Long-Distance Running at the Olympics

Long-distance running is classified as any distance over 3.10 miles (5 km). Events in the Olympics that fall within this bracket include:

• 5,000 metres
• 10,000 metres
• Marathon – just over 26 miles

These three disciplines are all about endurance, and tactics. Long-distance runners at the Rio 2016 Olympics will be familiar with a popular saying that says, “you can’t win a long-distance race in the first mile, but you can lose it.” In other words, runners who start the race too fast are at greater risk of tiring in the later stages.

Historically, the most successful long-distance runners are the masters at picking their moment to accelerate. Go too early, and they could run out of steam. Go too late, and they’ll be unable to overtake the leader before crossing the finishing line.

10,000 Metres

One quick look at the record books will tell you that until the British long-distance runner Mo Farah won the gold in the 10,000 metres at London 2012 (to go with his success in the 5,000 metres), modern 10,000 metre running has been dominated by Ethiopians.

Legendary long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie, for example, won men’s gold at Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000. In 2004 and 2008, Haile’s fellow countryman Kenenisa Bekele won the gold medal. Recent history for the women’s 10,000 metres event tells a similar story with Derartu Tulu picking up gold for Ethiopia in 1992 and 2000, and Tirunesh Dibaba doing the same in 2008 and 2012.

As with the 5,000 metres event, Kenya seem to have developed a record for “always being the bridesmaid, never the bride.” Their record of men’s 10,000 metre medals won overall is impressive with Kenyans standing on the podium seven times, which is the third best behind Finland and, you guessed it, Ethiopia. However, only once in Olympic history has a Kenyan been on the podium to collect a gold medal for 10,000 metres (Naftali Temu at Mexico 1968).

Marathon

Marathon running is, without doubt, one of the ultimate tests of Olympic endurance. It takes a special type of athlete to master it, and then come out on top over a distance just over 26 miles. As with the other long-distance Olympic running events, Ethiopia have great record in both the men’s and women’s marathons.

Team GB At The Olympics: Who Will Be Representing Great Britain In The Marathon And 50km Walk At The Rio 2016 Games?

Ethiopian Fatuma Roba won the women’s event in 1996, with her fellow countrywoman Tiki Gelana repeating her feat in 2012. Japan are the most successful nation ever when it comes to women’s marathon running (winning four medals overall).

In the men’s event, Ethiopia are the top dogs with four gold medals overall. Three of these, however, came during the course of consecutive victories in 1960, 1964, and 1968. Worryingly for the Ethiopian Team, they’re on a bit of a drought in this event and haven’t actually won a gold in the men’s marathon since Gezahegne Abera at the Sydney 2000 Games.

Middle-Distance Running – Olympic Medal Winners

800 Metres

Historically, the men’s 800 metres at the Olympics has been dominated by the USA and Great Britain. This fact, however, does not tell the full story as neither of the two nations have had a gold medalist in the men’s event since Tom Courtney won gold for the USA in 1956.

In recent times, the men’s 800 metres has been all about the dominance of Kenya’s middle-distance runners. The Kenyans have picked up Olympic gold in four of the last seven men’s 800 metre events (1988, 1992, 2008, and 2012). David Rudisha is the current reigning champion in the Olympic’s men’s 800 metres. Rudisha won London 2012 with an astonishing world-record time of 1:40:91.

1,500 Metres

The world record for the 1,500 metres is held by Kenyan Noah Ngeny. Ngeny, Olympic gold medal winner in the year 2000, ran the distance in 3:32.07. As it is with the 800 metres event, Kenyans are a real powerhouse of 1,500 metre running – winning two of the last four men events at the Olympics.

The reigning Olympic champion for the men’s 1,500 metres event is the Algerian Taoufik Makhloufi. The reigning champion of the women’s 1,500 metres event is Turkish middle-distance runner Gamze Bulut. Bulut originally came second at London 2012 behind team-mate Aslı Çakır Alptekin. However after Alptekin was disqualified for using banned substances, Bulut was consequently recognised as a reigning Olympic champion for the 1,500 metres.

Other Olympic Events Featuring Running

Sprints

Dominated by Usain Bolt and the Jamaicans in recent years, sprinting at the Olympics consists of the 100 metres, the 200 metres, the 400 metres, and the various team relays.

Hurdles

The hurdling events at the Olympics are almost completely identical in distance to the sprinting-distance events discussed above. Unlike in normal sprinting events, however, these events feature hurdles (hence the name) that competitors must jump over. The event distances for men are 110 metres and 400 metres, while the women compete in 100 and 400 metre hurdles respectively.

Steeplechase

The Olympic steeplechase combines the art of middle-distance running, with the obstacle leaping element from hurdles. The men’s 3,000 metre steeplechase has been an event at the Olympics since 1920, with the women’s steeplechase getting introduced in 2008. Kenya are the undisputed kings of men’s steeplechase winning eight in a row (starting with Julius Korir’s victory at Los Angeles 1984, moving on through to Ezekiel Kemboi’s win at London 2012).

Triathlons/Decathlons/Modern Pentathlon/Heptathlon

The Olympic Triathlon consists of a 1,500 swimming section, a 40km cycling section, and a 10km run. The Decathlon is made up of 10 events – including 100 metres, 400 metres, 110 metre hurdles, and 1,500 metres. The Modern Pentathlon is made up of five events, and includes a 3,200 metre cross country run.

You May Also Like:

12 Races In The UK For Anyone Who Loves To Run

Running Into Trouble: 21 “F*ck Sake” Moments That All Runners And Joggers Will Relate To