The official
world records
A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...
in the
5000 metres
The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to or . It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over laps of a sta ...
, or 5000-metre run, are held by
Joshua Cheptegei
Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei (born 12 September 1996) is a Ugandan Long-distance running, long-distance runner. He is the current world record holder for the 5000 metres and the 10,000 metres, and held the world best time over the 15K run, 15 kilomet ...
with 12:35.36 for men and
Gudaf Tsegay
Gudaf Tsegay Desta (Amharic: ጉዳፉ ፀጋይ ደስታ; born 23 January 1997) is an Ethiopian Middle-distance running, middle- and Long-distance running, long-distance runner. She is the current women’s world record holder for 5,000 m (1 ...
with 14:00.21 for women.
The first world record in the men's 5000 m was recognized by
World Athletics
World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and International Association of Athletics Federations and formerly abbreviated as the IAAF, is the international sports governing body, governing body for the sport ...
(formerly called the International Association of Athletics Federations, or IAAF) in 1912. As of January 2024, 36 world records have been ratified by World Athletics in the event.
The first world record in the women's 5000 m was recognized by the IAAF in 1981. As of January 2024, 16 world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event.
[
]
Men
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Auto times to the hundredth of a second were accepted by the IAAF for events up to and including 10,000m from 1981.[ Dick Quax's 13:12.9 from 1977 was recorded as 13:12.87 to the hundredth of a second.
]
Women
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Pre-recognition
World Athletics world records
References
{{Athletics record progressions
World athletics record progressions
World record
A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...
Articles which contain graphical timelines