The Men's 5000 metres at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...

Seoul, South Korea Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...

had an entry list of 56 competitors, with three qualifying heats (56) and two semifinals (30) before the final (15) took place on Saturday October 1, 1988. The race started off tactically, with

Stefano Mei Stefano Mei (born 3 February 1963 in La Spezia) is an Italian long-distance runner who specialized in the 5000 and 10000 metres. European champion on 10000 m in 1986. From 31 January 2021 he is the new president of Italian Athletics Federation ...

taking the point for a slow first lap, then Evgeni Ignatov accelerating for a faster second lap. 900 metres into the race,

John Ngugi John Ngugi Kamau (born 10 May 1962), is a former Kenyan long-distance runner, often called one of the greatest cross country runners of all time and winner of the 5000 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics, in Seoul South Korea. Career Born in Kigu ...

went all in, coming from the back of the pack, passing the field and dropping a sub-60 lap. The field scrambled and strung out in chase but soon he had a 15-metre gap. Another 61 second lap and he had 30 metres. Ngugi slowed to a more rational pace, but still have a 40-metre breakaway on the peloton, led by John Doherty. With five and a half laps to go,

Domingos Castro Domingos Silva Castro (born 22 November 1963 in Fermentões- Guimarães) is a former long-distance runner from Portugal, who was one of the leading athletes in the longer events during the late 1980s, early 1990s. He won the silver medal in th ...

went around Doherty to lead the effort to bridge the gap. Castro's move strung out the pack, as Castro separated himself from the other chasers and closed down on Ngugi's gap. Castro eventually had a larger gap on the pack than Ngugi had on him, at the bell six seconds on the leader of the pack who was now

Dieter Baumann Dieter Baumann (, ; born 9 February 1965) is a former German athlete and winner of the 5000 m at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He also won the silver medal in the same event (5000 m) at the 1988 Summer Olympics. In 1999 Baumann tested positive for na ...

. Ngugi began to widen his gap on Castro and trotted home to the win unchallenged. Behind Castro, Baumann and

Hansjörg Kunze Hansjörg Kunze (born 28 December 1959) is a German track and field athlete. He represented East Germany as a long distance runner. His biggest success was the bronze medal in the 5,000 meter run at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, ...

were sprinting in a battle for bronze. 30 metres from the finish, Baumann caught the exhausted Castro. Five metres before the finish, Kunze also sprinted past Castro, both (West and East respectively) German runners running about a 56-second last lap.

Medalists

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Final

Non-qualifiers

* Eliminated in the semi-finals * Eliminated in the heats

References

External links

*
Official Report
{{DEFAULTSORT:Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 5000 metres 1 5000 metres at the Olympics Men's events at the 1988 Summer Olympics