The official world records in the 10,000 metres are held by Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei with 26:11 minutes for men and Kenyan Beatrice Chebet with 28:54.14 for women.
The first world record in the men's 10,000 metres was recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912. The first ratified record, Jean Bouin's time of 30:58.8 minutes, had been run the year before. As of June 21, 2009, 37 men's world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event.
The first world record in the women's 10,000 metres was recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1981. As of June 21, 2009, eight women's world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event. Before the event was recognised by the IAAF as an official world record event the 3000 metres was the most common international women's long-distance track event, although women did sometimes compete over 10,000 m before its addition to the World Championships and Olympic programme in 1987 and 1988, respectively.Main > Women, 10000 m > World Records Progression. Brinkster Track and Field. Retrieved on 2014-01-19.
Men
Pre-IAAF TimeAthleteDatePlace32:35.01847-04-05Peckham, United Kingdom32:09.01882-03-25London, United Kingdom31:53.41884-04-07London, United Kingdom31:40.01884-07-28London, United Kingdom31:23.11885-09-28London, United Kingdom31:02.41904-11-05Glasgow, United Kingdom
Howitt's time was recorded at the point of 10,186 m, en route to a longer distance.10,000 meters outdoors . Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2014-01-19. George's times were recorded at the point.
IAAF world records Time Athlete Date Place Ratified Auto30:58.816 November 1911Paris, France30:40.222 June 1921Stockholm, Sweden30:35.425 May 1924Helsinki, Finland30:23.26 July 1924Paris, France30:06.231 August 1924Kuopio, Finland30:05.618 July 1937Kouvola, Finland30:02.029 September 1938Tampere, Finland29:52.617 September 1939Helsinki, Finland29:35.425 August 1944Helsinki, Finland29:28.211 June 1949Ostrava, Czechoslovakia29:27.21 September 1949Kouvola, Finland29:21.222 October 1949Ostrava, Czechoslovakia29:02.64 August 1950Turku, Finland29:01.61 November 1953Stara Boleslav, Czechoslovakia28:54.21 June 1954Brussels, Belgium28:42.815 July 1956Budapest, Hungary28:30.411 September 1956Moscow, Soviet Union28:18.815 October 1960Kiev, Soviet Union28:18.211 August 1962Moscow, Soviet Union28:15.618 December 1963Melbourne, Australia27:39.4 27:39.8914 July 1965Oslo, Norway27:38.4 27:38.353 September 1972Munich, West Germany27:30.8 27:30.8013 July 1973London, United Kingdom27:30.5 27:30.4730 June 1977Helsinki, Finland27:22.4 27:22.4711 June 1978Vienna, Austria27:13.81 2 July 1984Stockholm, Sweden27:08.23 18 August 1989West Berlin, West Germany27:07.91 5 July 1993Stockholm, Sweden26:58.38 10 July 1993Oslo, Norway26:52.23 22 July 1994Oslo, Norway26:43.53 5 June 1995Hengelo, Netherlands26:38.08 23 August 1996Brussels, Belgium26:31.32 4 July 1997Oslo, Norway26:27.85 22 August 1997Brussels, Belgium26:22.75 1 June 1998Hengelo, Netherlands26:20.31 8 June 2004Ostrava, Czech Republic26:17.53 26 August 2005Brussels, Belgium26:11.00 7 October 2020Valencia, Spain
Where present, the "Auto" column gives a fully automatic time that was additionally recorded where the ratified mark was hand-timed, or from which the ratified mark was rounded to the 10th of a second, depending on the rules then in place.
Auto times to the hundredth of a second were accepted by the IAAF for events up to and including 10,000 m from 1981. However, Henry Rono's 27:22.4, timed to the hundredth at 27:22.47, was not adjusted from 1981.
Women
Pre-recognition TimeAthleteDatePlace39:25.01966?39:10.01966?38:06.41967-03-26Gormanstown, Ireland35:30.51970-05-09Milan, Italy34:51.01971-06-12Phoenix, United States35:00.41975-03-29Los Angeles, United States34:01.41975-08-20Wolfsburg, West Germany33:34.17 1977-03-19Hvidovre, Denmark33:15.091977-06-09Los Angeles, United States32:43.21978-01-22Băile Felix, Romania31:45.4 1978-04-06Copenhagen, Denmark32:30.801981-08-07Moscow, Soviet Union
IAAF world records
Ratified Not ratified Ratified but later rescinded Pending ratification
TimeAthleteDatePlace32:17.201981-10-19Moscow, Soviet Union31:35.31982-07-16Eugene, USA31:35.011983-05-29Krasnodar, Soviet Union31:27.581983-09-07Odessa, Soviet Union31:13.781984-06-24Kiev, Soviet Union30:59.421985-07-27Oslo, Norway30:13.741986-07-05Oslo, Norway29:31.781993-09-08Beijing, PR China29:17.45 2016-08-12Rio de Janeiro, Brazil29:06.82 2021-06-06Hengelo, Netherlands 29:01.032021-06-08Hengelo, Netherlands28:54.142024-05-25Eugene, United States
References