The 20,000 metres (approximately 12.43 mi or 65,617 ft) is a rarely contested long-distance running event in track and field competitions; most world records in the event have been set during half marathons and one-hour races, as a half marathon is roughly 21,000 meters.
World records + = indicates a time was taken at an intermediate distance in a longer race
Men Updated January 2024.
EventResultAthleteNationDatePlaceMeeting20,000 m (track)56:20.02Bashir Abdi4 September 2020BrusselsMemorial Van Damme20 km (road)54:29Jacob Kiplimo21 Nov 2021LisbonLisbon Half Marathon
Women Correct as of January 2024.
EventResultAthleteNationDatePlaceMeeting20,000 m (track)1:05:26.6Tegla Loroupe3 Sep 2000Borgholzhausen20 km (road)59:35Letesenbet Gidey24 Oct 2021ValenciaValencia Half Marathon
All-time top 25 + = en route to longer performance h = hand timed Men Updated September 2022.
RankResult (m)AthleteNationDatePlace156:20.02Bashir Abdi4 September 2020Brussels256:20.30Mo Farah4 September 2020Brussels356:20.55Sabastian Sawe2 September 2022Brussels456:26.0Haile Gebrselassie27 June 2007Ostrava556:51.60Sondre Nordstad Moen7 August 2020Kristiansand656:55.6 Arturo Barrios30 March 1991La Fléche757:07.41Kibiwott Kandie2 September 2022Brussels857:18.4 Dionisio Castro31 March 1990La Flèche957:24.2Jos Hermens1 May 1976Arnhem1057:28.7 Carl Thackery31 March 1990La Flèche1157:44.4 Gaston Roelants20 September 1972Brussels1257:48.7Toshihiko Seko11 May 1985Odawara1357:50.25Morhad Amdouni19 September 2020Lucciana1458:17.3Daniel Mateo20 April 2021La Nucía1558:18.4Bertrand Itsweire31 March 1990La Flèche1658:25.0Bill Rodgers9 August 1977Boston1758:30.2Werner Schildhauer29 April 1983Cottbus1858:37.2 Rob de Castella17 April 1982Rome1958:37.8 Mariano Haro9 August 1975San Sebastián2058:53.6Girmaw Amare26 January 2020Tel Aviv2158:43.8 Franco Fava9 April 1977Rome2259:02.0 Rashid Sharafetdinov2 May 1971Leningrad2359:14.02Stéphane Schweickhardt15 April 1998Martigny 2459:19.0András Fancsali15 April 1978Budapest2559:24.8Leszek Bebło31 March 1990La Flèche
Notes Below is a list of all other times equal or superior to 57:55.00: Sondre Nordstad Moen also ran 57:55.0 (2020).
Women Updated September 2022.
RankResultAthleteNationDatePlace11:05:26.6Tegla Loroupe3 September 2000Borgholzhausen21:05:35.3Dire Tune17 June 2009Ostrava31:06:48.8Izumi Maki19 September 1993Amagasaki41:06:55.5Rosa Mota14 May 1983Lisbon51:07:19.9Naomi Sakashita10 October 1995Amagasaki61:07:47.0Kaori Kumura19 September 1993Amagasaki71:07:49.9Rika Ota17 June 1992Akashi81:07:52.0Midori Shimizu1 October 1994Amagasaki91:08:07.6Megumi Fujiwara17 June 1992Akashi101:08:46.6Takako Kobayashi1 October 1994Amagasaki111:08:51.9Junko Asari17 June 1992Akashi121:08:52.6Nanae Sasaki29 May 1984Tokyo131:08:59.2Aki Yasaki17 June 1992Akashi141:09:19.1Chiyuki Ona17 June 1992Akashi151:09:53.0Blandine Bitzner13 May 2000La Celle-Saint-Cloud161:10:30.4Helena Javornik19 July 2006Maribor171:10:35.0Leah Malot17 June 2009Ostrava181:10:50.2Christa Vahlensieck25 October 1975Essen191:10:56.6Ágnes Özéné Sipka16 October 1988Székesfehérvár201:11:00.0Miki Kitajima20 September 1993Amagasaki211:11:05.0Judit Nagy22 October 1989Székesfehérvár221:11:17.6Chiara Mainetti18 June 2022Buenos Aires231:11:48.9Karolina Szabo23 April 1988Budapest241:12:44Maria Luisa Irizar23 June 1985Laredo25
In popular culture Tegla Loroupe's 20,000 meter world record was mentioned in Chapter 1, problem 64P of Chemistry (Seventh Edition) by John E. McMurry, Robert C. Fay, and Jill Kirsten Robinson.
References