Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 5000 metres


The men's 5000 metres was a track and field athletics event held as part of the Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the debut of the event, which along with the 10000 metre event replaced the 5 mile race held at the 1908 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Tuesday, July 9, 1912 and on Wednesday, July 10, 1912. Thirty-one long distance runners from eleven nations competed. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the 1912 Summer Olympics.
World Record14:59.0' Alfred ShrubbGlasgow June 13, 1904
Olympic Record-none--

' unofficial
George Bonhag, in winning the first semifinal, which was the first Olympic 5000 ever, set the Olympic record at 15:22.6. It lasted until the 5th and last semifinal, in which Jean Bouin broke it by finishing in 15:05.0. Unsurprisingly, that record stood only until the next race—Hannes Kolehmainen won the final at 14:36.6 as both he and Bouin surpassed the best time of the semifinals. This record became the first official world record for the 5000 metres.

Results

Semifinals

All semi-finals were held on Tuesday, July 9, 1912.
Semifinal 1
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
115:22.6 ORQF
215:24.2QF
315:27.6QF
415:56.8
—Did not finish

Semifinal 2
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
115:23.5QF
215:28.9QF
315:29.0QF
416:07.1
—Did not finish
—Did not finish
—Did not finish

Semifinal 3
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
115:34.6QF
216:09.1QF
316:23.4QF
417:21.7
—Did not finish
—Did not finish

Semifinal 4
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
115:38.9QF
215:49.1QF
315:53.3QF
4
—Did not finish

Semifinal 5
PlaceAthleteTimeQual.
115:05.0 ORQF
215:25.2QF
315:31.4QF
—Did not finish
—Did not finish
—Did not finish
—Did not finish
—Did not finish

Final

The final was held on Wednesday, July 10, 1912.
PlaceAthleteTime
114:36.6 WR
214:36.7
315:07.6
415:09.8
515:10.0
6
715:18.6
8-11
8-11
8-11
8-11
—Did not start
—Did not start
—Did not start
—Did not start