| | Event type

10,000 metres, Men

Date	31 August – 3 September 1972
Status	Olympic
Location	Olympiastadion, Olympiapark, München
Participants	52 from 34 countries

For the first time since 1920, a qualifying round was contested. The favorites in the final were Lasse Virén (FIN), Dave Bedford (GBR), and Belgium’s Miel Puttemans. Bedford was known for his fast pace-setting though he had little sprint speed. He took the pace out in the final at a world record pace for 4K, and still led at 5K, though the pace was slowing slightly. On the 12th lap, Virén and Mohamad Gammoudi (TUN), the 1964 silver medalist and 1968 bronze medalist, became entangled and fell to the track though they both recovered quickly. At 6K, Virén, having caught the leaders, took over the pace. He began to apply pressure on the penultimate lap, dropping all but Puttemans. Virén ran his last lap in 56.4 to distance Puttemans and win by seven metres in a world record 27:38.35, surely the only track world record set by somebody who fell during the race.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	Final
1	228	Lasse Virén	👁 Image FIN	28:04.41 (4 h2)	27:38.35 (1)	Gold
2	61	Miel Puttemans	👁 Image BEL	27:53.28 (1 h1)	27:39.58 (2)	Silver
3	197	Miruts Yifter	👁 Image ETH	28:18.11 (1 h3)	27:40.96 (3)	Bronze
4	169	Mariano Haro	👁 Image ESP	27:55.89 (2 h2)	27:48.14 (4)
5	1014	Frank Shorter	👁 Image USA	27:58.23 (3 h2)	27:51.32 (5)
6	274	Dave Bedford	👁 Image GBR	27:53.64 (2 h1)	28:05.44 (6)
7	1052	Dane Korica	👁 Image YUG	28:22.24 (4 h3)	28:15.18 (7)
8	906	Abdel Kader Zaddem	👁 Image TUN	28:14.70 (4 h1)	28:18.17 (8)
9	875	Josef Jánský	👁 Image TCH	28:23.15 (5 h1)	28:23.59 (9)
10	641	Juan Martínez	👁 Image MEX	28:23.14 (5 h3)	28:44.08 (10)
11	919	Pavlo Andreiev	👁 Image URS	28:20.97 (3 h3)	28:46.27 (11)
12	161	Javier Álvarez	👁 Image ESP	28:08.58 (3 h1)	28:56.38 (12)
13	580	Paul Mose	👁 Image KEN	28:18.74 (5 h2)	29:02.87 (13)
14	60	Willy Polleunis	👁 Image BEL	28:19.71 (2 h3)	29:10.15 (14)
AC r2/2	904	Mohamad Gammoudi	👁 Image TUN	27:54.69 (1 h2)	– ()
6 h1 r1/2	923	Anatoly Badrankov	👁 Image URS	28:35.84 (6 h1)	–
6 h2 r1/2	955	Rashid Sharafetdinov	👁 Image URS	28:24.64 (6 h2)	–
6 h3 r1/2	310	Lachie Stewart	👁 Image GBR	28:31.33 (6 h3)	–
7 h1 r1/2	266	Noël Tijou	👁 Image FRA	28:36.08 (7 h1)	–
7 h2 r1/2	187	Wohib Masresha	👁 Image ETH	28:08.02 (7 h2)	–
7 h3 r1/2	683	Arne Risa	👁 Image NOR	28:31.74 (7 h3)	–
8 h1 r1/2	821	Werner Dössegger	👁 Image SUI	28:36.4 (8 h1)	–
8 h2 r1/2	642	Pedro Miranda	👁 Image MEX	28:35.8 (8 h2)	–
8 h3 r1/2	969	Jon Anderson	👁 Image USA	28:34.2 (8 h3)	–
9 h1 r1/2	195	Tadesse Wolde-Medhin	👁 Image ETH	28:45.4 (9 h1)	–
9 h2 r1/2	58	Karel Lismont	👁 Image BEL	28:41.8 (9 h2)	–
9 h3 r1/2	753	Carlos Lopes	👁 Image POR	28:53.6 (9 h3)	–
10 h1 r1/2	569	Akio Usami	👁 Image JPN	29:24.8 (10 h1)	–
10 h2 r1/2	481	Neil Cusack	👁 Image IRL	28:45.8 (10 h2)	–
10 h3 r1/2	828	Albrecht Moser	👁 Image SUI	29:05.8 (10 h3)	–
11 h1 r1/2	987	Jeff Galloway	👁 Image USA	29:35.0 (11 h1)	–
11 h2 r1/2	292	Dave Holt	👁 Image GBR	28:46.8 (11 h2)	–
11 h3 r1/2	575	Richard Juma	👁 Image KEN	29:13.0 (11 h3)	–
12 h1 r1/2	589	Naftali Temu	👁 Image KEN	30:19.6 (12 h1)	–
12 h2 r1/2	562	Keisuke Sawaki	👁 Image JPN	29:29.0 (12 h2)	–
12 h3 r1/2	130	Domingo Tibaduiza	👁 Image COL	29:24.0 (12 h3)	–
13 h1 r1/2	124	Esaie Fongang	👁 Image CMR	31:32.6 (13 h1)	–
13 h2 r1/2	132	Rafael Pérez	👁 Image CRC	29:36.6 (13 h2)	–
13 h3 r1/2	813	Shag Musa Medani	👁 Image SUD	29:32.8 (13 h3)	–
14 h1 r1/2	802	P. C. Suppiah	👁 Image SGP	31:59.2 (14 h1)	–
14 h2 r1/2	440	Julio Quevedo	👁 Image GUA	30:08.4 (14 h2)	–
14 h3 r1/2	378	Manfred Letzerich	👁 Image FRG	29:37.8 (14 h3)	–
15 h1 r1/2	70	Crispín Quispe	👁 Image BOL	32:31.8 (15 h1)	–
15 h2 r1/2	160	Abdel Hamid Khamis	👁 Image EGY	30:19.2 (15 h2)	–
15 h3 r1/2	909	Hikmet Şen	👁 Image TUR	29:51.8 (15 h3)	–
16 h1 r1/2	511	Giuseppe Cindolo	👁 Image ITA	33:03.4 (16 h1)	–
16 h2 r1/2	108	Lucien Rosa	👁 Image SRI	30:20.2 (16 h2)	–
AC h1 r1/2	198	Usaia Sotutu	👁 Image FIJ	– (DNF h1)	–
AC h1 r1/2	384	Günter Mielke	👁 Image FRG	– (DNF h1)	–
AC h2 r1/2	956	Richard Mabuza	👁 Image SWZ	– (DNF h2)	–
AC h3 r1/2	445	Anilus Joseph	👁 Image HAI	– (DNF h3)	–
AC h3 r1/2	699	Gavin Thorley	👁 Image NZL	– (DNF h3)	–
807	Abdi Gulet	👁 Image SOM	– (DNS h2)	–
113	Edmundo Warnke	👁 Image CHI	– (DNS h3)	–
225	Juha Väätäinen	👁 Image FIN	– (DNS h3)	–
680	Per Halle	👁 Image NOR	– (DNS h2)	–

Round One

Date	31 August 1972
Format	Top four in each heat and next three fastest advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	61	Miel Puttemans	👁 Image BEL	27:53.28
2	274	Dave Bedford	👁 Image GBR	27:53.64
3	904	Mohamad Gammoudi	👁 Image TUN	27:54.69
4	169	Mariano Haro	👁 Image ESP	27:55.89
5	1014	Frank Shorter	👁 Image USA	27:58.23
6	228	Lasse Virén	👁 Image FIN	28:04.41
7	187	Wohib Masresha	👁 Image ETH	28:08.02
8	161	Javier Álvarez	👁 Image ESP	28:08.58
9	906	Abdel Kader Zaddem	👁 Image TUN	28:14.70
10	197	Miruts Yifter	👁 Image ETH	28:18.11
11	580	Paul Mose	👁 Image KEN	28:18.74
12	60	Willy Polleunis	👁 Image BEL	28:19.71
13	919	Pavlo Andreiev	👁 Image URS	28:20.97
14	1052	Dane Korica	👁 Image YUG	28:22.24
15	641	Juan Martínez	👁 Image MEX	28:23.14
16	875	Josef Jánský	👁 Image TCH	28:23.15
17	955	Rashid Sharafetdinov	👁 Image URS	28:24.64
18	310	Lachie Stewart	👁 Image GBR	28:31.33
19	683	Arne Risa	👁 Image NOR	28:31.74
20	969	Jon Anderson	👁 Image USA	28:34.2
21	642	Pedro Miranda	👁 Image MEX	28:35.8
22	923	Anatoly Badrankov	👁 Image URS	28:35.84
23	266	Noël Tijou	👁 Image FRA	28:36.08
24	821	Werner Dössegger	👁 Image SUI	28:36.4
25	58	Karel Lismont	👁 Image BEL	28:41.8
26	195	Tadesse Wolde-Medhin	👁 Image ETH	28:45.4
27	481	Neil Cusack	👁 Image IRL	28:45.8
28	292	Dave Holt	👁 Image GBR	28:46.8
29	753	Carlos Lopes	👁 Image POR	28:53.6
30	828	Albrecht Moser	👁 Image SUI	29:05.8
31	575	Richard Juma	👁 Image KEN	29:13.0
32	130	Domingo Tibaduiza	👁 Image COL	29:24.0
33	569	Akio Usami	👁 Image JPN	29:24.8
34	562	Keisuke Sawaki	👁 Image JPN	29:29.0
35	813	Shag Musa Medani	👁 Image SUD	29:32.8
36	987	Jeff Galloway	👁 Image USA	29:35.0
37	132	Rafael Pérez	👁 Image CRC	29:36.6
38	378	Manfred Letzerich	👁 Image FRG	29:37.8
39	909	Hikmet Şen	👁 Image TUR	29:51.8
40	440	Julio Quevedo	👁 Image GUA	30:08.4
41	160	Abdel Hamid Khamis	👁 Image EGY	30:19.2
42	589	Naftali Temu	👁 Image KEN	30:19.6
43	108	Lucien Rosa	👁 Image SRI	30:20.2
44	124	Esaie Fongang	👁 Image CMR	31:32.6
45	802	P. C. Suppiah	👁 Image SGP	31:59.2
46	70	Crispín Quispe	👁 Image BOL	32:31.8
47	511	Giuseppe Cindolo	👁 Image ITA	33:03.4
384	Günter Mielke	👁 Image FRG	–
198	Usaia Sotutu	👁 Image FIJ	–
956	Richard Mabuza	👁 Image SWZ	–
445	Anilus Joseph	👁 Image HAI	–
699	Gavin Thorley	👁 Image NZL	–
807	Abdi Gulet	👁 Image SOM	–
680	Per Halle	👁 Image NOR	–
113	Edmundo Warnke	👁 Image CHI	–
225	Juha Väätäinen	👁 Image FIN	–

Heat #1

Time	17:30

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	61	Miel Puttemans	👁 Image BEL	27:53.28
2	274	Dave Bedford	👁 Image GBR	27:53.64
3	161	Javier Álvarez	👁 Image ESP	28:08.58
4	906	Abdel Kader Zaddem	👁 Image TUN	28:14.70
5	875	Josef Jánský	👁 Image TCH	28:23.15
6	923	Anatoly Badrankov	👁 Image URS	28:35.84
7	266	Noël Tijou	👁 Image FRA	28:36.08
8	821	Werner Dössegger	👁 Image SUI	28:36.4
9	195	Tadesse Wolde-Medhin	👁 Image ETH	28:45.4
10	569	Akio Usami	👁 Image JPN	29:24.8
11	987	Jeff Galloway	👁 Image USA	29:35.0
12	589	Naftali Temu	👁 Image KEN	30:19.6
13	124	Esaie Fongang	👁 Image CMR	31:32.6
14	802	P. C. Suppiah	👁 Image SGP	31:59.2
15	70	Crispín Quispe	👁 Image BOL	32:31.8
16	511	Giuseppe Cindolo	👁 Image ITA	33:03.4
384	Günter Mielke	👁 Image FRG	–
198	Usaia Sotutu	👁 Image FIJ	–

Heat #2

Time	18:15

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	904	Mohamad Gammoudi	👁 Image TUN	27:54.69
2	169	Mariano Haro	👁 Image ESP	27:55.89
3	1014	Frank Shorter	👁 Image USA	27:58.23
4	228	Lasse Virén	👁 Image FIN	28:04.41
5	580	Paul Mose	👁 Image KEN	28:18.74
6	955	Rashid Sharafetdinov	👁 Image URS	28:24.64
7	187	Wohib Masresha	👁 Image ETH	28:08.02
8	642	Pedro Miranda	👁 Image MEX	28:35.8
9	58	Karel Lismont	👁 Image BEL	28:41.8
10	481	Neil Cusack	👁 Image IRL	28:45.8
11	292	Dave Holt	👁 Image GBR	28:46.8
12	562	Keisuke Sawaki	👁 Image JPN	29:29.0
13	132	Rafael Pérez	👁 Image CRC	29:36.6
14	440	Julio Quevedo	👁 Image GUA	30:08.4
15	160	Abdel Hamid Khamis	👁 Image EGY	30:19.2
16	108	Lucien Rosa	👁 Image SRI	30:20.2
956	Richard Mabuza	👁 Image SWZ	–
807	Abdi Gulet	👁 Image SOM	–
680	Per Halle	👁 Image NOR	–

Heat #3

Time	19:00

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	197	Miruts Yifter	👁 Image ETH	28:18.11
2	60	Willy Polleunis	👁 Image BEL	28:19.71
3	919	Pavlo Andreiev	👁 Image URS	28:20.97
4	1052	Dane Korica	👁 Image YUG	28:22.24
5	641	Juan Martínez	👁 Image MEX	28:23.14
6	310	Lachie Stewart	👁 Image GBR	28:31.33
7	683	Arne Risa	👁 Image NOR	28:31.74
8	969	Jon Anderson	👁 Image USA	28:34.2
9	753	Carlos Lopes	👁 Image POR	28:53.6
10	828	Albrecht Moser	👁 Image SUI	29:05.8
11	575	Richard Juma	👁 Image KEN	29:13.0
12	130	Domingo Tibaduiza	👁 Image COL	29:24.0
13	813	Shag Musa Medani	👁 Image SUD	29:32.8
14	378	Manfred Letzerich	👁 Image FRG	29:37.8
15	909	Hikmet Şen	👁 Image TUR	29:51.8
445	Anilus Joseph	👁 Image HAI	–
699	Gavin Thorley	👁 Image NZL	–
113	Edmundo Warnke	👁 Image CHI	–
225	Juha Väätäinen	👁 Image FIN	–

Final Round

Date	3 September 1972 — 17:15

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	228	Lasse Virén	👁 Image FIN	27:38.35
2	61	Miel Puttemans	👁 Image BEL	27:39.58
3	197	Miruts Yifter	👁 Image ETH	27:40.96
4	169	Mariano Haro	👁 Image ESP	27:48.14
5	1014	Frank Shorter	👁 Image USA	27:51.32
6	274	Dave Bedford	👁 Image GBR	28:05.44
7	1052	Dane Korica	👁 Image YUG	28:15.18
8	906	Abdel Kader Zaddem	👁 Image TUN	28:18.17
9	875	Josef Jánský	👁 Image TCH	28:23.59
10	641	Juan Martínez	👁 Image MEX	28:44.08
11	919	Pavlo Andreiev	👁 Image URS	28:46.27
12	161	Javier Álvarez	👁 Image ESP	28:56.38
13	580	Paul Mose	👁 Image KEN	29:02.87
14	60	Willy Polleunis	👁 Image BEL	29:10.15
904	Mohamad Gammoudi	👁 Image TUN	–

Split Times

Time	Athlete(s)	NOC	Result
1000 m	Dave Bedford	👁 Image	2:36.8
2000 m	Dave Bedford	👁 Image	5:18.8
3000 m	Dave Bedford	👁 Image	8:06.4
4000 m	Dave Bedford	👁 Image	10:55.4
5000 m	Dave Bedford	👁 Image	13:43.9
6000 m	Dave Bedford	👁 Image	16:35.7
7000 m	Lasse Virén	👁 Image	19:27.7
8000 m	Lasse Virén	👁 Image	22:17.7
9000 m	Lasse Virén	👁 Image	25:09.2

URL: https://www.olympedia.org/results/61108