5000 metres

The 5000 metres is a major long-distance running event in track and field.

It is a central competition in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. This event tests both endurance and speed. When the same distance is run on roads, it is called a 5K run. Using the term 5K helps people distinguish road races from track events. The distance is approximately 3 miles and 188 yards. It also measures about 16,404 feet and 2 inches.

Running this distance requires a specific number of laps depending on the venue. On a standard 400 m outdoor track, runners must complete 12.5 laps. If the competition is held on an indoor track, the layout changes. Indoor tracks are typically 200 m long. This means an athlete must run 25 laps to finish the race. World Athletics maintains official records for both indoor and outdoor track events.

This event has deep roots in the history of human competition. The distance is nearly equal to the dolichos race. The dolichos was a race held during the Ancient Olympic Games. It was introduced as early as 720 BCE. In the modern era, the 5000 m has a long Olympic history for men. Men have competed in this event since 1912.

Women joined the Olympic 5000 m program in 1996. Before this change, women competed in a 3000 m race starting in 1984.

In many regions, the 5000 m is compared to the 3-mile run. The 3-mile event is common in countries using the imperial measurement system. A 3-mile run is approximately 4,828.0 metres. This event was featured in the Commonwealth Games until 1966. In the United States, it was a championship event from 1953 to 1973. A 3-mile race requires 12 laps on a 1/4-mile track.

Elite male athletes have achieved incredible success in the Olympic Games. Lasse Virén of Finland was the first man to win two consecutive gold medals. He won in Munich in 1972 and Montreal in 1976. Mo Farah of Great Britain later matched this back-to-back achievement. Farah won in London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Both men also achieved the 5000/10000 m doubles during their victories. Paavo Nurmi remains a notable figure with three total Olympic medals. He earned one gold and two silvers between 1920 and 1928.

Female runners have also shown remarkable dominance in the event. Meseret Defar from Ethiopia is a standout Olympic champion. She won gold in Athens in 2004 and London in 2012. Her compatriot, Tirunesh Dibaba, also earned a silver medal in 2008. Both Defar and Dibaba are among the few athletes with three Olympic medals. In the World Championships, Defar has won five medals in total. Her tally includes two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals.

Many of the world's most successful runners come from East Africa. In the World Championships, athletes from Kenya and Ethiopia frequently win titles. For women, Gabriela Szabo of Romania won twice between 1995 and 1997. Since then, four African runners have repeated that feat. These include Vivian Cheruiyot and Hellen Obiri from Kenya. They also include Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar from Ethiopia. Mo Farah is also a highly decorated male athlete. He won three consecutive gold medals in 2011, 2013, and 2015.