These are the official results of the men's 5000 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

. The event took place between 31 July and 3 August.

Medalists

Summary

After a diverse semi-final round where one heat ran a modes 14 minute strategic race and the other ran over thirty seconds faster, some athletes had an easier time of qualifying for the final. At the gun, the entire Moroccan team went to the front, but then controlled the pace. After a lap at the back of the pack, Kenyan

Tom Nyariki Tom ("Thomas") Nyariki (born September 27, 1971, in Nyamira) is a long-distance runner from Kenya. Most notably he won a bronze medal on the 5,000 metres at the 1997 World Championships. Nyariki is married to Jackline Maranga. Nyariki rep ...

ran around the field to take the lead. German

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 ...

hung on his shoulder as it looked like an early attempt to steal the race with a quick breakaway. Several others in the field scrambled forward while Nyariki, shadowed by his teammate

Shem Kororia Shem Kororia (born 25 September 1972) is a former Kenyan long-distance runner who specialized in the 5000 metres and half marathon. He represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States. Kororia was the third ma ...

pushed the pace, exchanging the lead position and stringing out the field into single file. American

Bob Kennedy Robert Daniel Kennedy (August 18, 1920 – April 7, 2005) was a right fielder/ third baseman, manager and executive in Major League Baseball. From 1939 to 1957, Kennedy played for the Chicago White Sox (1939–42, 1946–48, 1955–56, 1957) ...

marked this action hovering around second place. With four laps to go, after an exchange of Kenyan leaders, Burundi's

Vénuste Niyongabo Vénuste Niyongabo (born December 9, 1973) is a Burundian former long and middle-distance runner. In 1996, he became the first Olympic medalist from Burundi by winning the 5000 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He had only competed twice befo ...

moved into second place, squeezing back Kennedy into third. Over the next lap, Nyariki and Moroccan

Brahim Lahlafi Brahim Lahlafi ( ar, إبراهيم لحلافي) (born 15 April 1968, in Fes) is a retired long-distance runner who represented Morocco during his active career. He acquired French citizenship on 6 April 2002, but represented Morocco again from ...

got past Kennedy. Just before two laps to go, Kennedy ran around the group and into the lead. Kennedy led for the first 300 metres of the penultimate lap before Niyongabo passed him coming off the turn, followed by the designated kickers who had protected their interests at the back of the pack;

Paul Bitok Paul Bitok (born 26 June 1970 in Kilibwoni, Nandi) is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who won two silver medals at consecutive Summer Olympics (1992, 1996) over 5000 metres. Life Bitok emerged in 1992 as a relatively unknown athlete. He qualif ...

(Kenya),

Khalid Boulami Khalid Boulami (born Safi, Morocco, August 7, 1969) is a Moroccan long distance runner who won a bronze medal in the 5000 metres at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. At the World Championships, he won two silver medals in the 5000 metres in 1 ...

(Morocco) and Baumann. But as one of the fastest 1500 meter runners in the world at the time, Niyongabo had the position and more speed, opening up a 5-metre gap on Boulami. At the beginning of the final turn, Bitok got around Boulami and everybody sprinted for home. Nobody was able to make any progress except that Niyongabo slowed on the final straight to celebrate Burundi's first gold medal.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Results

Heats

Qualification: First 8 in each heat (Q) and the next 6 fastest (q) qualified to the semifinals.

Semifinals

Qualification: First 6 in each heat (Q) and the next 3 fastest (q) qualified to the final.

Final

References

External links

Official Report

{{DEFAULTSORT:Athletics At The 1996 Summer Olympics - Men's 5000 Metres 5 5000 metres at the Olympics Men's events at the 1996 Summer Olympics