# 1991 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 10,000 metres

The women's 10,000 metres event featured at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. There were a total of 49 participating athletes, with two qualifying heats and the final being held on 30 August 1991.

## Medalists

| Gold | Liz McColgan Great Britain (GBR) |
| Silver | Zhong Huandi PR China (CHN) |
| Bronze | Wang Xiuting PR China (CHN) |

## Schedule

* All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
* Heats
* 27.08.1991 – 20:25h
* Final
* 30.08.1991 – 19:05h

## Final

| RANK | FINAL | TIME |
| | Liz McColgan (GBR) | 31:14.31 |
| | Zhong Huandi (CHN) | 31:35.08 |
| | Wang Xiuting (CHN) | 31:35.99 |
| 4. | Kathrin Ullrich (GER) | 31:38.96 |
| 5. | Lynn Jennings (USA) | 31:54.44 |
| 6. | Uta Pippig (GER) | 31:55.68 |
| 7. | Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) | 32:10.75 |
| 8. | Derartu Tulu (ETH) | 32:16.55 |
| 9. | Jill Hunter (GBR) | 32:24.55 |
| 10. | Luchia Yishak (ETH) | 32:27.61 |
| 11. | Conceição Ferreira (POR) | 32:29.12 |
| 12. | Delilah Asiago (KEN) | 32:33.71 |
| 13. | Tatyana Pozdnyakova (URS) | 32:35.17 |
| 14. | Wang Yongmei (CHN) | 32:40.22 |
| 15. | Rosanna Munerotto (ITA) | 32:44.43 |
| 16. | Miki Igarashi (JPN) | 32:44.62 |
| 17. | Iulia Negura-Olteanu (ROM) | 32:53.57 |
| 18. | Carole Rouillard (CAN) | 32:58.77 |
| 19. | Annette Sergent-Palluy (FRA) | 33:01.92 |
| 20. | Izumi Maki (JPN) | 33:27.84 |
| 21. | Jane Ngotho (KEN) | 33:36.91 |
| — | Albertina Dias (POR) | DNF |
| — | Yelena Romanova (URS) | DNF |
| — | Päivi Tikkanen (FIN) | DNF |
| — | Anne Marie Letko-Lauck (USA) | DNF |

## Qualifying heats

* Held on Tuesday 1991-08-27
| RANK | HEAT 1 | TIME |
| 1. | Iulia Negura-Olteanu (ROM) | 31:52.58 |
| 2. | Wang Xiuting (CHN) | 31:53.13 |
| 3. | Kathrin Ullrich (GER) | 31:54.05 |
| 4. | Jill Hunter (GBR) | 31:55.55 |
| 5. | Annette Sergent-Palluy (FRA) | 31:55.97 |
| 6. | Luchia Yishak (ETH) | 31:56.42 |
| 7. | Lynn Jennings (USA) | 31:56.52 |
| 8. | Carole Rouillard (CAN) | 31:56.74 |
| 9. | Izumi Maki (JPN) | 31:57.23 |
| 10. | Conceição Ferreira (POR) | 31:59.13 |
| 11. | Tatyana Pozdnyakova (URS) | 32:00.24 |
| 12. | Wang Yongmei (CHN) | 32:00.27 |
| 13. | Delilah Asiago (KEN) | 32:04.53 |
| 14. | Rosanna Munerotto (ITA) | 32:05.75 |
| 15. | Suzana Ciric (YUG) | 32:28.09 |
| 16. | Lieve Slegers (BEL) | 32:31.55 |
| 17. | Carmem de Oliveira (BRA) | 32:36.44 |
| 18. | Claudia Dreher (GER) | 32:44.94 |
| 19. | Olga Nazarkina (URS) | 32:55.65 |
| 20. | Zita Agoston (HUN) | 33:07.19 |
| 21. | Martha Ernstsdottir (ISL) | 33:10.93 |
| 22. | Maria-Luisa Servin (MEX) | 33:13.70 |
| 23. | Jenny Lund (AUS) | 33:15.18 |
| 24. | Valerie McGovern (IRL) | 35:08.40 |
| RANK | HEAT 2 | TIME |
| 1. | Derartu Tulu (ETH) | 31:45.95 |
| 2. | Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) | 31:50.36 |
| 3. | Liz McColgan (GBR) | 31:54.67 |
| 4. | Zhong Huandi (CHN) | 31:58.82 |
| 5. | Uta Pippig (GER) | 32:00.76 |
| 6. | Miki Igarashi (JPN) | 32:01.04 |
| 7. | Albertina Dias (POR) | 32:03.76 |
| 8. | Päivi Tikkanen (FIN) | 32:06.67 |
| 9. | Yelena Romanova (URS) | 32:06.73 |
| 10. | Jane Ngotho (KEN) | 32:09.38 |
| 11. | Anne Marie Letko-Lauck (USA) | 32:26.65 |
| 12. | Akemi Matsuno (JPN) | 32:31.18 |
| 13. | Marcianne Mukamurenzi (RWA) | 32:33.27 |
| 14. | Lisa Harvey (CAN) | 32:41.87 |
| 15. | Rosario Murcia (FRA) | 32:49.75 |
| 16. | Olga Appell (MEX) | 32:54.63 |
| 17. | Susan Hobson (AUS) | 33:21.20 |
| 18. | Odile Ohier (FRA) | 33:22.55 |
| 19. | Lesley Morton (NZL) | 33:23.17 |
| 20. | María del Carmen Díaz (MEX) | 33:46.24 |
| 21. | Anuța Cătună (ROM) | 34:12.44 |
| 22. | Griselda González (ARG) | 34:16.26 |
| 23. | Vilma Peña (CRC) | 35:06.98 |
| — | Francie Larrieu-Smith (USA) | DNF |
| — | Fernanda Marques (POR) | DNF |