Emil Zátopek was a Czech long-distance runner best known for winning three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He won gold in the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres runs, but his final medal came when he decided at the last minute to compete in the first marathon of his life. He was nicknamed the "Czech Locomotive".
Lasse Artturi Virén is a Finnish former long-distance runner, winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics. Virén recaptured the image of the "Flying Finns" promoted by runners like Hannes Kolehmainen, Paavo Nurmi and Ville Ritola in the 1920s. He was elected Finnish Sportsman of the Year in 1972 and 1976 and later became a politician and a member of Finland's parliament in 1999–2007 and 2010–2011.
Sileshi Sihine is a retired Ethiopian long-distance runner.
Argentina at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland was the nation's ninth appearance out of twelve editions of the Summer Olympic Games. Argentina sent to the 1952 Summer Olympics its sixth national team, under the auspices of the Argentine Olympic Committee, 123 athletes, who competed in 77 events in 15 sports They brought home five medals: 1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze. The flag bearer was Delfo Cabrera, the gold medalist in the immediately previous Summer Olympic Games marathon.
Bolivia competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen competitors, eight men and five women, took part in eighteen events in six sports.
The 10,000 metres or the 10,000-metre run is a common long-distance track running event. The event is part of the athletics programme at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships, and is common at championship-level events. The race consists of 25 laps around an Olympic-sized track. It is less commonly held at track and field meetings due to its duration. The 10,000-metre track race is usually distinguished from its road running counterpart, the 10K run, by referring to the distance in metres rather than kilometres.
Belgium sent a delegation to compete at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan from 7–22 February 1998. The nation was represented by only one athlete, speed skater Bart Veldkamp. He won a bronze medal in the men's 5,000 metres race. With that bronze medal, Belgium finished in joint 22nd place on the medal table.
Pakistan competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. 38 competitors, all men, took part in 25 events in 7 sports.
The United States Virgin Islands competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. 25 competitors, 20 men and 5 women, took part in 29 events in 7 sports.
The State of Vietnam competed as Vietnam in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. It was the first time the nation had participated at the Summer Olympic Games. Eight competitors, all men, took part in seven events in five sports.
These are the official results of the Men's 10,000 metres event at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There were a total number of 41 participating athletes. The event took place between 3 and 6 August. The winning margin was 18.68 seconds.
These are the official results of the men's 10,000 metres event at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union. There were a total number of 40 participating athletes, with the final held on Sunday July 27, 1980. The winning margin was 1.59 seconds.
The 10,000 metre speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1952 Winter Olympics programme. It was the last speed skating contest at this Games. The competition was held on Tuesday, 19 February 1952, at 10 a.m. Thirty speed skaters from 12 nations competed.
The marathon at the 1952 Summer Olympics was held on 27 July on a course running from the Helsinki Olympic Stadium to Korso, Helsinki Rural Municipality and back. Sixty-six athletes from 32 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at three since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The winning margin was 2 minutes 31.8 seconds.
Väinö Koskela was a Finnish long-distance runner. Originally a cross-country skier, he was inspired to take up track and field athletics by Finnish victories in the long-distance running events at the 1936 Summer Olympics. He began competing in 1945, following service in World War II, and made his first international appearance at the 1948 Summer Olympics, where he placed seventh in the men's 5000 metres event. The same year he was a national champion in both the 5000 metres and cross-country running and retained the former title through 1949. In 1950 he took home a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at that year's European Athletics Championships and continued to participate through the 1952 Summer Olympics, after which he retired from active competition and resumed a life of farming.
Ben St Lawrence is an Australian long-distance runner who specialises in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. He is the former Australian and Oceanian record holder in the 10,000 metres. St Lawrence competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. St Lawrence qualified for the 10,000 metres in both instances. He has also qualified for two World Championships, two World Cross Country Championships and two Commonwealth Games.
The 10,000 metres at the Summer Olympics is the longest track running event held at the multi-sport event. The men's 10,000 m has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1912. The women's event was added to the programme over seventy years later, at the 1988 Olympics. It is the most prestigious 10,000 m race at elite level. The competition format is a straight final between around 30 athletes, although prior to 2004 a qualifying round was held.
Ethiopia competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The country's participation in Rio de Janeiro marked its thirteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in 1956, having missed three occasions for joining the African (1976), Soviet (1984), and North Korean (1988) boycotts.
Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei is a Ugandan long-distance runner. He is the current world record holder for the 5000 metres and the 10,000 metres, and holds the world best time over the 15 kilometres distance.
