2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 10,000 metres


The Men's 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 17 August. A large field of 31 athletes from 15 countries was set to participate in the final, although Irishman Martin Fagan did not start the competition.
Kenenisa Bekele was the favourite before the race, having never lost a race over the distance and starting the race as the reigning Olympic and World champion, as well as the world record holder. Four-time major championship silver medallist Sileshi Sihine was another strong competitor, but he withdrew due to an injury and was replaced by Ethiopian team's reserve Imane Merga. Gebregziabher Gebremariam and Kenyans Moses Masai and Micah Kogo were other possible medallists, as well as the consistent Eritrean, Zersenay Tadese.
Tadese sprinted to lead the race at the start but he was soon overtaken by Nicholas Kemboi, who led until the 4000-metre mark. Tadese and Masai picked up the pace and the Eritrean fronted the fastest group of runners from 5000 metres onwards. After a kilometre further on, a group of four runners were clearly leading the race as the other competitors trailed off. Tadese continued to lead and picked up the pace once again, at which point Kogo dropped off, shortly followed by Masai. Bekele continued to follow Tadese waiting, and on the last lap the reigning champion finally took the lead, sprinting away to win the gold medal in a Championship record time of 26:46.31. Tadese took the silver, with a run of 26:50.12, and Masai maintained his third position for the bronze.
Ever the strongest performer, Bekele remained undefeated to win his fourth consecutive 10,000 m at the World Championships, but it was second-placed Tadese's first medal at the World Championships. Moses Masai's bronze was his family's second of the competition, as his sister Linet Masai had won the Women's 10,000 metres two days earlier.

Medalists

Records

Prior to the competition, the following world and championship records were as follows.
World record26:17.53Bruxelles, Belgium26 August 2005
Championship record26:49.57Paris, France24 August 2003
World leading26:57.36Fukuroi, Japan3 May 2009
African record26:17.53Bruxelles, Belgium26 August 2005
Asian record26:38.76Bruxelles, Belgium5 September 2003
North American record27:08.23Berlin, West Germany18 August 1989
South American record27:28.12Neerpelt, Belgium2 June 2007
European record26:52.30Bruxelles, Belgium3 September 1999
Oceanian record27:29.73Berkeley, United States24 April 2009

The following new Championship record was set during this competition.
DateEventNameNationalityTimeCRWR
17 AugustFinalKenenisa Bekele26:46.31CR

Qualification standards

Schedule

Final

RankNameNationalityTimeNotes
Kenenisa Bekele26:46.31CR
Zersenay Tadese26:50.12SB
Moses Ndiema Masai26:57.39SB
Imane Merga27:15.94PB
Bernard Kipyego27:18.47SB
Dathan Ritzenhein27:22.28PB
Micah Kogo27:26.33SB
Galen Rupp27:37.99SB
Kidane Tadasse27:41.50SB
10Gebregziabher Gebremariam27:44.04SB
11Ahmad Hassan Abdullah27:45.03SB
12Teklemariam Medhin27:58.89SB
13Fabiano Joseph Naasi28:04.32SB
14Juan Carlos Romero28:09.78SB
15Carles Castillejo28:09.89
16Dickson Marwa28:18.00SB
17Tim Nelson28:18.04
18Juan Luis Barrios28:31.40
19Surendra Kumar Singh28:35.51SB
20Anatoliy Rybakov28:42.28
21Ezekiel Jafari28:45.34
22Martin Toroitich28:49.49SB
23Rui Pedro Silva28:51.40
24David McNeill29:18.59SB
25Yuki Iwai29:24.12
Collis BirminghamDNF
Ayad LamdassemDNF
Manuel Ángel PenasDNF
Abebe DinkesaDNF
Nicholas KemboiDNF
Martin FaganDNS

Key: CR = Championship record, DNF = Did not finish, DNS = Did not start, PB = Personal best, SB = Seasonal best

Splits