5,000 metres, Men

The 5,000 metre individual race was held at the Olympics for the first time. A team event over this distance had been contested in 1900. The distance was rarely run internationally, and neither America nor Britain had contested a 5,000 metre or 3-mile championship as of 1912.

Finland’s Hannes Kolehmainen had won the 10,000 metres the day before the first round of this event, but he was not pressed in winning heat four to advance to the final. In the final, Kolehmainen and France’s Jean Bouin quickly pulled away from the field. For the remainder of the race, until the final straight, Bouin led with Kolehmainen on his heels. Finally, after repeated attempts to pass Bouin, Kolehmainen pulled ahead only 20 metres from the finish. The two leaders shattered the previous world record, as nobody had previously broken 15 minutes for the distance.

In September 1914, both Bouin and the bronze medalist, Britain’s George Hutson, were killed in World War I.