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 or 3000-metre run is a track running event, also commonly known as the "3K" or "3K run", where 7.5 laps are run around an outdoor 400 m track, or 15 laps around a 200 m indoor track.
It is debated whether the 3000m should be classified as a middle-distance or long-distance event. In elite-level competition, 3000 m pace is more comparable to the pace found in the longer 5000 metres event, rather than mile pace. The world record performance for 3000 m equates to a pace of 58.76 seconds per 400 m, which is closer to the 60.43 seconds for 5000 m than the 55.46 seconds for the mile. However, the 3000 m does require some anaerobic conditioning, and an elite athlete needs to develop a high tolerance to lactic acid, as does the mile runner. Thus, the 3000 m demands a balance of aerobic endurance needed for the 5000 m and lactic acid tolerance needed for the Mile.
In men's athletics, 3000 metres has been an Olympic discipline only as a team race at the 1912, 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics. It has not been contested at any of the IAAF outdoor championships, but is occasionally hosted at annual elite track and field meetings. It is often featured in indoor track and field programmes and is the longest-distance event present at the IAAF World Indoor Championships.
In women's athletics, 3000 metres was a standard event in the Olympic Games (1984 to 1992) and World Championships (1980 to 1993). The event was discontinued at World Championship and Olympic level after the 1993 World Championships in Athletics – Qu Yunxia being the final gold medal winner at the event. Starting with the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 1996 Olympic Games, it was replaced by 5000 metres, with other IAAF-organized championships following suit.
Skilled runners in this event reach speeds near vVO2max, for which the oxygen requirements of the body cannot continuously be satisfied, requiring some anaerobic effort.
Contents
All-time top 25
The men's world record is 7:20.67 set by Daniel Komen of Kenya in 1996. Komen also used to hold the world indoor mark with 7:24.90 minutes set in 1998, later being taken by Lamecha Girma who recently hit a time of 7:23.81 in 2023. The women's world record is 8:06.11 set by Wang Junxia of China in 1993. The world indoor women's record is 8:16.60 minutes, set by Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba in 2014.
Outdoor men
- Correct as of September 2023.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 7:20.67 | Daniel Komen | Kenya |
1 September 1996 | Rieti | |
| 2 | 2 | 7:23.09 | Hicham El Guerrouj |  Morocco |
3 September 1999 | Brussels | |
| 3 | 3 | 7:23.63 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen |  Norway |
17 September 2023 | Eugene | |
| 4 | 4 | 7:23.64 | Yomif Kejelcha | Ethiopia |
17 September 2023 | Eugene | |
| 5 | 7:24.00+ | Ingebrigtsen #2 | 9 June 2023 | Paris | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7:25.02 | Ali Saïdi-Sief |  Algeria |
18 August 2000 | Monaco | |
| 6 | 7 | 7:25.09 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia |
28 August 1998 | Brussels | |
| 7 | 8 | 7:25.11 | Noureddine Morceli | Algeria |
2 August 1994 | Monaco | |
| 9 | 7:25.16 | Komen #2 | 10 August 1996 | Monaco | |||
| 8 | 10 | 7:25.47 | Grant Fisher |  United States |
17 September 2023 | Eugene | |
| 9 | 11 | 7:25.48 | Telahun Haile Bekele | Ethiopia |
17 September 2023 | Eugene | |
| 12 | 7:25.54 | Gebrselassie #2 | 8 August 1998 | Monaco | |||
| 10 | 13 | 7:25.79 | Kenenisa Bekele | Ethiopia |
7 August 2007 | Stockholm | |
| 14 | 7:25.87 | Komen #3 | 23 August 1996 | Brussels | |||
| 11 | 15 | 7:25.93 | Thierry Ndikumwenayo |  Burundi |
10 August 2022 | Monaco | |
| 16 | 7:26.02 | Gebrselassie #3 | 22 August 1997 | Brussels | |||
| 17 | 7:26.03 | Gebrselassie #4 | 10 June 1999 | Helsinki | |||
| 12 | 18 | 7:26.18 | Lamecha Girma | Ethiopia |
5 May 2023 | Doha | |
| 19 | 7:26.25 | Kejelcha #2 | 1 July 2021 | Oslo | |||
| 13 | 20 | 7:26.28 | Selemon Barega | Ethiopia |
17 September 2023 | Eugene | |
| 14 | 21 | 7:26.62 | Mohammed Mourhit |  Belgium |
18 August 2000 | Monaco | |
| 15 | 22 | 7:26.64 | Jacob Kiplimo |  Uganda |
17 September 2020 | Rome | |
| 23 | 7:26.69 | Bekele #2 | 15 July 2007 | Sheffield | |||
| 16 | 24 | 7:26.81 | Berihu Aregawi | Ethiopia |
10 August 2022 | Monaco | |
| 25 | 7:27.05 | Ingebrigtsen #3 | 17 September 2020 | Rome | |||
| 17 | 7:27.18 | Moses Kiptanui | Kenya |
25 July 1995 | Monaco | ||
| 18 | 7:27.26 | Yenew Alamirew | Ethiopia |
6 May 2011 | Doha | ||
| 19 | 7:27.55 | Edwin Soi | Kenya |
6 May 2011 | Doha | ||
| 20 | 7:27.59 | Luke Kipkosgei | Kenya |
8 August 1998 | Monaco | ||
| 21 | 7:27.64 | Mohamed Katir |  Spain |
13 July 2021 | London | ||
| 22 | 7:27.66 | Eliud Kipchoge | Kenya |
6 May 2011 | Doha | ||
| 23 | 7:27.75 | Tom Nyariki | Kenya |
10 August 1996 | Monaco | ||
| 24 | 7:28.02 | Stewart McSweyn |  Australia |
17 September 2020 | Rome | ||
| 25 | 7:28.28 | James Kwalia | Kenya |
3 September 2004 | Brussels |
Outdoor women
- Correct as of August 2023.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 8:06.11 | Wang Junxia | China |
13 September 1993 | Beijing | |
| 2 | 2 | 8:12.18 | Qu Yunxia | China |
13 September 1993 | Beijing | |
| 3 | 8:12.19 | Wang #2 | 12 September 1993 | Beijing | |||
| 4 | 8:12.27 | Qu #2 | 12 September 1993 | Beijing | |||
| 3 | 5 | 8:16.50 | Zhang Linli | China |
13 September 1993 | Beijing | |
| 4 | 6 | 8:18.49 | Sifan Hassan |  Netherlands |
30 June 2019 | Stanford | |
| 5 | 7 | 8:19.08 | Francine Niyonsaba | Burundi |
28 August 2021 | Paris | |
| 6 | 8 | 8:19.52 | Ejgayehu Taye | Ethiopia |
28 August 2021 | Paris | |
| 7 | 9 | 8:19.78 | Ma Liyan | China |
12 September 1993 | Beijing | |
| 8 | 10 | 8:20.07 | Konstanze Klosterhalfen |  Germany |
30 June 2019 | Stanford | |
| 9 | 11 | 8:20.27 | Letesenbet Gidey | Ethiopia |
30 June 2019 | Stanford | |
| 10 | 12 | 8:20.68 | Hellen Obiri | Kenya |
9 May 2014 | Doha | |
| 11 | 13 | 8:21.14 | Mercy Cherono | Kenya |
9 May 2014 | Doha | |
| 14 | 8:21.26 | Ma #2 | 13 September 1993 | Beijing | |||
| 12 | 15 | 8:21.29 | Genzebe Dibaba | Ethiopia |
30 June 2019 | Stanford | |
| 13 | 16 | 8:21.42 | Gabriela Szabo |  Romania |
19 July 2002 | Monaco | |
| 14 | 17 | 8:21.53 | Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi | Kenya |
28 August 2021 | Paris | |
| 15 | 18 | 8:21.64 | Sonia O'Sullivan |  Ireland |
15 July 1994 | London | |
| 16 | 19 | 8:21.84 | Zhang Lirong | China |
13 September 1993 | Beijing | |
| 20 | 8:22.06 | Zhang Linli #2 | 12 September 1993 | Beijing | |||
| 17 | 21 | 8:22.20 | Paula Radcliffe | Great Britain |
19 July 2002 | Monaco | |
| 18 | 22 | 8:22.22 | Almaz Ayana | Ethiopia |
14 June 2015 | Rabat | |
| 23 | 8:22.34 | Ayana #2 | 3 September 2015 | Zürich | |||
| 24 | 8:22.44 | Zhang Lirong #2 | 12 September 1993 | Beijing | |||
| 25 | 8:22.54 | Obiri #2 | 25 September 2020 | Doha | |||
| 19 | 8:22.62 | Tatyana Kazankina |  Soviet Union |
26 August 1984 | Leningrad | ||
| 20 | 8:22.92 | Agnes Tirop | Kenya |
25 September 2020 | Doha | ||
| 8:22.92 | Beatrice Chepkoech | Kenya |
25 September 2020 | Doha | |||
| 22 | 8:23.23 | Edith Masai | Kenya |
19 July 2002 | Monaco | ||
| 23 | 8:23.26 | Olga Yegorova |  Russia |
17 August 2001 | Zürich | ||
| 24 | 8:23.55 | Faith Kipyegon | Kenya |
9 May 2014 | Doha | ||
| 25 | 8:24.05 | Beatrice Chebet | Kenya |
2 September 2023 | Xiamen |
Indoor men
- Correct as of February 2024.
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Date | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:23.81 | Lamecha Girma (ETH) |
15 February 2023 | Liévin | |
| 2 | 7:24.68 | Mohamed Katir (ESP) |
15 February 2023 | Liévin | |
| 3 | 7:24.90 | Daniel Komen (KEN) |
6 February 1998 | Liévin | |
| 4 | 7:24.98 | Getnet Wale (ETH) |
9 February 2021 | Liévin | |
| 5 | 7:25.82 | Selemon Barega (ETH) |
6 February 2024 | Toruń | |
| 6 | 7:26.15 |  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) |
25 January 1998 | Karlsruhe | |
| 7 | 7:26.20 | Berihu Aregawi (ETH) |
28 January 2022 | Karlsruhe | |
| 8 | 7:27.80 | Yenew Alamirew (ETH) |
5 February 2011 | Stuttgart | |
| 9 | 7:28.00 | Augustine Choge (KEN) |
5 February 2011 | Stuttgart | |
| 10 | 7:28.24 | Yared Nuguse (USA) |
27 January 2023 | Boston | |
| 11 | 7:29.37 | Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) |
5 February 2011 | Stuttgart | |
| 12 | 7:29.94 | Edwin Soi (KEN) |
12 February 2012 | Karlsruhe | |
| 13 | 7:30.14+ | Josh Kerr (GBR) |
11 February 2024 | New York City | |
| 14 | 7:30.16 | Galen Rupp (USA) |
21 February 2013 | Stockholm | |
| 15 | 7:30.51 | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) |
20 February 2007 | Stockholm | |
| 16 | 7:30.82 | Adel Mechaal (ESP) |
6 February 2022 | New York City | |
| 17 | 7:30.88+ | Grant Fisher (USA) |
11 February 2024 | New York City | |
| 18 | 7:31.09 | Tariku Bekele (ETH) |
2 February 2008 | Stuttgart | |
| 19 | 7:31.35 | Jacob Krop (KEN) |
15 February 2023 | Liévin | |
| 20 | 7:31.66 | Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku (KEN) |
21 February 2013 | Stockholm | |
| 21 | 7:31.77 |  Birhanu Balew (BHR) |
17 February 2022 | Liévin | |
| 22 | 7:31.97 | Sam Atkin (GBR) |
27 January 2023 | Boston | |
| 23 | 7:32.02 | Sammy Alex Mutahi (KEN) |
10 February 2010 | Stockholm | |
| 24 | 7:32.41 | Sergio Sánchez (ESP) |
13 February 2010 | Valencia | |
| 25 | 7:32.43 | Bernard Lagat (USA) |
17 February 2007 | Birmingham |
Indoor women
- Correct as of March 2024.
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Date | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:16.60 | Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) |
6 February 2014 | Stockholm | |
| 2 | 8:16.69 | Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) |
25 February 2023 | Birmingham | |
| 3 | 8:20.87 | Elle St. Pierre (USA) |
2 March 2024 | Glasgow | |
| 4 | 8:22.68 | Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) |
2 March 2024 | Glasgow | |
| 5 | 8:23.24 | Dawit Seyaum (ETH) |
17 February 2022 | Liévin | |
| 6 | 8:23.72 | Meseret Defar (ETH) |
3 February 2007 | Stuttgart | |
| 7 | 8:23.74 | Meselech Melkamu (ETH) |
3 February 2007 | Stuttgart | |
| 8 | 8:24.39 | Jessica Hull (AUS) |
2 March 2024 | Glasgow | |
| 9 | 8:25.05 | Alicia Monson (USA) |
11 February 2023 | New York City | |
| 10 | 8:25.27 | Sentayehu Ejigu (ETH) |
6 February 2010 | Stuttgart | |
| 11 | 8:25.70 | Karissa Schweizer (USA) |
27 February 2020 | Boston | |
| 12 | 8:26.41 | Laura Muir (GBR) |
4 February 2017 | Karlsruhe | |
| 13 | 8:26.66 | Shelby Houlihan (USA) |
27 February 2020 | Boston | |
| 14 | 8:26.77 | Ejgayehu Taye (ETH) |
17 February 2022 | Liévin | |
| 15 | 8:27.86 | Liliya Shobukhova (RUS) |
17 February 2006 | Moscow | |
| 16 | 8:28.46 | Hirut Meshesha (ETH) |
3 February 2024 | Metz | |
| 17 | 8:28.49 | Anna Alminova (RUS) |
7 February 2009 | Stuttgart | |
| 18 | 8:28.71 | Colleen Quigley (USA) |
27 February 2020 | Boston | |
| 19 | 8:29.00 | Olesya Syreva (RUS) |
17 February 2006 | Moscow | |
| 20 | 8:29.15 | Berhane Adere (ETH) |
3 February 2002 | Stuttgart | |
| 21 | 8:29.28 | Lemlem Hailu (ETH) |
24 February 2021 | Madrid | |
| 22 | 8:29.41 | Hellen Obiri (KEN) |
18 February 2017 | Birmingham | |
| 23 | 8:30.13 | Whittni Morgan (USA) |
11 February 2023 | New York City | |
| 24 | 8:30.53 | Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) |
21 February 2009 | Birmingham | |
| 25 | 8:30.76 | Sifan Hassan (NED) |
18 February 2017 | Birmingham |
Medalists
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
Season's bests
Men (outdoor)
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Men (indoor)
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Women (outdoor)
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Women (indoor)
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3000 metres Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.