Men's 10,000m World Record
26:17.53
Kenenisa Bekele
August 26th 2005
Grand Prix
Brussels, Belgium
This incredible Ethiopian holds more records than HMV. In 2004 he set the 5000m and 10,000m world records. He then ducked into the Athens Olympics and nabbed gold in the 10,000m and silver in the 5000m.
On the 26th August 2005 Bekele set a new 10,000m world record – 26:17.53 – culling almost three seconds from his previous mark.
Just for good measure he has also claimed 10,000m gold in the 2003, 2005 and 2007 World Championships.
Women's 10,000m World Record
Please download
Flash to view this video!
29:31.78
Wang Junxia
September 8th 1993
National Games
Beijing, China
One of the world-beaters from coach Ma Junren’s stable, Wang Junxia ruled the world of women’s long-distance running for a short, stunning period in the mid-1990s.
After becoming the 10,000m world junior champion in 1992, she snared the world senior title for the 25-lap distance 12 months later in Stuttgart.
And later that year, at the Chinese National Games, she set her iconic 10,000m world record: 29:31.78. (At the same championships she also set the 3000m world record: 8:06.11. Staggering.)
Junxia was at her peak in 1993, but she still won the 5000m gold and 10,000m silver at the 1996 Olympic Games.