# 2019 World Athletics Championships – Men's 10,000 metres

The men's 10,000 metres at the 2019 World Athletics Championships was held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on 6 October 2019.

## Summary

Seventeen of the twenty-one starters were born in Eastern Africa, a familiar situation for long distance events. Here the Kenyan team of Rhonex Kipruto and Rodgers Kwemoi took to the front to keep the pace fast and returning silver medalist Joshua Cheptegei, who was a favorite after the track retirement of Mo Farah, was also near the front. By the 5,000 metre mark at 13:33.20 (27:07 pace), only 10 had fallen off the back. Nine laps later, Cheptegei took over the front and two more fell off the back, though Hagos Gebrhiwet, Yemaneberhan Crippa and Lopez Lomong were barely hanging on to the fast-pace. Behind Cheptegei, the 19 year old Kipruto and the tall figure of the new indoor mile record holder Yomif Kejelcha looking like he was waiting to unleash that shorter distance speed. After Mohammed Ahmed fell off the back with 500 meters to go, the group was still five, single file, with Cheptegei still leading the race. Running through traffic at the bell, Kwemoi and Andamlak Belihu couldn't keep up and it looked like the medalsts were decided. Down the final backstretch, Kejelcha moved right onto Cheptegei's shoulder then into a slight lead. The gap left Kipruto running for bronze. As they entered the final turn Cheptegei kept Kejelcha on his outside, while he ran the shorter distance along the inside. Coming off the turn, Cheptegei had the speed, separating slightly from Kejelcha, growing to a 5 metre lead by the finish and claiming gold.
In 2024, both Kipruto and Kwemoi's results regarding the 2019 World Athletics Championships were disqualified, resulting in Andamlak Belihu receiving the bronze medal.

## Records

Before the competition records were as follows:
| World record | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) | 26:17.53 | Brussels, Belgium | 26 August 2005 |
| Championship record | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) | 26:46.31 | Berlin, Germany | 17 August 2009 |
| World Leading | Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) | 26:48.95 | Hengelo, Netherlands | 17 July 2019 |
| African Record | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) | 26:17.53 | Brussels, Belgium | 26 August 2005 |
| Asian Record | Ahmad Hassan Abdullah (QAT) | 26:38.76 | Brussels, Belgium | 5 September 2003 |
| North, Central American and Caribbean record | Galen Rupp (USA) | 26:44.36 | Eugene, United States | 30 May 2014 |
| South American Record | Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA) | 27:28.12 | Neerpelt, Belgium | 2 June 2007 |
| European Record | Mo Farah (GBR) | 26:46.57 | Eugene, United States | 3 June 2011 |
| Oceanian record | Ben St. Lawrence (AUS) | 27:24.95 | Palo Alto, United States | 1 May 2011 |
The following records were set at the competition:
| Record | Perf. | Athlete | Nat. | Date |
| World leading | 26:48.36 | Joshua Cheptegei | UGA | 6 Oct 2019 |
| Canadian | 26:59.35 | Mohammed Ahmed | CAN | 6 Oct 2019 |
| Italian | 27:10.76 | Yemaneberhan Crippa | ITA | 6 Oct 2019 |

## Qualification standard

The standard to qualify automatically for entry was 27:40.00.
Only 18 qualifiers did it in the period: Onesphore Nzikwinkunda (BDI) 28:11.90, Rodrigue Kwizéra (BDI), and Thierry Ndikumwenayo (BDI), were qualified during Cross Country Championships (top finishing position at designated competitions – automatically qualifies, irrespective of whether his performance has reached the Entry Standard). Soufiane Bouchikhi and Yeman Crippa were invited to complete the event for Ranking.

## Schedule

The event schedule, in local time (UTC+3), was as follows:
| Date | Time | Round |
| 6 October | 20:00 | Final |

## Results

The race started on 6 October at 20:04.
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| | Joshua Cheptegei | Uganda (UGA) | 26:48.36 | WL |
| | Yomif Kejelcha | Ethiopia (ETH) | 26:49.34 | PB |
| | Andamlak Belihu | Ethiopia (ETH) | 26:56.71 | |
| 4 | Mohammed Ahmed | Canada (CAN) | 26:59.35 | NR |
| 5 | Lopez Lomong | United States (USA) | 27:04.72 | PB |
| 6 | Yemaneberhan Crippa | Italy (ITA) | 27:10.76 | NR |
| 7 | Hagos Gebrhiwet | Ethiopia (ETH) | 27:11.37 | |
| 8 | Shadrack Kipchirchir | United States (USA) | 27:24.74 | SB |
| 9 | Alex Korio | Kenya (KEN) | 27:28.74 | PB |
| 10 | Sondre Nordstad Moen | Norway (NOR) | 28:02.18 | |
| 11 | Leonard Korir | United States (USA) | 28:05.73 | |
| 12 | Soufiane Bouchikhi | Belgium (BEL) | 28:15.43 | |
| 13 | Aron Kifle | Eritrea (ERI) | 28:16.74 | |
| 14 | Rodrigue Kwizera | Burundi (BDI) | 28:21.92 | PB |
| 15 | Abdallah Kibet Mande | Uganda (UGA) | 28:31.49 | |
| 16 | Onesphore Nzikwinkunda | Burundi (BDI) | 29:11.50 | |
| | Hassan Chani | Bahrain (BHR) | DNF | DNF |
| | Thierry Ndikumwenayo | Burundi (BDI) | DNF | DNF |
| | Julien Wanders | Switzerland (SUI) | DNF | DNF |
| | Rodgers Kwemoi | Kenya (KEN) | DSQ | DSQ |
| | Rhonex Kipruto | Kenya (KEN) | DSQ | DSQ |