| | Event type

10,000 metres, Men

Date	26 – 29 July 1996
Status	Olympic
Location	Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Participants	46 from 29 countries

Haile Gebrselassie was an overwhelming favorite. He was the world record holder and had won the 1993 and 1995 World Championships. His biggest rival was expected to be Kenyan Paul Tergat, twice International Cross-Country champion. The pace was taken for the first half of the race by Burundian Aloÿs Nizigama. The Kenyans then took up the pace, dropping all but six runners. At 8,000 metres, Tergat ran two laps in just over two minutes, and only Gebrselassie could stay with him. At the bell, he moved to Tergat’s shoulder and sprinted by him almost disdainfully. Tergat closed slightly in the stretch but it was an easy victory for Geb on the final lap.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	Final
1	1391	Haile Gebrselassie	ETH	28:14.20 (1 h2)	27:07.34 (1)	Gold	OR
2	1818	Paul Tergat	KEN	27:50.66 (2 h1)	27:08.17 (2)	Silver
3	1908	Salah Hissou	MAR	27:53.32 (5 h1)	27:24.67 (3)	Bronze
4	1103	Aloÿs Nizigama	BDI	27:53.21 (4 h1)	27:33.79 (4)
5	1809	Josephat Machuka	KEN	28:14.27 (2 h2)	27:35.08 (5)
6	1806	Paul Koech	KEN	28:17.48 (3 h2)	27:35.19 (6)
7	1914	Khalid Skah	MAR	28:23.21 (6 h2)	27:46.98 (7)
8	2173	Mathias Ntawulikura	RWA	27:51.69 (3 h1)	27:50.73 (8)
9	1544	Stéphane Franke	GER	28:24.30 (7 h2)	27:59.08 (9)
10	1472	Jon Brown	GBR	28:19.85 (4 h2)	27:59.72 (10)
11	1934	Armando Quintanilla	MEX	28:27.28 (8 h2)	28:09.46 (11)
12	2265	Marko Hhawu	TAN	28:14.08 (10 h1)	28:20.58 (12)
13	1329	Abel Antón	ESP	27:56.26 (7 h1)	28:29.37 (13)
14	1338	Carlos de la Torre	ESP	28:04.14 (8 h1)	28:32.11 (14)
15	1350	Alejandro Gómez	ESP	28:28.16 (9 h2)	28:39.11 (15)
16	1648	Zoltán Káldy	HUN	28:13.49 (9 h1)	28:45.48 (16)
17	1389	Worku Bikila	ETH	27:50.57 (1 h1)	28:59.15 (17)
18	1693	Stefano Baldini	ITA	27:55.79 (6 h1)	29:07.77 (18)
AC r2/2	1484	Paul Evans	GBR	28:24.39 (11 h1)	– (DNF)
AC r2/2	1842	Alyan Al-Qahtani	KSA	28:22.35 (5 h2)	– (DNF)
10 h2 r1/2	1325	Silvio Guerra	ECU	28:30.15 (10 h2)	–
11 h2 r1/2	1387	Abraham Assefa	ETH	28:32.24 (11 h2)	–
12 h1 r1/2	2018	Robbie Johnston	NZL	28:40.60 (12 h1)	–
12 h2 r1/2	1771	Toshinari Takaoka	JPN	28:38.18 (12 h2)	–
13 h1 r1/2	1756	Katsuhiko Hanada	JPN	28:52.22 (13 h1)	–
13 h2 r1/2	1040	Shaun Creighton	AUS	28:44.29 (13 h2)	–
14 h1 r1/2	2241	Róbert Štefko	SVK	29:03.80 (14 h1)	–
14 h2 r1/2	2060	Alfredo Brás	POR	28:50.28 (14 h2)	–
15 h1 r1/2	2075	Carlos Patrício	POR	29:15.41 (15 h1)	–
15 h2 r1/2	2120	Hendrick Ramaala	RSA	29:07.81 (15 h2)	–
16 h1 r1/2	1153	Ronaldo da Costa	BRA	29:26.58 (16 h1)	–
16 h2 r1/2	2330	Brad Barquist	USA	29:11.20 (16 h2)	–
17 h1 r1/2	2379	Dan Middleman	USA	29:50.72 (17 h1)	–
17 h2 r1/2	2449	Charles Mulinga	ZAM	29:14.99 (17 h2)	–
18 h1 r1/2	1435	Mohamed Ezzher	FRA	29:55.34 (18 h1)	–
18 h2 r1/2	2244	Miroslav Vanko	SVK	29:17.53 (18 h2)	–
19 h1 r1/2	1933	Martín Pitayo	MEX	30:32.20 (19 h1)	–
19 h2 r1/2	1667	Sean Dollman	IRL	29:19.03 (19 h2)	–
20 h1 r1/2	1254	Herder Vásquez	COL	33:26.15 (20 h1)	–
20 h2 r1/2	1664	Sayed Hamid Sajjadi	IRI	29:22.65 (20 h2)	–
21 h1 r1/2	2036	Majed Abu Maraheel	PLE	34:40.50 (21 h1)	–
21 h2 r1/2	1209	Jeff Schiebler	CAN	29:47.79 (21 h2)	–
AC h1 r1/2	1915	Larbi Zéroual	MAR	– (DNF h1)	–
AC h2 r1/2	1425	Abdellah Béhar	FRA	– (DNF h2)	–
AC h2 r1/2	2068	Paulo Guerra	POR	– (DNF h2)	–
AC h2 r1/2	2406	Todd Williams	USA	– (DNF h2)	–
DNS	1774	Yasuyuki Watanabe	JPN	– (DNS h1)	–
DNS	1057	Julian Paynter	AUS	– (DNS h1)	–

Round One

Date	26 July 1996
Format	Top eight in each heat and next four fastest advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	1389	Worku Bikila	ETH	27:50.57	Q
2	1818	Paul Tergat	KEN	27:50.66	Q
3	2173	Mathias Ntawulikura	RWA	27:51.69	Q
4	1103	Aloÿs Nizigama	BDI	27:53.21	Q
5	1908	Salah Hissou	MAR	27:53.32	Q
6	1693	Stefano Baldini	ITA	27:55.79	Q
7	1329	Abel Antón	ESP	27:56.26	Q
8	1338	Carlos de la Torre	ESP	28:04.14	Q
9	1648	Zoltán Káldy	HUN	28:13.49	q
10	2265	Marko Hhawu	TAN	28:14.08	q
11	1391	Haile Gebrselassie	ETH	28:14.20	Q
12	1809	Josephat Machuka	KEN	28:14.27	Q
13	1806	Paul Koech	KEN	28:17.48	Q
14	1472	Jon Brown	GBR	28:19.85	Q
15	1842	Alyan Al-Qahtani	KSA	28:22.35	Q
16	1914	Khalid Skah	MAR	28:23.21	Q
17	1544	Stéphane Franke	GER	28:24.30	Q
18	1484	Paul Evans	GBR	28:24.39	q
19	1934	Armando Quintanilla	MEX	28:27.28	Q
20	1350	Alejandro Gómez	ESP	28:28.16	q
21	1325	Silvio Guerra	ECU	28:30.15
22	1387	Abraham Assefa	ETH	28:32.24
23	1771	Toshinari Takaoka	JPN	28:38.18
24	2018	Robbie Johnston	NZL	28:40.60
25	1040	Shaun Creighton	AUS	28:44.29
26	2060	Alfredo Brás	POR	28:50.28
27	1756	Katsuhiko Hanada	JPN	28:52.22
28	2241	Róbert Štefko	SVK	29:03.80
29	2120	Hendrick Ramaala	RSA	29:07.81
30	2330	Brad Barquist	USA	29:11.20
31	2449	Charles Mulinga	ZAM	29:14.99
32	2075	Carlos Patrício	POR	29:15.41
33	2244	Miroslav Vanko	SVK	29:17.53
34	1667	Sean Dollman	IRL	29:19.03
35	1664	Sayed Hamid Sajjadi	IRI	29:22.65
36	1153	Ronaldo da Costa	BRA	29:26.58
37	1209	Jeff Schiebler	CAN	29:47.79
38	2379	Dan Middleman	USA	29:50.72
39	1435	Mohamed Ezzher	FRA	29:55.34
40	1933	Martín Pitayo	MEX	30:32.20
41	1254	Herder Vásquez	COL	33:26.15
42	2036	Majed Abu Maraheel	PLE	34:40.50
DNF	1915	Larbi Zéroual	MAR	–
DNF	1425	Abdellah Béhar	FRA	–
DNF	2068	Paulo Guerra	POR	–
DNF	2406	Todd Williams	USA	–
DNS	1774	Yasuyuki Watanabe	JPN	–
DNS	1057	Julian Paynter	AUS	–

Heat #1

Time	21:15

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	1389	Worku Bikila	ETH	27:50.57	Q
2	1818	Paul Tergat	KEN	27:50.66	Q
3	2173	Mathias Ntawulikura	RWA	27:51.69	Q
4	1103	Aloÿs Nizigama	BDI	27:53.21	Q
5	1908	Salah Hissou	MAR	27:53.32	Q
6	1693	Stefano Baldini	ITA	27:55.79	Q
7	1329	Abel Antón	ESP	27:56.26	Q
8	1338	Carlos de la Torre	ESP	28:04.14	Q
9	1648	Zoltán Káldy	HUN	28:13.49	q
10	2265	Marko Hhawu	TAN	28:14.08	q
11	1484	Paul Evans	GBR	28:24.39	q
12	2018	Robbie Johnston	NZL	28:40.60
13	1756	Katsuhiko Hanada	JPN	28:52.22
14	2241	Róbert Štefko	SVK	29:03.80
15	2075	Carlos Patrício	POR	29:15.41
16	1153	Ronaldo da Costa	BRA	29:26.58
17	2379	Dan Middleman	USA	29:50.72
18	1435	Mohamed Ezzher	FRA	29:55.34
19	1933	Martín Pitayo	MEX	30:32.20
20	1254	Herder Vásquez	COL	33:26.15
21	2036	Majed Abu Maraheel	PLE	34:40.50
DNF	1915	Larbi Zéroual	MAR	–
DNS	1774	Yasuyuki Watanabe	JPN	–
DNS	1057	Julian Paynter	AUS	–

Heat #2

Time	22:05

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	1391	Haile Gebrselassie	ETH	28:14.20	Q
2	1809	Josephat Machuka	KEN	28:14.27	Q
3	1806	Paul Koech	KEN	28:17.48	Q
4	1472	Jon Brown	GBR	28:19.85	Q
5	1842	Alyan Al-Qahtani	KSA	28:22.35	Q
6	1914	Khalid Skah	MAR	28:23.21	Q
7	1544	Stéphane Franke	GER	28:24.30	Q
8	1934	Armando Quintanilla	MEX	28:27.28	Q
9	1350	Alejandro Gómez	ESP	28:28.16	q
10	1325	Silvio Guerra	ECU	28:30.15
11	1387	Abraham Assefa	ETH	28:32.24
12	1771	Toshinari Takaoka	JPN	28:38.18
13	1040	Shaun Creighton	AUS	28:44.29
14	2060	Alfredo Brás	POR	28:50.28
15	2120	Hendrick Ramaala	RSA	29:07.81
16	2330	Brad Barquist	USA	29:11.20
17	2449	Charles Mulinga	ZAM	29:14.99
18	2244	Miroslav Vanko	SVK	29:17.53
19	1667	Sean Dollman	IRL	29:19.03
20	1664	Sayed Hamid Sajjadi	IRI	29:22.65
21	1209	Jeff Schiebler	CAN	29:47.79
DNF	1425	Abdellah Béhar	FRA	–
DNF	2068	Paulo Guerra	POR	–
DNF	2406	Todd Williams	USA	–

Final Round

Date	29 July 1996 — 22:00

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	1391	Haile Gebrselassie	ETH	27:07.34	OR
2	1818	Paul Tergat	KEN	27:08.17
3	1908	Salah Hissou	MAR	27:24.67
4	1103	Aloÿs Nizigama	BDI	27:33.79
5	1809	Josephat Machuka	KEN	27:35.08
6	1806	Paul Koech	KEN	27:35.19
7	1914	Khalid Skah	MAR	27:46.98
8	2173	Mathias Ntawulikura	RWA	27:50.73
9	1544	Stéphane Franke	GER	27:59.08
10	1472	Jon Brown	GBR	27:59.72
11	1934	Armando Quintanilla	MEX	28:09.46
12	2265	Marko Hhawu	TAN	28:20.58
13	1329	Abel Antón	ESP	28:29.37
14	1338	Carlos de la Torre	ESP	28:32.11
15	1350	Alejandro Gómez	ESP	28:39.11
16	1648	Zoltán Káldy	HUN	28:45.48
17	1389	Worku Bikila	ETH	28:59.15
18	1693	Stefano Baldini	ITA	29:07.77
DNF	1842	Alyan Al-Qahtani	KSA	–
DNF	1484	Paul Evans	GBR	–