# 10,000 metres

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.
The 10,000 metres is the longest standard track event, approximately equivalent to 6 miles 376 yards or 32,808 feet 5 inches.
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. 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.
The 10,000 metres demands exceptional levels of aerobic endurance, and elite athletes typically train in excess of 160 km (100 miles) a week.

## 6 miles

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 1⁄4-mile (402 m; 440 yd; 1,320 ft) track.

## Continental records

* Updated 25 May 2024.
| Area | Men | Men | Men | Women | Women | Women |
| Area | Time | Athlete | Nation | Time | Athlete | Nation |
| Africa (records) | 26:11.00 WR | Joshua Cheptegei | Uganda | 28:54.14 WR | Beatrice Chebet | Kenya |
| Asia (records) | 26:38.76 | Ahmad Hassan Abdullah | Qatar | 29:31.78 | Wang Junxia | China |
| Europe (records) | 26:46.57 | Mo Farah | Great Britain | 29:06.82 | Sifan Hassan | Netherlands |
| North, Central America and Caribbean (records) | 26:33.84 | Grant Fisher | United States | 30:03.82 | Alicia Monson | United States |
| Oceania (records) | 27:15.35 | Jack Rayner | Australia | 30:35.54 | Kimberley Smith | New Zealand |
| South America (records) | 27:28.12 | Marílson Gomes dos Santos | Brazil | 31:47.76 | Carmem de Oliveira | Brazil |

## All-time top 25

* Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 10,000m times and the top 25 athletes:
* - denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 10,000m times
* - denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 10,000m times, by repeat athletes
* - denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 10,000m times

### Men

* Correct as of June 2024.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place |
| 1 | 1 | 26:11.00 | Joshua Cheptegei | Uganda | 7 October 2020 | Valencia |
| 2 | 2 | 26:17.53 | Kenenisa Bekele | Ethiopia | 26 August 2005 | Brussels |
| | 3 | 26:20.31 | Bekele #2 | | 8 June 2004 | Ostrava |
| 3 | 4 | 26:22.75 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia | 1 June 1998 | Hengelo |
| | 5 | 26:25.97 | Bekele #3 | | 8 June 2008 | Eugene |
| 4 | 6 | 26:27.85 | Paul Tergat | Kenya | 22 August 1997 | Brussels |
| | 7 | 26:28.72 | Bekele #4 | | 29 May 2005 | Hengelo |
| | 8 | 26:29.22 | Gebrselassie #2 | | 5 September 2003 | Brussels |
| 5 | 9 | 26:30.03 | Nicholas Kemboi | Kenya | 5 September 2003 | Brussels |
| 6 | 10 | 26:30.74 | Abebe Dinkesa | Ethiopia | 29 May 2005 | Hengelo |
| 7 | 11 | 26:31.01 | Yomif Kejelcha | Ethiopia | 14 June 2024 | Nerja |
| 8 | 12 | 26:31.13 | Berihu Aregawi | Ethiopia | 14 June 2024 | Nerja |
| | 13 | 26:31.32 | Gebrselassie #3 | | 4 July 1997 | Oslo |
| 9 | 14 | 26:33.84 | Grant Fisher | United States | 6 March 2022 | San Juan Capistrano |
| 10 | 15 | 26:33.93 | Jacob Kiplimo | Uganda | 19 May 2021 | Ostrava |
| 11 | 16 | 26:34.14 | Mohammed Ahmed | Canada | 6 March 2022 | San Juan Capistrano |
| 12 | 17 | 26:34.93 | Selemon Barega | Ethiopia | 14 June 2024 | Nerja |
| 13 | 18 | 26:35.63 | Micah Kogo | Kenya | 25 August 2006 | Brussels |
| 14 | 19 | 26:36.26 | Paul Koech | Kenya | 22 August 1997 | Brussels |
| 15 | 20 | 26:37.25 | Zersenay Tadese | Eritrea | 25 August 2006 | Brussels |
| 16 | 21 | 26:37.93 | Biniam Mehary | Ethiopia | 14 June 2024 | Nerja |
| 17 | 22 | 26:38.08 | Salah Hissou | Morocco | 23 August 1996 | Brussels |
| 18 | 23 | 26:38.76 | Ahmad Abdullah Hassan | Qatar | 5 September 2003 | Brussels |
| 19 | 24 | 26:39.69 | Sileshi Sihine | Ethiopia | 31 May 2004 | Hengelo |
| 20 | 25 | 26:39.77 | Boniface Toroitich Kiprop | Uganda | 26 August 2005 | Brussels |
| 21 | | 26:41.75 | Samuel Wanjiru | Kenya | 26 August 2005 | Brussels |
| 22 | | 26:42.65 | Gemechu Dida | Ethiopia | 14 June 2024 | Nerja |
| 23 | | 26:43.98 | Lucas Rotich | Kenya | 7 September 2011 | Brussels |
| 24 | | 26:44.36 | Galen Rupp | United States | 30 May 2014 | Eugene |
| 25 | | 26:45.91 | Tadese Worku | Ethiopia | 5 May 2022 | Hengelo |

### Women

* Correct as of June 2024.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place |
| 1 | 1 | 28:54.14 | Beatrice Chebet | Kenya | 25 May 2024 | Eugene |
| 2 | 2 | 29:01.03 | Letesenbet Gidey | Ethiopia | 8 June 2021 | Hengelo |
| 3 | 3 | 29:05.92 | Gudaf Tsegay | Ethiopia | 25 May 2024 | Eugene |
| 4 | 4 | 29:06.82 | Sifan Hassan | Netherlands | 6 June 2021 | Hengelo |
| 5 | 5 | 29:17.45 | Almaz Ayana | Ethiopia | 12 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro |
| 6 | 6 | 29:26.89 | Lilian Rengeruk | Kenya | 25 May 2024 | Eugene |
| 7 | 7 | 29:27.59 | Margaret Kipkemboi | Kenya | 25 May 2024 | Eugene |
| | 8 | 29:29.73 | Tsegay #2 | | 23 June 2023 | Nerja |
| 8 | 9 | 29:31.78 | Wang Junxia | China | 8 September 1993 | Beijing |
| 9 | 10 | 29:32.53 | Vivian Cheruiyot | Kenya | 12 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro |
| | 11 | 29:36.67 | Hassan #2 | | 10 October 2020 | Hengelo |
| | 12 | 29:37.80 | Hassan #3 | | 3 June 2023 | Hengelo |
| | 13 | 29:39.42 | Tsegay #3 | | 8 May 2021 | Maia |
| 10 | 14 | 29:42.56 | Tirunesh Dibaba | Ethiopia | 12 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro |
| 11 | 15 | 29:47.42 | Grace Loibach Nawowuna | Kenya | 3 June 2023 | Hengelo |
| 12 | 16 | 29:47.71 | Fotyen Tesfay | Ethiopia | 14 June 2024 | Nerja |
| 13 | 17 | 29:48.34 | Tsigie Gebreselama | Ethiopia | 16 March 2024 | San Juan Capistrano |
| | 18 | 29:49.33 | Gebreselama #2 | | 14 June 2024 | Nerja |
| 14 | 19 | 29:50.52 | Ejgayehu Taye | Ethiopia | 14 June 2024 | Nerja |
| 15 | 20 | 29:50.77 | Kalkidan Gezahegne | Bahrain | 8 May 2021 | Maia |
| 16 | 21 | 29:53.51 | Alice Aprot Nawowuna | Kenya | 12 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro |
| 17 | 22 | 29:53.80 | Meselech Melkamu | Ethiopia | 14 June 2009 | Utrecht |
| | 23 | 29:54.66 | Dibaba #2 | | 15 August 2008 | Beijing |
| | 24 | 29:55.32 | Hassan #4 | | 7 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| | 25 | 29:56.18 | Gezahegne #2 | | 7 August 2021 | Tokyo |
| 18 | | 29:59.03 | Mizan Alem | Ethiopia | 20 May 2023 | London |
| 19 | | 29:59.15 | Lemlem Hailu | Ethiopia | 23 June 2023 | Nerja |
| 20 | | 29:59.20 | Meseret Defar | Ethiopia | 11 July 2009 | Birmingham |
| 21 | | 30:00.86 | Eilish McColgan | Great Britain | 4 March 2023 | San Juan Capistrano |
| 22 | | 30:01.09 | Paula Radcliffe | Great Britain | 6 August 2002 | Munich |
| 23 | | 30:03.82 | Alicia Monson | United States | 4 March 2023 | San Juan Capistrano |
| 24 | | 30:04.18 | Berhane Adere | Ethiopia | 23 August 2003 | Saint-Denis |
| 25 | | 30:04.97 | Janeth Chepngetich | Kenya | 25 May 2024 | Eugene |

#### Annulled marks

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

## Olympic medalists
### Men

| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

### Women

| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

## World Championships medalists
### Men

| 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) | Rhonex Kipruto (KEN) |
| 2022 Eugene details | Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) | Stanley Mburu (KEN) | Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) |
| 2023 Budapest details | Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) | Daniel Ebenyo (KEN) | Selemon Barega (ETH) |

### Women

| 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) |

## Competitions

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