These are the official results of the Men's 5000 metres event at the 2003 IAAF World Championships in

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. There were a total number of 29 participating athletes, with two qualifying heats and the final held on Sunday 31 August 2003 at 18:40h. This race had the 1500 meter champion/world record holder,

Hicham El Guerrouj Hicham El Guerrouj ( ar, هشام الݣروج, Hishām l-Garrūj; ber, ⵀⵉⵛⴰⵎ ⴻⵍ ⴳⴻⵔⵔⵓⵊ, Hisham El Gerruj; born 14 September 1974) is a retired Moroccan middle-distance runner. El Guerrouj is the current world record h ...

and the 10,000 meter champion

Kenenisa Bekele Kenenisa Bekele ( om, Qananiisaa baqqalaa; am, ቀነኒሳ በቀለ; born 13 June 1982) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. He was the world record holder in both the 5000-metre and 10000-metre from 2004 (5,000m) and 2005 (10,000m) unti ...

. This was considered a meeting ground half way. From the start, Bekele took the race out to let his endurance burn off the faster opponent. El Guerrouj immediately marked his move. Also along for the ride were two more Ethiopians and a pack of four Kenyans, including defending champion

Richard Limo Richard Kipkemei Limo (born 18 November 1980) is a Kenyan athlete. He specializes in long distance track events. He won the 5000 m gold medal at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. Limo was born in 1980 in Cheptigit village, Uasin G ...

. While the group broke away from the field, the fast early pace slowed. With two laps to go, it was El Guerrouj who took out the lead. The next lap burnt off a couple of Ethiopians but the Kenyans were all there with Bekele, still in contact with El Guerrouj. As the final lap quickened, world junior record holder, eighteen year old

Eliud Kipchoge Eliud Kipchoge ( ; born 5 November 1984) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon and formerly specialized at the 5000 metre distance. Widely regarded as the greatest marathon runner of all time, he is the 2016 and 2020 O ...

rode on El Guerrouj's shoulder, with Bekele chasing in third. El Guerrouj opened up a gap of 3 metres down the back stretch, with Bekele gaining on Kipchoge, the rest of the Kenyan team strung out behind. Challenged by Bekele, Kipchoge accelerated through the turn, moving up to El Guerrouj's shoulder. With Bekele moving onto Kipchoge's shoulder, it was three abreast coming off the turn and

John Kibowen John Kipkemboi Kibowen (born 21 April 1969 in Changach, southern Keiyo District), is a Kenyan former long-distance runner who specialized in the 5000 metres and cross-country running. Kibowen won the gold medal in the short race at the 1998 ...

tailing closely behind. El Guerrouj accelerated again but Kipchoge didn't go away. On the outside Bekele made up some ground, the three separated by a metre. But El Guerrouj and Kipchoge were dead even. As Bekele couldn't make up any more ground, Kipchoge gained a few inches on El Guerrouj. Over the last few steps, El Guerrouj struggled and lost his form, trying to make a desperate dive at the line, but it was too little too late. The final lap was 53 seconds. By this point in time, none of the three medalists had achieved an Olympic Gold Medal, though ultimately all three would. The same three would match up the following year in the 2004 Olympics with El Guerrouj taking gold.

Final

Heats

*Held on Thursday 28 August 2003

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2003 World Championships In Athletics - Men's 5000 Metres Events at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics, H 5000 metres at the World Athletics Championships

Final

Heats

See also

References