10,000 metres explained

Event:	10,000 metres
Image Upright:	1.2
Wrmen:	26:11.00 (2020)
Crmen:	26:46.31 (2009)
Wrwomen:	28:54.14 (2024)

The 10,000 metres or the 10,000-metre run is a common long-distance track running event. The event is part of the athletics programme at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships, and is common at championship-level events. The race consists of 25 laps around an Olympic-sized track. It is less commonly held at track and field meetings due to its duration. The 10,000-metre track race is usually distinguished from its road running counterpart, the 10K run, by referring to the distance in metres rather than kilometres.

The 10,000 metres is the longest standard track event, approximately equivalent to 10km (10miles) or 10km (10miles). Most athletes in this event also compete in road races and cross country events.

Added to the Olympic programme in 1912, athletes from Finland nicknamed the "Flying Finns" dominated the event until the late 1940s. In the 1960s, African runners began to come to the fore.^[1] In 1988, the women's competition debuted in the Olympic Games.

Official records are kept for outdoor 10,000-metre track events. The world record for men is held by Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda in 26:11.00, set in Valencia, Spain on 7 October 2020. For women, the world record is held by Beatrice Chebet of Kenya, in 28:54.14, set in Eugene, Oregon, on 25 May 2024.^[2]

The 10,000 metres demands exceptional levels of aerobic endurance, and elite athletes typically train in excess of 160 km (100 miles) a week.^[3]

6 miles

10,000 metres is the slightly longer metric derivative of the 6miles run, an event common in countries when they were using the imperial measurement system. 6 miles was used in the Commonwealth Games until 1966 and was a championship in the United States in non-Olympic years from 1953 to 1973. It is 24 laps around a NaN0NaN0 track.

Continental records

• Updated 25 May 2024.^{[4] [5]}

Area	Men			Women
	Time	Athlete	Nation	Time	Athlete	Nation
	26:11.00			28:54.14
	26:38.76			29:31.78
	26:46.57			29:06.82
	26:33.84			30:03.82
	27:15.35			30:35.54
	27:28.12			31:47.76

All-time top 25

See also: 10,000 metres world record progression.

Men

• Correct June 2024.^[6]

		Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
1	1	26:11.00			7 October 2020		^[7]
2	2	26:17.53			26 August 2005
	3	26:20.31	Bekele #2		8 June 2004
3	4	26:22.75			1 June 1998
	5	26:25.97	Bekele #3		8 June 2008
4	6	26:27.85			22 August 1997
	7	26:28.72	Bekele #4		29 May 2005
	8	26:29.22	Gebrselassie #2		5 September 2003
5	9	26:30.03			5 September 2003
6	10	26:30.74			29 May 2005
7	11	26:31.01			14 June 2024		^[8]
8	12	26:31.13			14 June 2024		^[9]
	13	26:31.32	Gebrselassie #3		4 July 1997
9	14	26:33.84	Grant Fisher		6 March 2022	San Juan Capistrano	^[10]
10	15	26:33.93	Jacob Kiplimo		19 May 2021	Ostrava	^[11]
11	16	26:34.14			6 March 2022	San Juan Capistrano
12	17	26:34.93	Selemon Barega		14 June 2024		^[12]
13	18	26:35.63			25 August 2006	Brussels
14	19	26:36.26	Paul Koech		22 August 1997	Brussels
15	20	26:37.25			25 August 2006	Brussels
16	21	26:37.93			14 June 2024		^[13]
17	22	26:38.08	Salah Hissou		23 August 1996	Brussels
18	23	26:38.76	Ahmad Abdullah Hassan		5 September 2003	Brussels
19	24	26:39.69	Sileshi Sihine		31 May 2004	Hengelo
20	25	26:39.77			26 August 2005
21		26:41.75	Samuel Wanjiru		26 August 2005	Brussels
22		26:42.65	Gemechu Dida		14 June 2024	Nerja
23		26:43.98			7 September 2011
24		26:44.36			30 May 2014
25		26:45.91	Tadese Worku		5 May 2022	Hengelo

Women

• Correct as of June 2024.^[14]

		Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
1	1	28:54.14			25 May 2024		^[15]
2	2	29:01.03			8 June 2021		^[16]
3	3	29:05.92	Gudaf Tsegay		25 May 2024		^[17]
4	4	29:06.82			6 June 2021		^[18]
5	5	29:17.45			12 August 2016		^[19]
6	6	29:26.89	Lilian Rengeruk		25 May 2024		^[20]
7	7	29:27.59	Margaret Kipkemboi		25 May 2024		^[21]
	8	29:29.73	Tsegay #2		23 June 2023		^[22]
8	9	29:31.78	Wang Junxia		8 September 1993	Beijing
9	10	29:32.53	Vivian Cheruiyot		12 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro
	11	29:36.67	Hassan #2		10 October 2020
	12	29:37.80	Hassan #3		3 June 2023	Hengelo	^[23]
	13	29:39.42	Tsegay #3		8 May 2021		^[24]
10	14	29:42.56	Tirunesh Dibaba		12 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro
11	15	29:47.42	Grace Loibach Nawowuna		3 June 2023	Hengelo
12	16	29:47.71	Fotyen Tesfay		14 June 2024	Nerja	^[25]
13	17	29:48.34	Tsigie Gebreselama		16 March 2024	San Juan Capistrano	^[26]
	18	29:49.33	Gebreselama #2		14 June 2024		^[27]
14	19	29:50.52	Ejgayehu Taye		14 June 2024	Nerja	^[28]
15	20	29:50.77	Kalkidan Gezahegne		8 May 2021	Maia
16	21	29:53.51			12 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro
17	22	29:53.80			14 June 2009	Utrecht
	23	29:54.66	Dibaba #2		15 August 2008
	24	29:55.32	Hassan #4		7 August 2021	Tokyo
	25	29:56.18	Gezahegne #2		7 August 2021	Tokyo
18			29:59.03			20 May 2023	London	^[29]
19		29:59.15	Lemlem Hailu		23 June 2023	Nerja
20		29:59.20	Meseret Defar		11 July 2009	Birmingham
21		30:00.86	Eilish McColgan		4 March 2023	San Juan Capistrano	^[30]
22		30:01.09	Paula Radcliffe		6 August 2002	Munich
23		30:03.82	Alicia Monson		4 March 2023	San Juan Capistrano
24		30:04.18			23 August 2003	Saint-Denis
25		30:04.97	Janeth Chepngetich		25 May 2024		^[31]

Annulled marks

• Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey ran 29:56.34 at the 2008 Olympics. This performance was annulled due to doping offences.

Olympic medalists

Women

World Championships medalists

Women

European Championships medalists

Women

Season's bests

Men

Year	Time	Athlete	Place
2023	26:50.66		Nerja
2022	26:33.84		San Juan Capistrano
2021	26.33.90		Ostrava
2020	26:11.00		Valencia
2019	26:48.36		Doha
2018	27:13.01		Yokohama
2017	26:49.51		London
2016	26:51.11		Hengelo
2015	26:50.97		Eugene
2014	26:44.36		Eugene
2013	26:51.02		Sollentuna
2012	26:51.16		Brussels
2011	26:43.16		Brussels
2010	26:56.74		Turku
2009	26:46.31		Berlin
2008	26:25.97		Eugene
2007	26:46.19		Brussels
2006	26:35.63		Brussels
2005	26:17.53		Brussels
2004	26:20.31		Ostrava
2003	26:29.22		Brussels
2002	26:49.38		Brussels
2001	27:04.20		Palo Alto
2000	27:03.87		Brussels
1999	26:51.49		Brussels
1998	26:22.75		Hengelo
1997	26:27.85		Brussels
1996	26:38.08		Brussels
1995	26:43.53		Hengelo
1994	26:52.23		Oslo
1993	26:58.38		Oslo
1992	27:14.26		Oslo
1991	27:11.18		Hengelo
1990	27:18.22		Berlin
1989	27:08.23		Berlin
1988	27:21.46		Seoul
1987	27:26.95		Stockholm
1986	27:20.56		Brussels
1985	27:37.17		Stockholm
1984	27:13.81		Stockholm
1983	27:23.44		Oslo
1982	27:22.95		Paris
1981	27:27.1		Lisbon
1980	27:29.16		Paris
1979	27:36.8		Troisdorf
1978	27:22.47		Vienna
1977	27:30.47		Helsinki
1976	27:40.38		Montreal
1975	27:45.43		London
1974	27:43.6		Eugene
1973	27:30.80		London
1972	27:38.4		Munich
1971	27:47.0		Portsmouth
1970	28:06.2		Warsaw

Women

Year	Time	Athlete	Place
2023	29:29.73		Nerja
2022	30:09.94		Eugene
2021	29:01.03		Hengelo
2020	29:36.67		Hengelo
2019	30:17.62		Doha
2018	30:41.85		Fukagawa
2017	30:16.32		London
2016	29:17.45		Rio de Janeiro
2015	30:49.68		Hengelo
2014	30:42.26		Palo Alto
2013	30:08.06		Sollentuna
2012	30:20.75		London
2011	30:38.35		Palo Alto
2010	31:04.52		Ostrava
2009	29:53.80		Utrecht
2008	29:54.66		Beijing
2007	31:00.27		Valkenswaard
2006	30:21.67		Antalya
2005	30:15.67		Sollentuna
2004	30:17.15		Gateshead
2003	30:04.18		Saint-Denis
2002	30:01.09		Munich
2001	30:55.80		Barakaldo
2000	30:17.49		Sydney
1999	30:24.56		Seville
1998	30:48.06		Lisbon
1997	30:38.09		Shanghai
1996	31:01.63		Atlanta
1995	31:04.99		Gothenburg
1994	30:50.34		Hiroshima
1993	29:31.78		Beijing
1992	31:06.02		Barcelona
1991	30:57.07		Hengelo
1990	31:18.18		Helsinki
1989	30:48.51		Oslo
1988	31:05.21		Seoul
1987	31:05.85		Rome
1986	30:13.74		Oslo
1985	30:59.42		Oslo
1984	31:13.78		Kyiv
1983	31:27.58		Odesa
1982	31:35.3		Eugene
1981	32:17.19		Moscow
1980	32:57.17		Sittard
1979	32:52.5		Walnut
1978	32:43.2		Băile Felix
1977	33:15.1		Westwood
1976	34:19.0		Eugene
1975	34:01.4		Wolfsburg
1974	—	—	—
1973	—	—	—
1972	—	—	—
1971	34:51.0		Phoenix
1970	35:30.5		Milan

Competitions

• European Cup 10,000m
• Iberian 10,000 Metres Championships

See also

• National records in the 10,000 metres

External links

• IAAF list of 10000-metres records in XML
• ARRS: Yearly Rankings - 10,000 meters Outdoor Track
• 10K Races in Race-Calendar.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: Olympics Men's 10 KM Winners - List of Gold, Silver & Bronze Medalists at Olympic Games. olympics.india-server.com.
2. Web site: 2024-05-25 . Beatrice Chebet breaks 10,000m world record at Pre Classic . 2024-05-25 . NBC Sports . en-US.
3. Web site: Jeff . Coach . Training Schedule of an elite runner . RunnersConnect . 31 January 2012 . 17 July 2019.
4. Web site: Men's 10000 Metres Records . worldathletics.org . . 25 February 2024.
5. Web site: Women's 10000 Metres Records . worldathletcs.org . . 25 February 2024.
6. Web site: 10,000 Metres - men - senior - outdoor. World Athletics. 9 April 2024.
7. News: Cheptegei and Gidey break world records in Valencia. World Athletics. Phil. Minshull. 7 October 2020. 13 October 2020.
8. Web site: Kejelcha prevails over Aregawi at Ethiopian Olympic 10,000m trials. World Athletics. Emeterio Valiente. 15 June 2024. 16 June 2024.
9. Web site: Kejelcha prevails over Aregawi at Ethiopian Olympic 10,000m trials. World Athletics. Emeterio Valiente. 15 June 2024. 16 June 2024.
10. News: Grant Fisher (26:33.84) SMASHES Galen Rupp's 10,000 American Record, Elise Cranny (30:14.66) Just Misses Molly Huddle's AR. letsrun.com. 6 March 2022. 9 March 2022.
11. Web site: 60th Golden Spike Ostrava 2021 Results. zlatatretra.cz. 19 May 2021. 4 June 2021.
12. Web site: Kejelcha prevails over Aregawi at Ethiopian Olympic 10,000m trials. World Athletics. Emeterio Valiente. 15 June 2024. 16 June 2024.
13. Web site: Kejelcha prevails over Aregawi at Ethiopian Olympic 10,000m trials. World Athletics. Emeterio Valiente. 15 June 2024. 16 June 2024.
14. Web site: 10,000 Metres - women - senior - outdoor. IAAF. 5 August 2017. 5 August 2017.
15. News: Peterson . Anne M. . Kenya's Beatrice Chebet sets world record in 10,000 meters . AP News . 25 May 2024 . en.
16. Web site: FLASH: Gidey breaks 10,000m world record in Hengelo REPORT World Athletics. 2021-06-08. worldathletics.org.
17. News: Peterson . Anne M. . Kenya's Beatrice Chebet sets world record in 10,000 meters . AP News . 25 May 2024 . en.
18. Web site: Patience pays off for Hassan FEATURE World Athletics. 2021-06-08. www.worldathletics.org.
19. Web site: Women's 10000m Results. Rio 2016 official website. 11 August 2016. 12 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160813082254/https://smsprio2016-a.akamaihd.net/_odf-documents/A/T/ATW100101_Results_2016_08_12_716fce55_1a99_495f_94ee_a729d2565bd1.pdf. August 13, 2016. dead. mdy-all.
20. Web site: Chebet breaks world 10,000m record, Kerr pips Ingebrigtsen in mile in Eugene. World Athletics. 25 May 2024. 26 May 2024.
21. Web site: 10000m Result. swisstiming.com. 25 May 2024. 26 May 2024.
22. Web site: World leads for Tsegay in Nerja and Tinch in Fayetteville. World Athletics. 24 June 2023. 24 June 2023.
23. Web site: Hassan runs 10,000m world lead on track return in Hengelo REPORTS World Athletics . 2023-06-04 . worldathletics.org.
24. News: Rojas opens with 15.14m, Andrejczyk throws 71.40m. World Athletics. Jess. Whittington. 9 May 2021. 4 June 2021.
25. Web site: Kejelcha prevails over Aregawi at Ethiopian Olympic 10,000m trials. World Athletics. Emeterio Valiente. 15 June 2024. 16 June 2024.
26. Web site: Gebreselama and Fisher win as records fall in San Juan Capistrano REPORTS World Athletics . 2024-03-17 . worldathletics.org.
27. Web site: Kejelcha prevails over Aregawi at Ethiopian Olympic 10,000m trials. World Athletics. Emeterio Valiente. 15 June 2024. 16 June 2024.
28. Web site: Kejelcha prevails over Aregawi at Ethiopian Olympic 10,000m trials. World Athletics. Emeterio Valiente. 15 June 2024. 16 June 2024.
29. Web site: Henderson . Jason . 21 May 2023 . Paul Chelimo and Mizan Alem Adane impress at Night of the 10,000m PBs . 21 May 2023 . AW.
30. Web site: 2023-03-05 . Alicia Monson Sets American Record in 10,000 Meters . 2023-03-05 . Runner's World . en-US.
31. Web site: 10000m Result. swisstiming.com. 25 May 2024. 26 May 2024.