The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over laps of a standard 400 m track, or 25 laps on an indoor 200 m track. The same distance in road running is called a 5K run; referring to the distance in metres rather than kilometres serves to disambiguate the two events. The 5000 m has been present on the Olympic programme since 1912 for men and since 1996 for women. Prior to 1996, women had competed in an Olympic 3000 metres race since 1984. The 5000 m has been held at each of the World Championships in Athletics in men's competition and since 1995 in women's. It is approximately equivalent to or .
The event is almost the same length as the dolichos race held at the Ancient Olympic Games, introduced in 720 BCE. World Athletics keeps official records for both outdoor and indoor 5000-metre track events.
3 miles The 5000 metres is the (slightly longer) approximate metric equivalent of the run, an event common in countries which used the imperial measurement system. The 3-mile event featured in the Commonwealth Games through 1966, and was a championship in the United States in non-Olympic years from 1953 to 1973. It required 12 laps around a track.
Area records Updated 5 September 2026.
Area Men Women Time Season Athlete Time Season Athlete World 12:35.36 2020 13:58.06 2025 Area records Africa 12:35.36 2020 13:58.06 2025 Asia 12:45.70 2026 14:28.09 1997 Europe 12:44.27 2025 14:13.42 2023 North, Central Americaand Caribbean 12:44.09 2025 14:19.45 2023 Oceania 12:50.82 2026 14:31.45 2025 South America 12:59.26 2025 14:36.59 2024
All-time top 25
Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 5000 m times and the top 25 athletes:- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 5000 m times- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 5000 m times, by repeat athletes- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 5000 m times
Men (outdoor) Updated September 2026. Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 12:35.36 Joshua Cheptegei 14 August 2020 Monaco 2 2 12:36.73 Hagos Gebrhiwet 30 May 2024 Oslo 3 3 12:37.35 Kenenisa Bekele 31 May 2004 Hengelo 4 4 12:38.95 Yomif Kejelcha 30 May 2024 Oslo 5 5 12:39.36 Haile Gebrselassie 13 June 1998 Helsinki 6 6 12:39.74 Daniel Komen 22 August 1997 Brussels 7 12:40.18 K. Bekele #2 1 July 2005 Saint-Denis 7812:40.45Berihu Aregawi30 June 2023Lausanne8912:40.96Jacob Kiplimo30 May 2024Oslo1012:41.61Cheptegei #230 June 2023Lausanne11 12:41.73 Kejelcha #2 15 June 2023 Oslo Kiplimo #2 15 June 2023 Oslo 13 12:41.86 Gebrselassie #2 13 August 1997 Zürich 14 12:42.18 Gebrhiwet #2 21 July 2023 Monaco 15 12:42.58 Aregawi #2 21 July 2023 Monaco 91612:42.70Telahun Haile Bekele 21 July 2023 Monaco 10 17 12:43.02 Selemon Barega 31 August 2018 Brussels 18 12:43.66 Aregawi #3 13 September 2024 Brussels 19 12:44.25 Gebrhiwet #3 13 September 2024 Brussels 11 20 12:44.27 Andreas Almgren 15 June 2025 Stockholm 21 12:44.39 Gebrselassie #3 16 August 1995 Zürich 22 12:44.90 Komen #2 13 August 1997 Zürich 122312:45.01Mohamed Katir21 July 2023Monaco24 12:45.09 Komen #3 14 August 1996 Zürich132512:45.27Nico Young12 June 2025Oslo1412:45.70Birhanu Balew5 September 2026Brussels1512:45.71Jacob Krop2 September 2022Brussels1612:45.93Biniam Mehary12 June 2025Oslo1712:46.33Nicholas Kimeli9 June 2022Rome1812:46.41Kuma Girma12 June 2025Oslo19 12:46.53 Eliud Kipchoge 2 July 2004 Rome2012:46.59George Mills12 June 2025Oslo21 12:46.73 Egide Ntakarutimana 5 September 2026 Brussels 22 12:46.81 Dejen Gebremeskel 6 July 2012 Saint-Denis 2312:46.96Grant Fisher2 September 2022Brussels24 12:47.04 Sileshi Sihine 2 July 2004 Rome25 12:47.20 Mohammed Ahmed 10 July 2020 Portland
Women (outdoor) Updated June 2026. Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1113:58.06Beatrice Chebet5 July 2025Eugene2214:00.21Gudaf Tsegay17 September 2023Eugene3314:01.29Agnes Jebet Ngetich5 July 2025Eugene414:03.69Chebet #26 June 2025Rome514:04.41Tsegay #25 July 2025Eugene4614:05.20Faith Kipyegon9 June 2023Paris714:05.92Chebet #317 September 2023Eugene5 8 14:06.62 Letesenbet Gidey 7 October 2020 Valencia 914:07.94Gidey #29 June 2023Paris1014:08.79Gidey #33 September 2023Berlin1114:09.52Chebet #45 September 2024Zurich1214:09.82Chebet #514 September 2024Brussels6 13 14:11.15 Tirunesh Dibaba 6 June 2008 Oslo1414:12.29Tsegay #323 July 2023London7 15 14:12.59 Almaz Ayana 2 June 2016 Rome 8 16 14:12.88 Meseret Defar 22 July 2008 Stockholm 1714:12.92Chebet #623 July 2023London91814:12.98Ejgayehu Taye27 May 2022Eugene1914:13.31Taye #29 June 2023Paris20 14:13.32 Tsegay #4 8 June 2021 Hengelo 102114:13.42Sifan Hassan23 July 2023London 22 14:14.09 Taye #3 8 June 2021 Hengelo 23 14:14.32 Ayana #2 17 May 2015 Shanghai11 24 14:15.24 Senbere Teferi 8 June 2021 Hengelo 12 25 14:15.41 Genzebe Dibaba 4 July 2015 Saint-Denis 13 14:16.54 Medina Eisa 23 July 2023 London 14 14:18.37 Hellen Obiri 8 June 2017 Rome 15 14:18.41 Likina Amebaw 4 June 2026 Rome 16 14:18.54 Aleshign Baweke 4 June 2026 Rome 17 14:18.76 Tsigie Gebreselama 25 May 2024 Eugene 18 14:18.94 Freweyni Hailu 4 June 2026 Rome 19 14:19.45 Alicia Monson 23 July 2023 London 20 14:20.68 Agnes Tirop 21 July 2019 London 21 14:20.87 Vivian Cheruiyot 29 July 2011 Stockholm22 14:22.37 Senayet Getachew 4 June 2026 Rome 23 14:22.56 Hirut Meshesha 4 June 2026 Rome 24 14:22.76 Aynadis Mebratu 25 May 2024 Eugene 2514:23.05Lilian Kasait Rengeruk9 June 2023Paris
Men (indoor) Updated 22 February 2026. Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1112:44.09Grant Fisher14 February 2025Boston2212:49.60Kenenisa Bekele20 February 2004Birmingham3312:50.38Haile Gebrselassie14 February 1999Birmingham4412:51.48Daniel Komen19 February 1998Stockholm5512:51.56Nico Young2 March 2025Boston6612:51.61William Kincaid27 January 2023Boston 712:51.84Fisher #216 February 2024Boston7812:53.29Isiah Koech11 February 2011Düsseldorf912:53.73Fisher #312 February 2022Boston81012:54.92Jimmy Gressier14 February 2025Boston91112:54.99Joe Klecker27 January 2023Boston 101212:55.02Adriaan Wildschutt2 March 2025Boston111312:55.72Eliud Kipchoge11 February 2011Düsseldorf1412:56.76Wildschutt #226 January 2024Boston121512:56.87Mohammed Ahmed12 February 2022Boston131612:57.08Marc Scott12 February 2022Boston1712:57.14Young #226 January 2024Boston141812:57.52Edwin Kurgat26 January 2024Boston151912:57.82Cole Hocker21 February 2025Boston162012:57.97Cooper Teare21 February 2025Boston172112:58.67Thomas Longosiwa10 February 2012Düsseldorf182212:58.68George Mills26 January 2024Boston192312:58.73Sam Atkin26 January 2024Boston2412:59.04Gebrselassie #220 February 1997Stockholm202512:59.09Parker Wolfe22 February 2026Boston2112:59.43Jack Rayner21 February 2025Boston2212:59.77Gulveer Singh21 February 2025Boston2312:59.89Graham Blanks7 December 2024Boston2413:00.48Emmanuel Bor12 February 2022Boston2513:01.26Galen Rupp16 January 2014Boston
Women (indoor) Updated February 2026. Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1114:18.86Genzebe Dibaba19 February 2015Stockholm2214:24.37Meseret Defar18 February 2009Stockholm314:24.79Defar #210 February 2010Stockholm3414:27.42Tirunesh Dibaba27 January 2007Boston4514:30.79Konstanze Klosterhalfen27 February 2020Boston5614:31.38Gabriela DeBues-Stafford11 February 2022Boston714:32.93T. Dibaba #229 January 2005Boston6814:33.17Elise Cranny11 February 2022Boston914:35.46T. Dibaba #328 January 2006Boston71014:39.29Berhane Adere31 January 2004Stuttgart81114:39.89Kimberley Smith27 February 2009New York City91214:42.94Senayet Getachew27 January 2024Boston101314:43.25Fantaye Belayneh27 January 2024Boston1414:44.53T. Dibaba #46 February 2010Boston111514:44.79Jane Hedengren6 December 2025Boston121614:44.94Aynadis Mebratu27 January 2024Boston131714:46.37Marta Garcia27 January 2024Boston141814:46.51Josette Andrews27 January 2024Boston151914:46.80Sentayehu Ejigu10 February 2010Stockholm162014:47.35Gabriela Szabo13 February 1999Dortmund2114:47.62Ejigu #27 February 2009Boston172214:47.62Shalane Flanagan7 February 2009Boston2314:48.21Adere #25 February 2003Dortmund182414:48.41Whittni Morgan31 January 2025Boston192514:48.51Vanessa Fraser27 February 2020Boston2014:48.75Courtney Frerichs11 February 2022Boston2114:49.12Laura Muir4 January 2017Glasgow2214:49.36Gete Wami11 February 2001Dortmund2314:49.78Courtney Wayment27 January 2024Boston2414:50.89Ella Donaghu31 January 2025Boston2514:51.21Doris Lemngole14 February 2026Boston
Olympic medalists Men Two men have won the Olympic 5000 metres on two occasions, both times back-to-back. Lasse Virén of Finland was the first to achieve the feat, winning the title in 1972 in Munich, before retaining the title in 1976 in Montreal. Mo Farah of Great Britain matched the achievement, winning the title in 2012 in London, and retaining it four years later in Rio de Janeiro. Both men achieved 5000/10000 m doubles on each occasion.
Paavo Nurmi is the only male runner to have won three Olympic medals at the distance; one gold and two silvers between 1920 and 1928.
Women Only one woman has won the Olympic 5000 metres title twice, Ethiopian Meseret Defar winning in Athens in 2004, taking silver behind compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba in 2008, before regaining the title in London in 2012. Defar and Dibaba are the only athletes with three Olympic medals at the distance, with both reaching the podium in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
World Championships medalists Men In the World Championships, Great Britain's Mo Farah stands alone, the most successful and most decorated athlete in the event with three gold medals (2011, 2013 and 2015) and four medals in total (including silver in 2017) between 2011 and 2017. Kenya's Ismael Kirui was the first athlete to win the title twice in 1993 and 1995, and Ethiopia's Muktar Edris the third between 2017 and 2019.
Women Romania's Gabriela Szabo won the title twice between 1995 and 1997. Since then four African runners - two Kenyan, two Ethiopian - have repeated the feat; Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar of Ethiopia and Vivian Cheruiyot and Hellen Obiri of Kenya. Meseret Defar's five medals - 2 gold, a silver and two bronze won between 2005 and 2013 - are the most won in the event by any athlete.
World leading times
Men YearTimeAthletePlace196013:38.1 Kyiv196113:38.2 Stockholm196213:38.4 Auckland196313:38.6 Zürich196413:38.0 Compton196513:24.2 Auckland196613:16.6 Stockholm196713:18.8 Stockholm196813:27.66London196913:28.96London197013:22.8 Edinburgh197113:22.2 Edinburgh197213:13.0 Brussels197313:14.51Stockholm197413:14.4 Christchurch197513:18.6 Papendal197613:13.10Stockholm197713:12.86Stockholm197813:08.4 Berkeley197913:12.29Stockholm198013:16.38Bratislava198113:06.20Knarvik198213:00.41Oslo198313:08.54Tokyo198413:04.78Florence198513:00.40Oslo198613:00.86A Coruña198712:58.39Rome198813:11.70Seoul198913:04.24Oslo199013:05.59Bologna199113:01.82Zürich199213:00.93Brussels199313:02.75Stuttgart199412:56.96Hengelo199512:44.39Zürich199612:45.09Zürich199712:39.74Brussels199812:39.36Helsinki199912:49.64Zürich200012:49.28Brussels200112:56.72Zürich200212:55.85Rome200312:48.81Ostrava200412:37.35Hengelo200512:40.18Saint-Denis200612:48.09Brussels200712:49.53Zaragoza200812:50.18Zürich200912:52.32Zürich201012:51.21Doha201112:53.11Monaco201212:46.81Saint-Denis201312:51.34Monaco201412:54.83Stockholm201512:53.98Rome201612:59.29London201712:55.23Lausanne201812:43.02Brussels201912:52.98Rome202012:35.36Monaco202112:48.45Florence202212:45.71Brussels202312:40.45Lausanne202412:36.73Oslo202512:44.09 Boston202612:45.70Brussels
Women