Men's 10,000m Predictions & Betting tips - Athletics - Olympic Tournament

Prediction published on 31/07/2024, 10:32  by Matthew Newman | Modified on 31/07/2024 at 10:45

The men's 10,000m will be the first athletics track medal given out at the games. 28 men will line up with only five of them holding realistic claims of getting their hands on the gold medal.

Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei is the favourite in the absence of the world number one Daniel Ebenyo after Ebenyo only managed an 8th-place finish at the Kenyan trials. 

Cheptegei is the current world record holder at both this distance and 5,000m. He was the silver medalist at the Tokyo games, leaving his challenge for the title just too late, beaten 0.41 of a second at the line. 

The defending champion is Selemon Barega of Ethiopia. He was just 21 when he won gold in Tokyo, a little more of an unknown at that point which perhaps allowed him the rope he required to get first run on his opponents. It will be harder this time around but he has the class to be in medal contention. 

Yomif Kejelcha won the Ethiopian trial for this race back in June. He was only 7th in Tokyo but the 26:31.01 that he clocked in the aforementioned trial race for this is the leading time in the world so far in 2024.

Bronze medalist from Toyko, Jacob Kiplimo, is another who will believe he can get on the podium. He is arguably better known on the road and cross-country disciplines but showed three years ago that he can transfer that talent to the track.

Berihu Aregawi is the final one of the five in with a winning chance. The world number four has run a personal best this season of 26:31.13 when second in the Ethiopian trials.