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 400 m 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.

Athletics
10,000 metres
10,000 metres at 2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney
World records
Men Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 26:11.00 (2020)
Women Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 28:54.14 (2024)
Olympic records
Men Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 26:43.14 (2024)
Women Almaz Ayana (ETH) 29:17.45 (2016)
World Championship records
Men Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 26:46.31 (2009)
Women Berhane Adere (ETH) 30:04.18 (2003)
World junior (U20) records
Men Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) 26:41.75 (2005)
Women Linet Masai (KEN) 30:26.50 (2008)

The 10,000 metres is the longest standard track event, approximately equivalent to 6 miles 376 yards or 32,808 feet 5 inches.

Taisto Mäki from Finland breaks the 30-minute barrier in Helsinki on 17 September 1939.

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

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10,000 metres is the slightly longer metric derivative of the 6-mile (9,656.1-metre) 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 14-mile (402 m; 440 yd; 1,320 ft) track.

Area records

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Area Men Women
Time Season Athlete Time Season Athlete
World 26:11.002020 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 28:54.142024 Beatrice Chebet (KEN)
Area records
Africa (records) 26:11.002020 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 28:54.142024 Beatrice Chebet (KEN)
Asia (records) 26:38.762003 Ahmad Hassan Abdullah (QAT) 29:31.781993 Wang Junxia (CHN)
Europe (records) 26:46.572011 Mo Farah (GBR) 29:06.822021 Sifan Hassan (NED)
North, Central America
and Caribbean
(records)
26:33.842022 Grant Fisher (USA) 30:03.822023 Alicia Monson (USA)
Oceania (records) 26:57.072026 Ky Robinson (AUS) 30:34.112025 Rose Davies (AUS)
South America (records) 27:28.122007 Marílson Gomes dos Santos (BRA) 31:33.072024 Florencia Borelli (ARG)

All-time top 25

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Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 10,000 m times and the top 25 athletes:
- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 10,000 m times
- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 10,000 m times, by repeat athletes
- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 10,000 m times
Kenenisa Bekele (right), the former 10,000 m world record holder.
  • Correct as of June 2024.[6]
Ath.#Perf.#TimeAthleteNationDatePlaceRef.
1126:11.00Joshua Cheptegei Uganda7 October 2020Valencia[7]
2226:17.53Kenenisa Bekele Ethiopia26 August 2005Brussels
326:20.31Bekele #28 June 2004Ostrava
3426:22.75Haile Gebrselassie Ethiopia1 June 1998Hengelo
526:25.97Bekele #38 June 2008Eugene
4626:27.85Paul Tergat Kenya22 August 1997Brussels
726:28.72Bekele #429 May 2005Hengelo
826:29.22Gebrselassie #25 September 2003Brussels
5926:30.03Nicholas Kemboi Kenya5 September 2003Brussels
61026:30.74Abebe Dinkesa Ethiopia29 May 2005Hengelo
71126:31.01Yomif Kejelcha Ethiopia14 June 2024Nerja[8]
81226:31.13Berihu Aregawi Ethiopia14 June 2024Nerja[8]
1326:31.32Gebrselassie #34 July 1997Oslo
9 14 26:33.84 Grant Fisher United States 6 March 2022 San Juan Capistrano [9]
10 15 26:33.93 Jacob Kiplimo Uganda 19 May 2021 Ostrava [10]
11 16 26:34.14 Mohammed Ahmed Canada 6 March 2022 San Juan Capistrano [9]
1217 26:34.93Selemon Barega  Ethiopia14 June 2024Nerja[8]
13 18 26:35.63Micah Kogo Kenya 25 August 2006 Brussels
14 19 26:36.26Paul Koech Kenya 22 August 1997 Brussels
15 20 26:37.25Zersenay Tadese Eritrea 25 August 2006 Brussels
162126:37.93Biniam Mehary Ethiopia14 June 2024Nerja[8]
17 22 26:38.08Salah Hissou Morocco 23 August 1996 Brussels
18 23 26:38.76Ahmad Abdullah Hassan Qatar 5 September 2003 Brussels
19 24 26:39.69Sileshi Sihine Ethiopia31 May 2004Hengelo
20 25 26:39.77Boniface Toroitich Kiprop Uganda26 August 2005Brussels
2126:41.75Samuel Wanjiru Kenya26 August 2005Brussels
22 26:42.65 Gemechu Dida  Ethiopia 14 June 2024 Nerja
23 26:43.98Lucas Rotich Kenya7 September 2011Brussels
24 26:44.36Galen Rupp United States30 May 2014Eugene
25 26:45.91 Tadese Worku  Ethiopia 5 May 2022 Hengelo

Women

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Ath.#Perf.#TimeAthleteNationDatePlaceRef.
1128:54.14Beatrice Chebet Kenya25 May 2024Eugene[12]
2229:01.03Letesenbet Gidey Ethiopia8 June 2021Hengelo[13]
3329:05.92Gudaf Tsegay Ethiopia25 May 2024Eugene[12]
4429:06.82Sifan Hassan Netherlands6 June 2021Hengelo[14]
5529:17.45Almaz Ayana Ethiopia12 August 2016Rio de Janeiro[15]
6629:26.89Lilian Rengeruk Kenya25 May 2024Eugene[16]
7729:27.59Margaret Kipkemboi Kenya25 May 2024Eugene[17]
829:29.73Tsegay #223 June 2023Nerja[18]
8929:31.78Wang Junxia China8 September 1993Beijing
91029:32.53Vivian Cheruiyot Kenya12 August 2016Rio de Janeiro[15]
1129:36.67Hassan #210 October 2020Hengelo
12 29:37.80 Hassan #3 3 June 2023 Hengelo [19]
1329:39.42Tsegay #38 May 2021Maia[20]
10 14 29:42.56 Tirunesh Dibaba Ethiopia 12 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro [15]
11 15 29:47.42 Grace Loibach Nawowuna  Kenya 3 June 2023 Hengelo [19]
12 16 29:47.71 Fotyen Tesfay  Ethiopia 14 June 2024 Nerja [8]
13 17 29:48.34 Tsigie Gebreselama  Ethiopia 16 March 2024 San Juan Capistrano [21]
1829:49.33Gebreselama #214 June 2024Nerja[8]
14 19 29:50.52 Ejgayehu Taye  Ethiopia 14 June 2024 Nerja [8]
15 20 29:50.77 Kalkidan Gezahegne Bahrain 8 May 2021 Maia [20]
16 21 29:53.51 Alice Aprot Nawowuna Kenya 12 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro [15]
17 22 29:53.80Meselech Melkamu Ethiopia14 June 2009Utrecht
2329:54.66Dibaba #215 August 2008Beijing
2429:55.32Hassan #47 August 2021Tokyo
2529:56.18Gezahegne #27 August 2021Tokyo
18 29:59.03Mizan Alem Ethiopia20 May 2023London[22]
19 29:59.15 Lemlem Hailu  Ethiopia 23 June 2023 Nerja [18]
20 29:59.20Meseret Defar Ethiopia11 July 2009Birmingham
21 30:00.86 Eilish McColgan  Great Britain 4 March 2023 San Juan Capistrano [23]
22 30:01.09Paula Radcliffe Great Britain6 August 2002Munich
23 30:03.82 Alicia Monson  United States 4 March 2023 San Juan Capistrano [23]
24 30:04.18Berhane Adere Ethiopia23 August 2003Saint-Denis
25 30:04.97Janeth Chepngetich Kenya25 May 2024Eugene[17]

Annulled marks

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Olympic medalists

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Games Gold Silver Bronze
1912 Stockholm
details
Hannes Kolehmainen
 Finland
Lewis Tewanima
 United States
Albin Stenroos
 Finland
1920 Antwerp
details
Paavo Nurmi
 Finland
Joseph Guillemot
 France
James Wilson
 Great Britain
1924 Paris
details
Ville Ritola
 Finland
Edvin Wide
 Sweden
Eero Berg
 Finland
1928 Amsterdam
details
Paavo Nurmi
 Finland
Ville Ritola
 Finland
Edvin Wide
 Sweden
1932 Los Angeles
details
Janusz Kusociński
 Poland
Volmari Iso-Hollo
 Finland
Lasse Virtanen
 Finland
1936 Berlin
details
Ilmari Salminen
 Finland
Arvo Askola
 Finland
Volmari Iso-Hollo
 Finland
1948 London
details
Emil Zátopek
 Czechoslovakia
Alain Mimoun
 France
Bertil Albertsson
 Sweden
1952 Helsinki
details
Emil Zátopek
 Czechoslovakia
Alain Mimoun
 France
Aleksandr Anufriyev
 Soviet Union
1956 Melbourne
details
Vladimir Kuts
 Soviet Union
József Kovács
 Hungary
Al Lawrence
 Australia
1960 Rome
details
Pyotr Bolotnikov
 Soviet Union
Hans Grodotzki
 United Team of Germany
Dave Power
 Australia
1964 Tokyo
details
Billy Mills
 United States
Mohammed Gammoudi
 Tunisia
Ron Clarke
 Australia
1968 Mexico City
details
Naftali Temu
 Kenya
Mamo Wolde
 Ethiopia
Mohammed Gammoudi
 Tunisia
1972 Munich
details
Lasse Virén
 Finland
Emiel Puttemans
 Belgium
Miruts Yifter
 Ethiopia
1976 Montreal
details
Lasse Virén
 Finland
Carlos Lopes
 Portugal
Brendan Foster
 Great Britain
1980 Moscow
details
Miruts Yifter
 Ethiopia
Kaarlo Maaninka
 Finland
Mohamed Kedir
 Ethiopia
1984 Los Angeles
details
Alberto Cova
 Italy
Mike McLeod
 Great Britain
Michael Musyoki
 Kenya
1988 Seoul
details
Brahim Boutayeb
 Morocco
Salvatore Antibo
 Italy
Kipkemboi Kimeli
 Kenya
1992 Barcelona
details
Khalid Skah
 Morocco
Richard Chelimo
 Kenya
Addis Abebe
 Ethiopia
1996 Atlanta
details
Haile Gebrselassie
 Ethiopia
Paul Tergat
 Kenya
Saleh Hissou
 Morocco
2000 Sydney
details
Haile Gebrselassie
 Ethiopia
Paul Tergat
 Kenya
Assefa Mezgebu
 Ethiopia
2004 Athens
details
Kenenisa Bekele
 Ethiopia
Sileshi Sihine
 Ethiopia
Zersenay Tadese
 Eritrea
2008 Beijing
details
Kenenisa Bekele
 Ethiopia
Sileshi Sihine
 Ethiopia
Micah Kogo
 Kenya
2012 London
details
Mo Farah
 Great Britain
Galen Rupp
 United States
Tariku Bekele
 Ethiopia
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Mo Farah
 Great Britain
Paul Tanui
 Kenya
Tamirat Tola
 Ethiopia
2020 Tokyo
details
Selemon Barega
 Ethiopia
Joshua Cheptegei
 Uganda
Jacob Kiplimo
 Uganda
2024 Paris
details
Joshua Cheptegei
 Uganda
Berihu Aregawi
 Ethiopia
Grant Fisher
 United States

Women

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Games Gold Silver Bronze
1988 Seoul
details
Olga Bondarenko
 Soviet Union
Liz McColgan
 Great Britain
Olena Zhupiyeva-Vyazova
 Soviet Union
1992 Barcelona
details
Derartu Tulu
 Ethiopia
Elana Meyer
 South Africa
Lynn Jennings
 United States
1996 Atlanta
details
Fernanda Ribeiro
 Portugal
Wang Junxia
 China
Gete Wami
 Ethiopia
2000 Sydney
details
Derartu Tulu
 Ethiopia
Gete Wami
 Ethiopia
Fernanda Ribeiro
 Portugal
2004 Athens
details
Xing Huina
 China
Ejagayehu Dibaba
 Ethiopia
Derartu Tulu
 Ethiopia
2008 Beijing
details
Tirunesh Dibaba
 Ethiopia
Shalane Flanagan
 United States
Linet Masai
 Kenya
2012 London
details
Tirunesh Dibaba
 Ethiopia
Sally Kipyego
 Kenya
Vivian Cheruiyot
 Kenya
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Almaz Ayana
 Ethiopia
Vivian Cheruiyot
 Kenya
Tirunesh Dibaba
 Ethiopia
2020 Tokyo
details
Sifan Hassan
 Netherlands
Kalkidan Gezahegne
 Bahrain
Letesenbet Gidey
 Ethiopia
2024 Paris
details
Beatrice Chebet
 Kenya
Nadia Battocletti
 Italy
Sifan Hassan
 Netherlands

World Championships medalists

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Championships Gold Silver Bronze
1983 Helsinki
details
 Alberto Cova (ITA)  Werner Schildhauer (GDR)  Hansjörg Kunze (GDR)
1987 Rome
details
 Paul Kipkoech (KEN)  Francesco Panetta (ITA)  Hansjörg Kunze (GDR)
1991 Tokyo
details
 Moses Tanui (KEN)  Richard Chelimo (KEN)  Khalid Skah (MAR)
1993 Stuttgart
details
 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)  Moses Tanui (KEN)  Richard Chelimo (KEN)
1995 Gothenburg
details
 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)  Khalid Skah (MAR)  Paul Tergat (KEN)
1997 Athens
details
 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)  Paul Tergat (KEN)  Salah Hissou (MAR)
1999 Seville
details
 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)  Paul Tergat (KEN)  Assefa Mezgebu (ETH)
2001 Edmonton
details
 Charles Kamathi (KEN)  Assefa Mezgebu (ETH)  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)
2003 Saint-Denis
details
 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)  Sileshi Sihine (ETH)
2005 Helsinki
details
 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)  Sileshi Sihine (ETH)  Moses Mosop (KEN)
2007 Osaka
details
 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)  Sileshi Sihine (ETH)  Martin Mathathi (KEN)
2009 Berlin
details
 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)  Zersenay Tadese (ERI)  Moses Ndiema Masai (KEN)
2011 Daegu
details
 Ibrahim Jeilan (ETH)  Mo Farah (GBR)  Imane Merga (ETH)
2013 Moscow
details
 Mo Farah (GBR)  Ibrahim Jeilan (ETH)  Paul Tanui (KEN)
2015 Beijing
details
 Mo Farah (GBR)  Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN)  Paul Tanui (KEN)
2017 London
details
 Mo Farah (GBR)  Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)  Paul Tanui (KEN)
2019 Doha
details
 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)  Yomif Kejelcha (ETH)  Andamlak Belihu (ETH)
2022 Eugene
details
 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)  Stanley Mburu (KEN)  Jacob Kiplimo (UGA)
2023 Budapest
details
 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)  Daniel Ebenyo (KEN)  Selemon Barega (ETH)
2025 Tokyo
details
 Jimmy Gressier (FRA)  Yomif Kejelcha (ETH)  Andreas Almgren (SWE)

Women

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Championships Gold Silver Bronze
1987 Rome
details
 Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)  Yelena Zhupiyeva-Vyazova (URS)  Kathrin Weßel (GDR)
1991 Tokyo
details
 Liz McColgan (GBR)  Zhong Huandi (CHN)  Wang Xiuting (CHN)
1993 Stuttgart
details
 Wang Junxia (CHN)  Zhong Huandi (CHN)  Sally Barsosio (KEN)
1995 Gothenburg
details
 Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)  Derartu Tulu (ETH)  Tegla Loroupe (KEN)
1997 Athens
details
 Sally Barsosio (KEN)  Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)  Masako Chiba (JPN)
1999 Seville
details
 Gete Wami (ETH)  Paula Radcliffe (GBR)  Tegla Loroupe (KEN)
2001 Edmonton
details
 Derartu Tulu (ETH)  Berhane Adere (ETH)  Gete Wami (ETH)
2003 Saint-Denis
details
 Berhane Adere (ETH)  Werknesh Kidane (ETH)  Sun Yingjie (CHN)
2005 Helsinki
details
 Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)  Berhane Adere (ETH)  Ejegayehu Dibaba (ETH)
2007 Osaka
details
 Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)  Kara Goucher (USA)  Jo Pavey (GBR)
2009 Berlin
details
 Linet Masai (KEN)  Meselech Melkamu (ETH)  Wude Ayalew (ETH)
2011 Daegu
details
 Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)  Sally Kipyego (KEN)  Linet Masai (KEN)
2013 Moscow
details
 Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)  Gladys Cherono Kiprono (KEN)  Belaynesh Oljira (ETH)
2015 Beijing
details
 Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)  Gelete Burka (ETH)  Emily Infeld (USA)
2017 London
details
 Almaz Ayana (ETH)  Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)  Agnes Tirop (KEN)
2019 Doha
details
 Sifan Hassan (NED)  Letesenbet Gidey (ETH)  Agnes Tirop (KEN)
2022 Eugene
details
 Letesenbet Gidey (ETH)  Hellen Obiri (KEN)  Margaret Kipkemboi (KEN)
2023 Budapest
details
 Gudaf Tsegay (ETH)  Letesenbet Gidey (ETH)  Ejgayehu Taye (ETH)
2025 Tokyo
details
 Beatrice Chebet (KEN)  Nadia Battocletti (ITA)  Gudaf Tsegay (ETH)

European Championships medalists

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World leading times

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Competitions

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See also

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References

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  1. "Olympics Men's 10 KM Winners - List of Gold, Silver & Bronze Medalists at Olympic Games". olympics.india-server.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  2. "Beatrice Chebet breaks 10,000m world record at Pre Classic". NBC Sports. 2024-05-25. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  3. Jeff, Coach (31 January 2012). "Training Schedule of an elite runner". RunnersConnect. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  4. "Men's 10000 Metres | Records". worldathletics.org. World Athletics. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  5. "Women's 10000 Metres | Records". worldathletics.org. World Athletics. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  6. "10,000 Metres - men - senior - outdoor". World Athletics. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  7. Minshull, Phil (7 October 2020). "Cheptegei and Gidey break world records in Valencia". World Athletics. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Emeterio Valiente (15 June 2024). "Kejelcha prevails over Aregawi at Ethiopian Olympic 10,000m trials". World Athletics. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  9. 1 2 "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. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  10. "60th Golden Spike Ostrava 2021 Results" (PDF). zlatatretra.cz. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  11. "10,000 Metres - women - senior - outdoor". IAAF. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 Peterson, Anne M. (25 May 2024). "Kenya's Beatrice Chebet sets world record in 10,000 meters". AP News.
  13. "FLASH: Gidey breaks 10,000m world record in Hengelo | REPORT | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  14. "Patience pays off for Hassan | FEATURE | World Athletics". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Women's 10000m Results" (PDF). Rio 2016 official website. August 11, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 13, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  16. "Chebet breaks world 10,000m record, Kerr pips Ingebrigtsen in mile in Eugene". World Athletics. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  17. 1 2 "10000m Result" (PDF). swisstiming.com. 25 May 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  18. 1 2 "World leads for Tsegay in Nerja and Tinch in Fayetteville". World Athletics. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Hassan runs 10,000m world lead on track return in Hengelo | REPORTS | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  20. 1 2 Whittington, Jess (9 May 2021). "Rojas opens with 15.14m, Andrejczyk throws 71.40m". World Athletics. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  21. "Gebreselama and Fisher win as records fall in San Juan Capistrano | REPORTS | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  22. Henderson, Jason (21 May 2023). "Paul Chelimo and Mizan Alem Adane impress at Night of the 10,000m PBs". AW. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Alicia Monson Sets American Record in 10,000 Meters". Runner's World. 2023-03-05. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
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