| Events at the 2003 World Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Track events | ||
| 100 m | men | women |
| 200 m | men | women |
| 400 m | men | women |
| 800 m | men | women |
| 1500 m | men | women |
| 5000 m | men | women |
| 10,000 m | men | women |
| 100 m hurdles | women | |
| 110 m hurdles | men | |
| 400 m hurdles | men | women |
| 3000 m steeplechase | men | |
| 4 × 100 m relay | men | women |
| 4 × 400 m relay | men | women |
| Road events | ||
| Marathon | men | women |
| 20 km walk | men | women |
| 50 km walk | men | |
| Field events | ||
| High jump | men | women |
| Pole vault | men | women |
| Long jump | men | women |
| Triple jump | men | women |
| Shot put | men | women |
| Discus throw | men | women |
| Hammer throw | men | women |
| Javelin throw | men | women |
| Combined events | ||
| Heptathlon | women | |
| Decathlon | men | |
These are the official results of the Men's 5000 metres event at the 2003 IAAF World Championships in Paris, France. There were a total number of 29 participating athletes, with two qualifying heats and the final held on Sunday 31 August 2003 at 18:40h.
The 5000 metres or 5000-meter run is a common long-distance running event in track and field. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over 12.5 laps of a standard track. The same distance in road running is called a 5K run. The 5000 m has been present on the Olympic programme since 1912 for men and since 1996 for women. Prior to 1996, women had competed in an Olympic 3000 metres race since 1984. The 5000 m has been held at each of the World Championships in Athletics in men's competition and since 1995 in women's.
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.
Paris is the capital and most populous city of France, with an area of 105 square kilometres and an official estimated population of 2,140,526 residents as of 1 January 2019. Since the 17th century, Paris is one of Europe's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, science, and the arts.
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This race had the 1500 meter champion/world record holder, Hicham El Guerrouj and the 10,000 meter champion Kenenisa Bekele. This was considered a meeting ground half way. From the start, Bekele took the race out to let his endurance burn off the faster opponent. El Guerrouj immediately marked his move. Also along for the ride were two more Ethiopians and a pack of four Kenyans, including defending champion Richard Limo. While the group broke away from the field, the fast early pace slowed. With two laps to go, it was El Guerrouj who took out the lead. The next lap burnt off a couple of Ethiopians but the Kenyans were all there with Bekele, still in contact with El Guerrouj. As the final lap quickened, world junior record holder, eighteen year old Eliud Kipchoge rode on El Guerrouj's shoulder, with Bekele chasing in third. El Guerrouj opened up a gap of 3 metres down the back stretch, with Bekele gaining on Kipchoge, the rest of the Kenyan team strung out behind. Challenged by Bekele, Kipchoge accelerated through the turn, moving up to El Guerrouj's shoulder. With Bekele moving onto Kipchoge's shoulder, it was three abreast coming off the turn and John Kibowen tailing closely behind. El Guerrouj accelerated again but Kipchoge didn't go away. On the outside Bekele made up some ground, the three separated by a metre. But El Guerrouj and Kipchoge were dead even. As Bekele couldn't make up any more ground, Kipchoge gained a few inches on El Guerrouj. Over the last few steps, El Guerrouj struggled and lost his form, trying to make a desperate dive at the line, but it was too little too late. The final lap was 53 seconds.
Hicham El Guerrouj is a retired Moroccan middle-distance runner.
Kenenisa Bekele is an Ethiopian long-distance runner and the current world record and Olympic record holder in both the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter events. He won the gold medal in both the 5,000 m and 10,000 m events at the 2008 Summer Olympics. At the 2004 Olympics he won the gold medal in the 10,000 m and the silver medal in the 5000 m. He is married to actress Danawit Gebregziabher and he has one younger brother, Tariku Bekele, who is also an accomplished world-class distance runner.
Richard Kipkemei Limo is a Kenyan athlete. He specializes in long distance track events. He won the 5000 m gold medal at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics.
By this point in time, none of the three medalists had achieved an Olympic Gold Medal, though ultimately all three would. The same three would match up the following year in the 2004 Olympics with El Guerrouj taking gold.
The men's 5,000 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics program were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium on August 25 and 28.
