
 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR)  Jacob Krop  (KEN)  Oscar Chelimo (UGA)
2023 Budapest
details
 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR)  Mohamed Katir (ESP)  Jacob Krop  (KEN)
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Women

Romania's Gabriela Szabo won the title twice between 1995 and 1997. Since then four African runners - two Kenyan, two Ethiopian - have repeated the feat; Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar of Ethiopia and Vivian Cheruiyot and Hellen Obiri of Kenya. Meseret Defar's five medals - 2 gold, a silver and two bronze won between 2005 and 2013 - are the most won in the event by any athlete.

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Season's bests

More information Year, Time ...
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See also

References

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