The men's 5000 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in two rounds at the Stade de France in Paris, France, on 7 and 10 August 2024. This was the 26th time that the men's 5000 metres was contested at the Summer Olympics. A total of 43 athletes were able to qualify for the event by entry standard or ranking.
Summary
The field
Joshua Cheptegei was set to return as defending champion as well as world record holder, however he did not start in the heats. Reigning world championJakob Ingebrigtsen competed, after missing out on a medal in the 1500 m. He has always signed up for the double at the major championships, but the 1500 is his priority. 2020 silver medalist Mohammed Ahmed returned. However, 2020 bronze medalist Paul Chelimo didn't make it out of the heats at the US Trials. 2022 and 2023 World Championship medalist Jacob Krop returns. 2023 World silver medalist Mohamed Katir won't return due to a drug whereabouts suspension. 2016 bronze medalistHagos Gebrhiwet was the world leader going into the event, with Yomif Kejelcha closely behind him.[2]
Heats
There were two semi-final races to cut the field down to 16 finalists, the top 8 from each race. Putting 20 guys on the track, all running about a minute slower than their ability, proved to be a trouble. In the first heat, there were multiple small stumbles as the tightly packed runners clipped each other, then just over a lap before the finish, the only returning medalist, Ahmed went down to the track. By the time he got to his feet, there was no chance he could catch the front of the pack sprinting away from him. A few stumbles later on the final lap, inspired Narve Gilje Nordås to sprint around the pack to the front. As they all jockeyed for position for the finish in a rush, George Mills first made contact with Jimmy Gressier, then made contact with a falling Dominic Lobalu as he lost his balance away from Gressier falling to the track in front of Thierry Ndikumwenayo, then Mike Foppen fell over him and did a protective summersault onto the track. With bodies everywhere, all the runners behind had to take evasive action, with Stewart McSweyn stepping onto the infield. All of the athletes who fell walked across the finish line except Ndikumwenayo who walked off the track to look at his road rash from the crash. Thomas Fafard, who was behind McSweyn just before the crash, hurdled the bodies and was able to qualify.[3] Then the second heat ran with 19 on the track. And again, in almost the same place at the start of the straightaway, when a dozen runners were queuing up to sprint for home, it happened again. Abdi Nur was running in fourth place since the bell, positioned on Biniam Mehary's shoulder to kick for home. Birhanu Balew was on the inside passing Grant Fisher and about to step to the outside to go around Isaac Kimeli, next to Nur. Nur was then tripped causing Yann Schrub to stumble to his right. Balew staggered but finished.[4]
The Final
After all the falling and interfering, the referee advanced Lobalu, Mills, Foppen and Ndikumwenayo to the final. Later a Jury of Appeals advanced McSweyn and Schrub. The final would now have 22 starters, Nur and Ahmed would not be among them.[5] As the final started Dominic Lobalu found his way to the front. Ingebrigtsen didn't go all the way to the back but found a comfortable place near the middle, on the rail. After a couple of laps, Ndikumwenayo took over the lead. The normally aggressive Ethiopians and Kenyan teams chose a different tactic, rather than running as a group, Gebrhiwet and Ronald Kwemoi were at the back of the pack. Lobalu took another lap at the front then Ndikumwenayo took another. After they reached the half way point, Ingebrigtsen decided he wanted to be running closer to the front. As the deck was reshuffled, Biniam Mehary hit the front, with Addisu Yihune right behind him as the laps were getting quicker. After two laps, the teammates switched leading duties, Yihune now pushing the pace. With the accelerated pace, more athletes began to fall off the back. Ingebrigtsen was third on the rail, behind Fisher and Yihune, Mehary and John Heymans on the outside, with everyone who could keep up watching for who would make the first move. With 600 metres to go, it was Gebrhiwet, who slid along the field, past his teammates and into the lead, opening up a 5m gap. At 550 to go, Ingebrigtsen reacted, sidestepping in front of Lobalu to his outside, going around the other Ethiopians. Ingebrigtsen was still 4 metres back at the bell. Aside from the reaction from Ingebrigtsen and the other two Ethiopians he just passed, the rest of the field had at least an 8 metre deficit to Gebrhiwet with less than 400 metres to go. Through the turn, Kwemoi was the first to chase after Ingebrigtsen, followed by Edwin Kurgat, Lobalu, Isaac Kimeli and finally Fisher. Gebrhiwet had maxed out and was slowing down. It took until almost the 200 meter mark before Ingebrigtsen passed Gebrhiwet, with Mehary following Ingebrigtsen to close down the gap. Ingebrigtsen wasn't coming back. He just expanded his lead to the finish line, winning gold by 10 metres. Kwemoi passed the last of the Ethiopian pair, now Mehary was ahead, with 120 metres to go. Kwemoi set off in the futile mission to run down Ingebrigtsen. Behind him, the sprint to the finish was on. It was three wide as Gebrhiwet passed Mehary while Lobalu was queuing up to pass both of them. However, Grant Fisher surged late and took bronze getting within a half a metre of Kwemoi at the finish line.[6]
For the men's 5000 metres event, the qualification period is between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.[10] 43 athletes are able to qualify for the event, with a maximum of three athletes per nation, by running the entry standard of 13:05.00 seconds or faster or by their World Athletics Ranking for this event.[10]
Results
Round 1
Round 1 is scheduled to be held on 7 August, starting at 11:10 (UTC+2) in the morning.[1]
