3000 metres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Athletics3000 metres |
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A women's indoor 3000 m race in Birmingham featuring Sentayehu Ejigu and Tirunesh Dibaba.
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| World records | |
| Men |  Daniel Komen (KEN) 7:20.67 (1996) |
| Women |  Wang Junxia (CHN) 8:06.11 (1993) |
| Short track world records | |
| Men |  Lamecha Girma (ETH) 7:23.81 (2023) |
| Women | Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 8:16.60 (2014) |
| World junior (U20) records | |
| Men | Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) 7:28.19 (2016) |
| Women |  Zola Budd (GBR) 8:28.83 (1985) |
The 3000 metres is a track running event. It is also called the "3K" or "3K run". In this race, athletes run 7.5 laps on a standard outdoor track. An outdoor track is usually 400 metres long. If the race is held indoors, athletes run 15 laps on a 200-metre indoor track.
This event is a mix of speed and endurance. Some people think it's a middle-distance race. Others say it's a long-distance race. Runners need to be fast like in a mile race. But they also need the stamina for longer races like the 5000 metres. To run the 3000 metres well, athletes must have strong aerobic endurance. This means their bodies are good at using oxygen for energy. They also need to handle lactic acid build-up. Lactic acid can make muscles feel tired and sore.
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History of the 3000 Metres
The 3000 metres has a cool history in big sports events.
Men's Races
For men, the 3000 metres was an Olympic event a long time ago. It was a team race in 1912, 1920, and 1924. But it hasn't been in the Olympics since then. It's not usually part of the main outdoor IAAF championships either. However, you can often see it in indoor track and field events. It's the longest race at the IAAF World Indoor Championships.
Women's Races
For women, the 3000 metres was a regular event in the Olympic Games. It was included from 1984 to 1992. It was also in the World Championships from 1980 to 1993. After the 1993 World Championships in Athletics, the event changed. The 3000 metres was replaced by the 5000 metres race. This change happened for the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 1996 Olympic Games.
World Records
Athletes who are really good at the 3000 metres run very fast. They push their bodies to the limit.
The men's outdoor world record is 7 minutes and 20.67 seconds. Daniel Komen from Kenya set this record in 1996. The men's indoor world record is 7 minutes and 23.81 seconds. Lamecha Girma from Ethiopia set this in 2023.
The women's outdoor world record is 8 minutes and 6.11 seconds. Wang Junxia from China set this in 1993. The women's indoor world record is 8 minutes and 16.60 seconds. Genzebe Dibaba from Ethiopia set this in 2014.
Medal Winners
Many amazing athletes have won medals in the 3000 metres.
Women's Olympic Medalists
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 Los Angeles |
Maricica Puică Romania |
Wendy Smith-Sly Great Britain |
Lynn Williams Canada |
| 1988 Seoul |
Tetyana Samolenko Soviet Union |
Paula Ivan Romania |
Yvonne Murray Great Britain |
| 1992 Barcelona |
Yelena Romanova Unified Team |
Tetyana Dorovskikh Unified Team |
Angela Chalmers Canada |
Women's World Championships Medalists
| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 Sittard |
 Birgit Friedmann (FRG) |
 Karoline Nemetz (SWE) |
 Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) |
| 1983 Helsinki |
 Mary Decker (USA) |
Brigitte Kraus (FRG) |
 Tatyana Kovalenko-Kazankina (URS) |
| 1987 Rome |
Tetyana Samolenko (URS) |
 Maricica Puică (ROU) |
 Ulrike Bruns (GDR) |
| 1991 Tokyo |
Tetyana Dorovskikh (URS) |
Yelena Romanova (URS) |
Susan Sirma (KEN) |
| 1993 Stuttgart |
Qu Yunxia (CHN) |
Zhang Linli (CHN) |
Zhang Lirong (CHN) |
Men's World Indoor Championships Medalists
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 Paris |  João Campos (POR) |
Don Clary (USA) |
 Ivan Uvizl (TCH) |
| 1987 Indianapolis |
 Frank O'Mara (IRL) |
Paul Donovan (IRL) |
Terry Brahm (USA) |
| 1989 Budapest |
 Saïd Aouita (MAR) |
 José Luis González (ESP) |
Dieter Baumann (FRG) |
| 1991 Seville |
Frank O'Mara (IRL) |
Hammou Boutayeb (MAR) |
Robert Denmark (GBR) |
| 1993 Toronto |
 Gennaro Di Napoli (ITA) |
 Éric Dubus (FRA) |
Enrique Molina (ESP) |
| 1995 Barcelona |
Gennaro Di Napoli (ITA) |
Anacleto Jiménez (ESP) |
Brahim Jabbour (MAR) |
| 1997 Paris |
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) |
Paul Bitok (KEN) |
Ismaïl Sghyr (MAR) |
| 1999 Maebashi |
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) |
Paul Bitok (KEN) |
Million Wolde (ETH) |
| 2001 Lisbon |
Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) |
 Mohammed Mourhit (BEL) |
Alberto García (ESP) |
| 2003 Birmingham |
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) |
Alberto García (ESP) |
Luke Kipkosgei (KEN) |
| 2004 Budapest |
Bernard Lagat (KEN) |
Rui Silva (POR) |
Markos Geneti (ETH) |
| 2006 Moscow |
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) |
 Saif Saaeed Shaheen (QAT) |
Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) |
| 2008 Valencia |
Tariku Bekele (ETH) |
Paul Kipsiele Koech (KEN) |
Abreham Cherkos (ETH) |
| 2010 Doha |
Bernard Lagat (USA) |
Sergio Sánchez (ESP) |
Sammy Alex Mutahi (KEN) |
| 2012 Istanbul |
Bernard Lagat (USA) |
Augustine Kiprono Choge (KEN) |
Edwin Soi (KEN) |
| 2014 Sopot |
Caleb Ndiku (KEN) |
Bernard Lagat (USA) |
Dejen Gebremeskel (ETH) |
| 2016 Portland |
Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) |
Ryan Hill (USA) |
Augustine Kiprono Choge (KEN) |
| 2018 Birmingham |
Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) |
Selemon Barega (ETH) |
Bethwell Birgen (KEN) |
| 2022 Belgrade |
Selemon Barega (ETH) |
Lamecha Girma (ETH) |
Marc Scott (GB) |
| 2024 Glasgow |
Josh Kerr (GBR) |
Yared Nuguse (USA) |
Selemon Barega (ETH) |
Women's World Indoor Championships Medalists
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 Paris |  Debbie Scott (CAN) |
Agnese Possamai (ITA) |
PattiSue Plumer (USA) |
| 1987 Indianapolis |
Tatyana Samolenko (URS) |
Olga Bondarenko (URS) |
Maricica Puică (ROU) |
| 1989 Budapest |
 Elly van Hulst (NED) |
Liz McColgan (GBR) |
Margareta Keszeg (ROU) |
| 1991 Seville |
Marie-Pierre Duros (FRA) |
 Margareta Keszeg (ROU) |
Lyubov Kremlyova (URS) |
| 1993 Toronto |
Yvonne Murray (GBR) |
Margareta Keszeg (ROU) |
Lynn Jennings (USA) |
| 1995 Barcelona |
Gabriela Szabo (ROU) |
Lynn Jennings (USA) |
Joan Nesbit (USA) |
| 1997 Paris |
Gabriela Szabo (ROU) |
Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL) |
Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) |
| 1999 Maebashi |
Gabriela Szabo (ROU) |
Zahra Ouaziz (MAR) |
Regina Jacobs (USA) |
| 2001 Lisbon |
 Olga Yegorova (RUS) |
Gabriela Szabo (ROU) |
Yelena Zadorozhnaya (RUS) |
| 2003 Birmingham |
Berhane Adere (ETH) |
Marta Domínguez (ESP) |
Meseret Defar (ETH) |
| 2004 Budapest |
Meseret Defar (ETH) |
Berhane Adere (ETH) |
Shayne Culpepper (USA) |
| 2006 Moscow |
Meseret Defar (ETH) |
Liliya Shobukhova (RUS) |
 Lidia Chojecka (POL) |
| 2008 Valencia |
Meseret Defar (ETH) |
Meselech Melkamu (ETH) |
Mariem Alaoui Selsouli (MAR) |
| 2010 Doha |
Meseret Defar (ETH) |
Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) |
Sentayehu Ejigu (ETH) |
| 2012 Istanbul |
Hellen Obiri (KEN) |
Meseret Defar (ETH) |
Gelete Burka (ETH) |
| 2014 Sopot |
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) |
Hellen Obiri (KEN) |
 Maryam Yusuf Jamal (BHR) |
| 2016 Portland |
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) |
Meseret Defar (ETH) |
Shannon Rowbury (USA) |
| 2018 Birmingham |
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) |
Sifan Hassan (NED) |
Laura Muir (GBR) |
| 2022 Belgrade |
Lemlem Hailu (ETH) |
Elle Purrier St. Pierre (USA) |
Ejgayehu Taye (ETH) |
| 2024 Glasgow |
Elle Purrier St. Pierre (USA) |
Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) |
Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) |
- Known as the World Indoor Games
