Debut
The 5000 meter running event for women debuted in the Olympics in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. After that, it has always been played in the Olympics.
Rules
- The length and breadth of the running track used for the track events during the Olympics has been fixed by the International Association of Athletics Federations or the IAAF.
- Players are banned from running inside the inner curve of the track, or to step on the inner line of the track when running.
- If an athlete commits two false starts, she is disqualified.
- Any athlete found obstructing the race will attract disqualification.
- If a runner steps out of the track during the race, she is barred from further participation.
- The athlete who is unable to make it to the finishing line is not given any for credit for her performance.
- Automatic timing devices approved by IAAF must be used for measurement of time.
- The IAAF has determined the radius of the outside lane of the running track. It should not exceed 50 meter in length.
- People are asked to participate in preliminary heats when the number of athletes in the event is more than twelve. Winners in the preliminaries enter the next round. All the participants have to participate in the heats.
Top performers in 5000 meter sprint for women are Isabella Ochichi, Sonia O'Sullivan, Tirunesh Dibaba, Meseret Defar, Pauline Konga, Gabriela Szabo, Wang Junxia, and Gete Wami.
