Yearly Rankings- 5000 meters Outdoor Track

Men

Leaders
2007   12:49.53   Kenenisa Bekele-4             28 Jul  Zaragoza ESP
2006   12:48.09   Kenenisa Bekele-3             25 Aug  Brussels BEL
2005   12:40.18   Kenenisa Bekele-2             01 Jul  Paris FRA
2004   12:37.35   Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)         31 May  Hengelo NED
2003   12:48.81   Stephen Cherono (KEN)         12 Jun  Ostrava CZE
2002   12:55.85   Salah Hissou (MAR)            12 Jul  Rome ITA
2001   12:56.72   Richard Limo (KEN)            17 Aug  Zurich SUI
2000   12:49.28   Brahim Lahlafi (MAR)          25 Aug  Brussels BEL

1999   12:49.64   Haile Gebreselasie-4          11 Aug  Zurich SUI
1998   12:39.36   Haile Gebreselasie-3          13 Jun  Helsinki FIN
1997   12:39.74   Daniel Komen-2                22 Aug  Brussels BEL
1996   12:45.09   Daniel Komen (KEN)            14 Aug  Zurich SUI
1995   12:44.39   Haile Gebreselasie-2          16 Aug  Zurich SUI
1994   12:56.96   Haile Gebreselasie (ETH)      04 Jun  Hengelo NED
1993   13:02.75   Ismael Kirui (KEN)            16 Aug  Stuttgart GER
1992   13:00.93   Moses Kiptanui (KEN)          28 Aug  Brussels BEL
1991   13:01.82   Yobes Ondieki-2               07 Aug  Zurich SUI
1990   13:05.59   Salvatore Antibo (ITA)        18 Jul  Bologna ITA
1989   13:04.24   Yobes Ondieki (KEN)           01 Jul  Oslo NOR
1988   13:11.70   John Ngugi (KEN)              01 Oct  Seoul KOR
1987   12:58.39   Said Aouita-4                 22 Jul  Rome ITA
1986   13:00.86   Said Aouita-3                 06 Aug  La Corunna ESP
1985   13:00.40   Said Aouita-2                 27 Jul  Oslo NOR
1984   13:04.78   Said Aouita (MAR)             13 Jun  Florence ITA
1983   13:08.54   Fernando Mamede (POR)         17 Sep  Tokyo JPN
1982   13:00.41   Dave Moorcroft (ENG)          07 Jul  Oslo NOR
1981   13:06.20   Henry Rono-2                  13 Sep  Knarvik NOR
1980   13:16.38   Miruts Yifter (ETH)           07 Jun  Bratislava SVK

1979   13:12.29   Suleiman Nyambui (TAN)        18 Jun  Stockholm SWE
1978   13:08.4    Henry Rono (KEN)              08 Apr  Berkeley CA/USA
1977   13:12.86   Dick Quax (NZL)               05 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1976   13:13.10   Dick Quax-2                   05 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1975   13:18.6    Emile Puttemans-3             04 Jun  Papendal NED
1974   13:14.4    Ben Jipcho (KEN)              29 Jan  Christchurch NZL
1973   13:14.51   Emile Puttemans-2             07 Aug  Stockholm SWE
1972   13:13.0    Emile Puttemans (BEL)         20 Sep  Brussels BEL
1971   13:22.2    Dave Bedford (ENG)            12 Jun  Edinburgh SCO
1970   13:22.8    Ian Stewart (SCO)             25 Jul  Edinburgh SCO
1969   13:29.0    Dick Taylor (ENG)             13 Aug  London ENG
1968   13:27.66   Ronald Clarke-3               02 Sep  London ENG
1967   13:18.8    Ronald Clarke-2               05 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1966   13:16.6    Ronald Clarke (AUS)           05 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1965   13:24.2    Kipchoge Keino (KEN)          30 Nov  Auckland NZL
1964   13:38.0    Robert Schul (USA)            05 Jun  Compton CA USA
1963   13:38.6    Piotr Bolotnikov-2            23 Jun  Zurich SUI
1962   13:38.4    Murray Halberg-2              17 Feb  Auckland NZL
1961   13:35.2    Murray Halberg (NZL)          25 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1960   13:38.1    Piotr Bolotnikov (MDA)        07 Oct  Kiev UKR

1959   13:42.4    Friedrich Janke (GER)         05 Sep  Berlin GER
1958   13:51.6    Gordon Pirie-2                28 Aug  Goteborg SWE
1957   13:35.0    Vladimir Kuts-2               13 Oct  Rome ITA
1956   13:36.8    Gordon Pirie (GBR)            19 Jun  Bergen NOR
1955   13:40.6    Sandor Iharos (HUN)           23 Oct  Budapest HUN
1954   13:51.2    Vladimir Kuts (UKR)           23 Oct  Prague CZE
1953   13:58.8    Aleksandr Anufriyev (RUS)     06 Jun  Moscow RUS
1952   14:06.4    Emil Zatopek-5                04 Oct  Opava CZE
1951   14:10.8    Gaston Reiff (BEL)            13 Jun  Brussels BEL
1950   14:03.0    Emil Zatopek-4                26 Aug  Brussels BEL
1949   14:10.2    Emil Zatopek-3                09 May  Warsaw POL
1948   14:10.0    Emil Zatopek-2                22 Jun  Prague CZE
1947   14:08.2    Emil Zatopek (CZE)            25 Jun  Prague CZE
1946   14:08.6    Sydney Wooderson (GBR)        23 Aug  Oslo NOR
1945   14:17.2    Viljo Heino-2                 11 Aug  Turku FIN                                  
1944   14:09.6    Viljo Heino (FIN)             17 Sep  Goteborg SWE
1943   14:22.8    Åke Durkfeldt (SWE)           02 Jul  Stockholm SWE                           
1942   13:58.2    Gunder Hagg (SWE)             20 Sep  Goteborg SWE
1941   14:15.8    Bror Hellström-2              28 Sep  Stockholm SWE
1940   14:20.6    Bror Hellström (SWE)          01 Aug  Helsinki FIN

1939   14:08.8    Taisto Maki-3                 16 Jun  Helsinki FIN
1938   14:26.8    Taisto Maki-2                 04 Sep  Colombes FRA
1937   14:28.8    Taisto Maki (FIN)             07 Aug  Viipuri FIN
1936   14:22.2    Gunnar Höckert (FIN)          07 Aug  Berlin GER
1935   14:36.8    Lauri Lehtinen-4              10 Aug  Kotka FIN
1934   14:36.8    Roger Rochard (FRA)           09 Sep  Turin ITA
1933   14:41.4    Lauri Lehtinen-3              25 Jun  Antwerp BEL
1932   14:16.9    Lauri Lehtinen-2              19 Jun  Helsinki FIN
1931   14:31.7    Lauri Lehtinen (FIN)          01 Jul  Helsinki FIN
1930   14:40.7    Paavo Nurmi-6                 27 Aug  Helsinki FIN
1929   14:47.2    Lauri Virtanen (FIN)          10 Jul  Turku FIN
1928   14:36.2    Ville Ritola (FIN)            21 Jun  Helsinki FIN
1927   14:45.3    Nils Eklöf (SWE)              06 Aug  Norrköping SWE
1926   14:34.0    Paavo Nurmi-5                 21 Sep  Vienna AUT
1925   14:40.4    Edin Wide (SWE)               18 Jun  Stockholm SWE
1924   14:28.2    Paavo-Nurmi-4                 19 Jun  Helsinki FIN
1923   14:39.9    Paavo Nurmi-3                 24 Aug  Stockholm SWE
1922   14:35.3    Paavo Nurmi-2                 12 Sep  Stockholm SWE
1921   14:53.8    Paavo Nurmi (FIN)             22 May  Göteborg SWE
1920   14:45.0    Charles Hunter (USA)          26 Jun  Pasadena CA USA

1919   14:51.0    Eric Backman (SWE)            31 Aug  Stockholm SWE
1918   14:57.5    John Zander-2                 17 Aug  Stockholm SWE
1917   14:59.6    John Zander-3                 19 Aug  Stockholm SWE
1916   15:16.3    John Zander (SWE)             09 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1915   15:24.0    Albin Stenroos (FIN)          03 Jul  Turku FIN
1914   14:57.8    Hannes Kolehmainen-2          04 Apr  n/a
1913   14:58.8+   Jean Bouin-2                  06 Apr  Marseille FRA
1912   14:36.6    Hannes Kolehmainen (FIN)      10 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1911   15:11.4    Jean Bouin (FRA)              16 Nov  Colombes FRA
1910   15:39.0    William Coales (GBR)          11 Sep  Stockholm SWE
1909   15:10.0    Arthur Robertson-2            05 Sep  Stockholm SWE
1908   15:01.2    Arthur Robertson (GBR)        13 Sep  Stockholm SWE
1907   15:01.0    Johan Svanberg (SWE)          18 Aug  Stockholm SWE
1906   15:33.3    Edward Dahl-2                 16 Sep  Stockholm SWE
1905   15:48.7    Edward Dahl (SWE)             12 Jun  Stockholm SWE
1904   14:59.0    Alfred Schrubb-2              13 Jun  Glasgow SCO
1903   15:03.0    Alfred Schrubb (GBR)          15 Jun  Glasgow SCO
1902   16:25.6    Johannes Böge (GER)           20 Jul  Berlin GER
1901   16:26.0    Angelo Rabuffetti (ITA)       17 Jul  Milan ITA
1900   15:29.2    Charles Bennett (GBR)         22 Jul  Paris FRA
+ -> time taken at 5040 m enroute

Quality Performances
       Sum <14:00<13:50<13:40<13:30<13:20<13:10<13:00<12:50<12:40
2007   1953   799   525   314   168   105    33     8     1       
2006   2093   745   526   333   219   144    90    33     3       
2005   2251   861   580   371   228   130    58    22     1       
2004   2606   940   706   446   274   159    66    11     3     1 
2003   2263   869   609   365   220   122    53    24     1       
2002   1913   756   532   303   174    98    40    10             
2001   2012   767   545   325   201   108    58     8             
2000   2562   976   714   421   237   122    73    17     2       
       Sum <14:00<13:50<13:40<13:30<13:20<13:10<13:00<12:50<12:40
1999   2016   806   569   311   171    90    47    21     1       
1998   1735   663   461   283   172    88    53    13     1     1 
1997   1817   666   489   314   181    99    46    16     5     1 
1996   1722   643   466   295   175    80    47    15     1       
1995   1468   492   385   272   181    97    35     5     1       
1994   1318   485   360   242   143    70    17     1             
1993   1227   434   333   228   140    71    21                   
1992   1509   560   442   293   147    58     9                   
1991   1287   517   379   245   111    33     2                   
1990   1043   413   307   187   104    27     5                   
1989    899   349   275   168    80    24     3                   
1988   1048   408   309   202   108    21                         
1987   1069   426   329   207    91    14     1     1             
1986   1059   392   308   220   109    29     1                   
1985    964   385   290   191    74    22     3                   
1984    910   389   281   149    64    23     4                   
1983    874   351   265   182    63    11     2                   
1982    773   259   228   181    72    28     5                   
1981    625   233   181   137    59    14     1                   
1980    694   255   215   145    68    11                         
       Sum <14:00<13:50<13:40<13:30<13:20<13:10<13:00<12:50<12:40
1979    728   267   214   168    67    12                         
1978    858   308   257   199    82    11     1                   
1977    827   308   256   177    73    13                         
1976    530   197   159   109    56     9                         
1975    502   197   173   104    28     1                         
1974    587   234   201   108    41     3                         
1973    376   168   124    59    21     4                         
1972    367   164   112    66    20     5                         
1971    362   165   133    57     7                               
1970    243   139    81    16     7                               
1969    228   131    75    21     1                               
1968    232   135    68    25     4                               
1967    155    90    47    16     1     1                         
1966    227   130    71    19     6     1                         
1965    208   109    64    25    10                               
1964    132    97    32     3                                     
1963     63    49    13     1                                           
1962     41    35     5     1                                     
1961     33    28     3     2                                     
1960     54    47     6     1                                     
       Sum <14:00<13:50<13:40<13:30<13:20<13:10<13:00<12:50<12:40
1959     40    33     7                                           
1958     19    19                                                 
1957     22    17     3     2                                     
1956     22    14     5     3                                     
1955     12    10     2                                           
1954      6     6                                                 
1953      1     1                                                 
1952      0                                                       
1951      0                                                       
1950      0                                                       
1949      0                                                       
1948      0                                                       
1947      0                                                       
1946      0                                                       
1945      0                                                        
1944      0                                                       
1943      0                                                        
1942      1     1                                                 

Women

Leaders
2007   14:16.63   Meseret Defar-3               15 Jun  Oslo NOR
2006   14:24.53   Meseret Defar-2               03 Jun  New York NY USA
2005   14:28.98   Meseret Defar (ETH)           26 Aug  Brussels BEL
2004   14:24.68   Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR)       11 Jun  Bergen NOR
2003   14:29.32   Birhane Adere (ETH)           27 Jun  Oslo NOR
2002   14:31.42   Paula Radcliffe (ENG)         28 Jul  Manchester ENG
2001   14:29.32   Olga Yegorova (RUS)           31 Aug  Berlin GER
2000   14:30.88   Getenesh Wami (ETH)           05 Aug  Heusden BEL

1999   14:40.59   Gabriela Szabo-2              07 Sep  Berlin GER
1998   14:31.48   Gabriela Szabo (ROM)          01 Sep  Berlin GER
1997   14:28.09   Ji-ang Bo (CHN)               23 Oct  Shanghai CHN
1996   14:41.07   Fernanda Ribeiro-2            05 Jul  Oslo NOR
1995   14:36.45   Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)        22 Jul  Hechtel BEL
1994   15:05.94   Elena Romanova-2              12 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1993   14:45.92   Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL)        27 Aug  Berlin GER
1992   14:44.15   Elana Meyer-2                 06 Mar  Bellville RSA
1991   14:49.35   Elana Meyer (RSA)             08 Apr  Cape Town RSA
1990   15:02.23   Elena Romanova (RUS)          24 Jul  Seattle WA/USA
1989   14:59.01   Katrin Wessel (GER)           03 Jul  Stockholm SWE
1988   15:03.29   Liz McColgan-2                26 Aug  Berlin GER
1987   15:01.08   Liz McColgan (SCO)            05 Aug  Oslo NOR
1986   14:37.33   Ingrid Kristiansen-2          05 Aug  Stockholm SWE
1985   14:48.07   Zola Pieterse-2               26 Aug  London ENG
1984   14:58.89   Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)      28 Jun  Oslo NOR
1983   15:10.65   Zola Pieterse (RSA)           17 Oct  Port Elizabeth RSA
1982   15:08.26   Mary Slaney (USA)             05 Jun  Eugene OR/USA
1981   15:14.51   Paula Fudge (ENG)             13 Sep  Knarvik NOR
1980   15:30.6    Jan Merrill (USA)             22 Mar  Palo Alto CA/USA

1979   15:33.8    Jan Merrill-2                 19 May  Durham NC USA
1978   15:35.52   Kathy Mills (USA)             26 May  Knoxville TN USA
1977   15:37.0    Jan Merrill (USA)             06 Jul  Ingelheim GER
1976   16:04.2    Nina Holmen (FIN)             30 May  Pietarsaari GIN
1975              
1974   16:38.0    Julie Brown (USA)             17 Jun  Santa Monica CA USA
1973              
1972              
1971              
1970              
1969   15:53.6    Paola Cacchi (ITA)            02 Sep  Milan ITA 

Quality Performances
       Sum <16:20<16:00<15:40<15:20<15:00<14:40
2007   1768   779   542   280   121    38     8 
2006   1756   751   521   275   141    57    11 
2005   1828   763   528   310   147    57    13 
2004   2125   878   675   344   165    55     8 
2003   1828   762   578   293   137    55     3 
2002   1476   632   479   241    94    27     3 
2001   1632   713   513   272   106    24     4 
2000   1977   859   633   319   120    44     2 
       Sum <16:20<16:00<15:40<15:20<15:00<14:40
1999   1517   702   500   216    72    27       
1998   1179   556   377   178    50    15     3 
1997   1346   580   419   220    88    32     7 
1996   1322   523   401   239   119    40       
1995   1027   398   308   199    93    28     1 
1994    334   162   107    49    16             
1993    160    66    44    30    15     5       
1992    218    93    65    39    17     4       
1991    119    48    30    24    13     4       
1990    212   100    62    37    13             
1989    153    71    45    26    10     1       
1988    184    81    57    33    13             
1987    231   112    84    32     3             
1986    303   133   103    51    13     2     1 
1985    324   158    91    51    20     4       
1984    134    75    36    18     4     1       
1983    151    89    43    16     3             
1982    145    62    47    28     8             
1981     57    33    17     6     1             
1980     38    26    10     2                   
       Sum <16:20<16:00<15:40<15:20<15:00<14:40
1979     21    12     7     2                   
1978     10     6     3     1                   
1977     16    10     5     1                   
1976      4     4                               
1975      0     
1974      0     
1973      0     
1972      0     
1971      0     
1970      0     
1969      3     2     1

Last Updated on 31 Dec 2007

Note: Pre-1950 men's list leaders are based largely on "A World History of Long Distance Running" by Roberto L Quercetani, available from the IAAF or from Track and Field News.

Contributor: Michael Rabinovich