The 10,000 metres or 10K is a common long distance running event. As "10,000 metres" it is a track event, and appears in athletics events such as the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics; as "10K" it is a roadrace or cross country running event. The 10K road race is a popular distance among recreational runners.

The 10,000 metres is the longest standard track event. The imperial distance is equal to 6.214 miles (or, approximately 32,808.399 feet). Most of those running such races also compete in road races and cross country events. Official records are kept for outdoor 10,000 metre track events.^[1] The world track record for men is held by Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia in 26:17.53, posted at Brussels, Belgium on August 26, 2005. The 26:44 10K road race mark by Leonard Komon of Kenya was set in Utrecht, The Netherlands on September 26, 2010.

For women, the world track 10,000 metres record is held by Wang Junxia of China in 29:31.78 on September 8, 1993.

The 10,000 metres demands exceptional levels of aerobic endurance and elite athletes typically train in excess of 100 miles a week.

History[link]

Introduced in 1912, the 10,000m is the longest standard track event. Athletes from Finland dominated the event until the 1960s, at which time African athletes began to "catch up."^[2]

All-time top 25[link]

Men[link]

Kenenisa Bekele (right), the current 10,000m world record holder.

(Updated June 2011)

Pos	Time	Athlete	Venue	Date
1.	26:17.53	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Brussels	August 26, 2005
2.	26:22.75	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Hengelo	June 1, 1998
3.	26:27.85	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Brussels	August 22, 1997
4.	26:30.03	Nicholas Kemboi (KEN)	Brussels	September 5, 2003
5.	26:30.74	Abebe Dinkesa (ETH)	Hengelo	May 29, 2005
6.	26:35.63	Micah Kogo (KEN)	Brussels	August 25, 2006
7.	26:36.26	Paul Koech (KEN)	Brussels	August 22, 1997
8.	26:37.25	Zersenay Tadese (ERI)	Brussels	August 25, 2006
9.	26:38.08	Salah Hissou (MAR)	Brussels	August 23, 1996
10.	26:38.76	Abdullah Ahmad Hassan (QAT)	Brussels	September 5, 2003
11.	26:39.69	Sileshi Sihine (ETH)	Hengelo	May 31, 2004
12.	26:39.77	Boniface Kiprop Toroitich (UGA)	Brussels	August 26, 2005
13.	26:41.75	Samuel Wanjiru (KEN)	Brussels	August 26, 2005
14.	26:43.98	Lucas Kimeli Rotich (KEN)	Brussels	September 7, 2011
15.	26:46.57	Mo Farah (GBR)	Eugene	June 3, 2011
16.	26:48.00	Galen Rupp (USA)	Brussels	September 7, 2011
17.	26:48.35	Imane Merga (ETH)	Eugene	June 3, 2011
18.	26:48.99	Josphat Bett Kipkoech (KEN)	Eugene	June 3, 2011
19.	26:49.02	Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)	Hengelo	May 26, 2007
20.	26:49.20	Moses Ndiema Masai (KEN)	Brussels	September 14, 2007
21.	26:49.38	Sammy Kipketer (KEN)	Brussels	August 30, 2002
22.	26:49.55	Moses Mosop (KEN)	Hengelo	May 26, 2007
23.	26:49.90	Assefa Mezgebu (ETH)	Brussels	August 30, 2002
24.	26:50.20	Richard Limo (KEN)	Brussels	August 30, 2002
25.	26:50.63	Paul Kipngetich Tanui (KEN)	Eugene	June 3, 2011

Women[link]

(Updated April 2010)^[3]

Pos.	Time	Athlete	Venue	Date
1.	29:31.78	Wang Junxia (CHN)	Beijing	September 8, 1993
2.	29:53.80	Meselech Melkamu (ETH)	Utrecht	June 14, 2009
3.	29:54.66	Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)	Beijing	August 15, 2008
4.	29:56.34	Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR)	Beijing	August 15, 2008
5.	29.59.20	Meseret Defar (ETH)	Birmingham	July 11, 2009
6.	30:01.09	Paula Radcliffe (GBR)	Munich	August 6, 2002
7.	30:04.18	Berhane Adere (ETH)	Paris, Saint-Denis	August 23, 2003
8.	30:07.15	Werknesh Kidane (ETH)	Paris, Saint-Denis	August 23, 2003
9.	30:07.20	Sun Yingjie (CHN)	Paris, Saint-Denis	August 23, 2003
10.	30:11.53	Florence Jebet Kiplagat (KEN)	Utrecht	June 14, 2009
11.	30:11.87	Wude Ayalew (ETH)	Utrecht	June 14, 2009
12.	30:12.53	Lornah Kiplagat (NED)	Paris, Saint-Denis	August 23, 2003
13.	30:13.37	Zhong Huandi (CHN)	Beijing	September 8, 1993
14.	30:13.74	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	Oslo	July 5, 1986
15.	30:17.49	Derartu Tulu (ETH)	Sydney	September 30, 2000
16.	30:18.39	Ejegayehu Dibaba (ETH)	Sollentuna	June 28, 2005
17.	30:22.22	Shalane Flanagan (USA)	Beijing	August 15, 2008
18.	30:22.48	Gete Wami (ETH)	Sydney	September 30, 2000
19.	30:22.88	Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)	Sydney	September 30, 2000
20.	30:23.07	Alla Zhilyaeva (RUS)	Paris, Saint-Denis	August 23, 2003
21.	30:24.36	Xing Huina (CHN)	Athens	August 27, 2004
22.	30:26.20	Galina Bogomolova (RUS)	Paris, Saint-Denis	August 23, 2003
23.	30:26.50	Linet Chepkwemoi Masai (KEN)	Beijing	August 15, 2008
24.	30:29.36	Liliya Shobukhova (RUS)	Cheboksary	July 23, 2009
25.	30:30.26	Edith Masai (KEN)	Helsinki	August 6, 2005

Best Year Performance[link]

Men's Seasons Best[link]

YEAR	TIME	ATHLETE	PLACE
1980	27:29.16	Craig Virgin (USA)	Paris
1981	27:27.1	Fernando Mamede (POR)	Lisbon
1982	27:22.95	Fernando Mamede (POR)	Paris
1983	27:23.44	Carlos Lopes (POR)	Oslo
1984	27:13.81	Fernando Mamede (POR)	Stockholm
1985	27:37.17	Bruce Bickford (USA)	Stockholm
1986	27:20.56	Mark Nenow (USA)	Brussels
1987	27:26.95	Francesco Panetta (ITA)	Stockholm
1988	27:21.46	Brahim Boutayeb (MAR)	Seoul
1989	27:08.23	Arturo Barrios (MEX)	Berlin
1990	27:18.22	Arturo Barrios (MEX)	Berlin
1991	27:11.18	Richard Chelimo (KEN)	Hengelo
1992	27:14.26	Fita Bayissa (ETH)	Oslo
1993	26:58.38	Yobes Ondieki (KEN)	Oslo
1994	26:52.23	William Sigei (KEN)	Oslo
1995	26:43.53	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Hengelo
1996	26:38.08	Salah Hissou (MAR)	Brussels
1997	26:27.85	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Brussels
1998	26:22.75	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Hengelo
1999	26:51.49	Charles Kamathi (KEN)	Brussels
2000	27:03.87	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Brussels
2001	27:04.20	Abraham Chebii (KEN)	Palo Alto
2002	26:49.38	Sammy Kipketer (KEN)	Brussels
2003	26:29.22	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Brussels
2004	26:20.31	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Ostrava
2005	26:17.53	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Brussels
2006	26:35.63	Micah Kogo (KEN)	Brussels
2007	26:46.19	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Brussels
2008	26:25.97	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Eugene
2009	26:46.31	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Berlin
2010	26:56.74	Josphat Kiprono Menjo (KEN)	Turku
2011	26:43.16	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Brussels

Women's Seasons Best[link]

YEAR	TIME	ATHLETE	PLACE
1971	34:51.0	Kathy Gibbons (USA)	Phoenix
1975	34:01.4	Christa Vahlensieck (GER)	Wolfsburg
1976	34:19.0	Peg Neppel (USA)	Eugene
1977	33:15.1	Peg Neppel (USA)	Westwood
1978	32:43.2	Natalia Betini (ROU)	Baile Felix
1979	32:52.5	Mary Shea (USA)	Walnut
1980	32:57.17	Kathryn Binns (GBR)	Sittard
1981	32:17.19	Yelena Sipatova (RUS)	Moscow
1982	31:35.3	Mary Decker-Slaney (USA)	Eugene
1983	31:27.58	Raisa Sadreydinova (RUS)	Odessa
1984	31:13.78	Olga Bondarenko (RUS)	Kiev
1985	30:59.42	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	Oslo
1986	30:13.74	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	Oslo
1987	31:05.85	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	Rome
1988	31:05.21	Olga Bondarenko (RUS)	Seoul
1989	30:48.51	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	Oslo
1990	31:18.18	Viorica Ghican (ROU)	Helsinki
1991	30:57.07	Liz McColgan (GBR)	Hengelo
1992	31:06.02	Derartu Tulu (ETH)	Barcelona
1993	29:31.78	Wang Junxia (CHN)	Beijing
1994	30:50.34	Wang Junxia (CHN)	Hiroshima
1995	31:04.99	Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)	Gothenburg
1996	31:01.63	Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)	Atlanta
1997	30:38.09	Dong Yanmei (CHN)	Shanghai
1998	30:48.06	Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)	Lisbon
1999	30:24.56	Getenesh Wami (ETH)	Seville
2000	30:17.49	Derartu Tulu (ETH)	Sydney
2001	30:55.80	Paula Radcliffe (GBR)	Barakaldo
2002	30:01.09	Paula Radcliffe (GBR)	Munich
2003	30:04.18	Berhane Adere (ETH)	Paris
2004	30:17.15	Paula Radcliffe (GBR)	Gateshead
2005	30:15.67	Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)	Sollentuna
2006	30:21.67	Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR)	Antalya
2007	31:00.27	Mestawet Tufa (ETH)	Valkenswaard
2008	29:54.66	Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)	Beijing
2009	29:53.80	Meselech Melkamu (ETH)	Utrecht
2010	31:04.52	Meselech Melkamu (ETH)	Ostrava

World Record Progression[link]

Men's World Record Progression[link]

The first world record in the men's 10000 metres was recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912.^[4] That initial record, Jean Bouin's 30:58.8, was run the year before.

As of June 21, 2009, 37 world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event.^[4]

WORLD RECORDS IN THE MEN'S 10,000 METRES
TIME	AUTO	ATHLETE	DATE	PLACE
30:58.8		Jean Bouin (FRA)	November 16, 1911	Paris, France[4]
30:40.2		Paavo Nurmi (FIN)	June 22, 1921	Stockholm, Sweden[4]
30:35.4		Ville Ritola (FIN)	May 25, 1924	Helsinki, Finland[4]
30:23.2		Ville Ritola (FIN)	July 6, 1924	Paris, France[4]
30:06.2		Paavo Nurmi (FIN)	August 31, 1924	Kuopio, Finland[4]
30:05.6		Ilmari Salminen (FIN)	July 18, 1937	Kouvola, Finland[4]
30:02.0		Taisto Maki (FIN)	September 29, 1938	Tampere, Finland[4]
29:52.6		Taisto Maki (FIN)	September 17, 1939	Helsinki, Finland[4]
29:35.4		Viljo Heino (FIN)	August 25, 1944	Helsinki, Finland[4]
29:28.2		Emil Zátopek (CZE)	June 11, 1949	Ostrava, Czech Republic[4]
29:27.2		Viljo Heino (FIN)	September 1, 1949	Kouvola, Finland[4]
29:21.2		Emil Zátopek (CZE)	October 22, 1949	Ostrava, Czech Republic[4]
29:02.6		Emil Zátopek (CZE)	August 4, 1950	Turku, Finland[4]
29:01.6		Emil Zátopek (CZE)	November 1, 1953	Stara Boleslav, Czech Republic[4]
28:54.2		Emil Zátopek (CZE)	June 1, 1954	Brussels, Belgium[4]
28:42.8		Sandor Iharos (HUN)	July 15, 1956	Budapest, Hungary[4]
28:30.4		Vladimir Kuts (URS)	September 11, 1956	Moscow, Russia[4]
28:18.8		Pyotr Bolotnikov (URS)	October 15, 1960	Kiev, Ukraine[4]
28:18.2		Pyotr Bolotnikov (URS)	August 11, 1962	Moscow, Russia[4]
28:15.6		Ron Clarke (AUS)	December 18, 1963	Melbourne, Australia[4]
27:39.4	27:39.89	Ron Clarke (AUS)	July 14, 1965	Oslo, Norway[4]
27:38.4	27:38.35	Lasse Virén (FIN)	September 3, 1972	Munich, Germany[4]
27:30.8	27:30.80	David Bedford (GBR)	July 13, 1973	London, United Kingdom[4]
27:30.5	27:30.47	Samson Kimobwa (KEN)	June 30, 1977	Helsinki, Finland[4]
27:22.4	27:22.47	Henry Rono (KEN)	June 11, 1978	Vienna, Austria[4]
27:13.81	-	Fernando Mamede (POR)	July 2, 1984	Stockholm, Sweden[4]
27:08.23	-	Arturo Barrios (MEX)	August 18, 1989	Berlin, Germany[4]
27:07.91	-	Richard Chelimo (KEN)	July 5, 1993	Stockholm, Sweden[4]
26:58.38	-	Yobes Ondieki (KEN)	July 10, 1993	Oslo, Norway[4]
26:52.23	-	William Sigei (KEN)	July 22, 1994	Oslo, Norway[4]
26:43.53	-	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	June 5, 1995	Hengelo, Netherlands[4]
26:38.08	-	Salah Hissou (MAR)	August 23, 1996	Brussels, Belgium[4]
26:31.32	-	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	August 4, 1997	Oslo, Norway[4]
26:27.85	-	Paul Tergat (KEN)	August 22, 1997	Brussels, Belgium[4]
26:22.75	-	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	June 1, 1998	Hengelo, Netherlands[4]
26:20.31	-	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	June 8, 2004	Ostrava, Czech Republic[4]
26:17.53	-	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	August 26, 2005	Brussels, Belgium[4]

Auto times to the hundredth of a second were required by the IAAF for events up to and including 10,000 m from 1981.^[4] However, Henry Rono's 27:22.4, timed to the hundredth at 27:22.47, was not adjusted from 1981.

Women's World Record Progression[link]

The first world record in the women's 10000 metres was recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1981.^[5]

As of June 21, 2009, 8 world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event.^[5]

WORLD RECORDS IN THE WOMEN'S 10,000 METRES
TIME	ATHLETE	DATE	PLACE
32:17.20	Yelena Sipatova (URS)	October 19, 1981	Moscow, Russia[5]
31:35.3	Mary Decker-Slaney (USA)	July 16, 1982	Eugene, USA[5]
31:35.01	Lyudmila Bragina (URS)	May 29, 1983	Krasnodar, Russia[5]
31:27.58	Raisa Sadreydinova (URS)	September 7, 1983	Odessa, Ukraine[5]
31:13.78	Olga Bondarenko (URS)	June 24, 1984	Kiev, Ukraine[5]
30:59.42	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	July 27, 1985	Oslo, Norway[5]
30:13.74	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	July 5, 1986	Oslo, Norway[5]
29:31.78	Wang Junxia (CHN)	September 8, 1993	Beijing, PR China[5]

Medalists[link]

Olympic Games[link]

Men[link]

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1912 Stockholm	Hannes Kolehmainen (FIN)	Lewis Tewanima (USA)	Albin Stenroos (FIN)
1920 Antwerp	Paavo Nurmi (FIN)	Joseph Guillemot (FRA)	James Wilson (GBR)
1924 Paris	Ville Ritola (FIN)	Edvin Wide (SWE)	Eero Berg (FIN)
1928 Amsterdam	Paavo Nurmi (FIN)	Ville Ritola (FIN)	Edvin Wide (SWE)
1932 Los Angeles	Janusz Kusociński (POL)	Volmari Iso-Hollo (FIN)	Lasse Virtanen (FIN)
1936 Berlin	Ilmari Salminen (FIN)	Arvo Askola (FIN)	Volmari Iso-Hollo (FIN)
1948 London	Emil Zátopek (TCH)	Alain Mimoun (FRA)	Bertil Albertsson (SWE)
1952 Helsinki	Emil Zátopek (TCH)	Alain Mimoun (FRA)	22x20px Aleksandr Anufriyev (URS)
1956 Melbourne	22x20px Vladimir Kuts (URS)	József Kovács (HUN)	Allan Lawrence (AUS)
1960 Rome	22x20px Pyotr Bolotnikov (URS)	Hans Grodotzki (EUA)	David Power (AUS)
1964 Tokyo	Billy Mills (USA)	Mohammed Gammoudi (TUN)	Ron Clarke (AUS)
1968 Mexico City	Naftali Temu (KEN)	Mamo Wolde (ETH)	Mohammed Gammoudi (TUN)
1972 Munich	Lasse Virén (FIN)	Emiel Puttemans (BEL)	Miruts Yifter (ETH)
1976 Montreal	Lasse Virén (FIN)	Carlos Lopes (POR)	Brendan Foster (GBR)
1980 Moscow	Miruts Yifter (ETH)	Kaarlo Maaninka (FIN)	Mohamed Kedir (ETH)
1984 Los Angeles	Alberto Cova (ITA)	Mike McLeod (GBR)	Michael Musyoki (KEN)
1988 Seoul	Brahim Boutayeb (MAR)	Salvatore Antibo (ITA)	Kipkemboi Kimeli (KEN)
1992 Barcelona	Khalid Skah (MAR)	Richard Chelimo (KEN)	Addis Abebe (ETH)
1996 Atlanta	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Saleh Hissou (MAR)
2000 Sydney	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Assefa Mezgebu (ETH)
2004 Athens	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Sileshi Sihine (ETH)	Zersenay Tadese (ERI)
2008 Beijing	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Sileshi Sihine (ETH)	Micah Kogo (KEN)

Women[link]

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1988 Seoul	Olga Bondarenko (URS)	Liz McColgan (GBR)	Yelena Zhupiyeva-Vyazova (URS)
1992 Barcelona	Derartu Tulu (ETH)	Elana Meyer (RSA)	Lynn Jennings (USA)
1996 Atlanta	Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)	Wang Junxia (CHN)	Gete Wami (ETH)
2000 Sydney	Derartu Tulu (ETH)	Gete Wami (ETH)	Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)
2004 Athens	Xing Huina (CHN)	Ejagayehu Dibaba (ETH)	Derartu Tulu (ETH)
2008 Beijing	Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)	Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR)	Shalane Flanagan (USA)

World Championships[link]

Men[link]

Championship	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1983 Helsinki	Alberto Cova (ITA)	Werner Schildhauer (GDR)	Hansjörg Kunze (GDR)
1987 Rome	Paul Kipkoech (KEN)	Francesco Panetta (ITA)	Hansjörg Kunze (GDR)
1991 Tokyo	Moses Tanui (KEN)	Richard Chelimo (KEN)	Khalid Skah (MAR)
1993 Stuttgart	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Moses Tanui (KEN)	Richard Chelimo (KEN)
1995 Gothenburg	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Khalid Skah (MAR)	Paul Tergat (KEN)
1997 Athens	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Salah Hissou (MAR)
1999 Seville	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Assefa Mezgebu (ETH)
2001 Edmonton	Charles Kamathi (KEN)	Assefa Mezgebu (ETH)	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)
2003 Paris	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Sileshi Sihine (ETH)
2005 Helsinki	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Sileshi Sihine (ETH)	Moses Mosop (KEN)
2007 Osaka	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Sileshi Sihine (ETH)	Martin Mathathi (KEN)
2009 Berlin	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	Zersenay Tadese (ERI)	Moses Ndiema Masai (KEN)
2011 Daegu	Ibrahim Jeilan (ETH)	Mohammed Farah (GBR)	Imane Merga (ETH)

Women[link]

Championship	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1987 Rome	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	Yelena Zhupiyeva (URS)	Kathrin Ullrich (GDR)
1991 Tokyo	Liz McColgan (GBR)	Zhong Huandi (CHN)	Wang Xiuting (CHN)
1993 Stuttgart	Wang Junxia (CHN)	Zhong Huandi (CHN)	Sally Barsosio (KEN)
1995 Gothenburg	Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)	Derartu Tulu (ETH)	Tegla Loroupe (KEN)
1997 Athens	Sally Barsosio (KEN)	Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)	Masako Chiba (JPN)
1999 Seville	Gete Wami (ETH)	Paula Radcliffe (GBR)	Tegla Loroupe (KEN)
2001 Edmonton	Derartu Tulu (ETH)	Berhane Adere (ETH)	Gete Wami (ETH)
2003 Paris	Berhane Adere (ETH)	Werknesh Kidane (ETH)	Sun Yingjie (CHN)
2005 Helsinki	Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)	Berhane Adere (ETH)	Ejegayehu Dibaba (ETH)
2007 Osaka	Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)	Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR)	Kara Goucher (USA)
2009 Berlin	Linet Masai (KEN)	Meselech Melkamu (ETH)	Wude Ayalew (ETH)
2011 Daegu	Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)	Sally Kipyego (KEN)	Linet Masai (KEN)