2023 World Athletics Championships – Men's 10,000 metres

The men's 10,000 metres at the 2023 World Athletics Championships was held at the National Athletics Centre Budapest on 20 August 2023

Summary
At the start of this race, Joel Ayeko started off fast with a 62 second lap to take the lead. The rest of the field had no interest in running that fast this early. After that burst, Ayeko backed off to a more sensible 71 second pace. The peloton let Ayeko have his time on television for the first 3200 metres before Benard Kibet pulled him in. Ayeko kept the point position for another 800 metres before Kibet decided it was time to swallow him up, dropping the pace to 66 seconds. After at little more than a lap, Ayeko dropped out. Kibet and Berihu Aregawi kept the pace going. On the 16th lap, Olympic Champion Selemon Barega came from the back of the lead group to show his teammate Aregawi how fast he wanted the pace. Aregawi obliged and held the point. As the laps counted down, defending champion Joshua Cheptegei was watching from Aregawi's shoulder, Mohammed Ahmed pinned on the rail, with all three Kenyans and Barega watching on the back. With a lap and a half to go, Barega floated up to join his teammate but that just brought Cheptegei to the front to take the bell first. The pack strung out, with only the two Ethiopians and Daniel Ebenyo able to stay in contact, Ahmed struggling to stay in tow. With 200 to go, Aregawi showed his weakness and looked back, Ebenyo went around him. Barega stuck to Cheptegei all the way through the final turn, Cheptegei covering his last 400 metres in 52.77 and still hadn't broken Barega. Cheptegei looked back then pushed one more time, finally Barega couldn't keep up, Cheptegei separated for a clear 8 metre victory. Defeated, Barega continued on to the finish line, but Ebenyo didn't stop racing. Barega let up 5 metres before the finish line only to have Ebenyo cruise by on the inside for silver.

Records
Before the competition records were as follows:

Qualification standard
The standard to qualify automatically for entry was 27:10.00.

Schedule
The event schedule, in local time (CEST), was as follows:

Final
The final was started at 18:26.