English
Is there a common denominator among the world’s best 5,000-meter runners? Yes. Everyone wants to come to Bislett to run fast. And on Wednesday, June 10, they are coming. Ten of the fifteen best runners in the world last year have been confirmed for a field that includes ten runners with personal bests under 12:50.
One of them is Sweden’s Andreas Almgren, who on home soil in Stockholm last summer set a European record of 12:44.27. He also holds the European records for the 10 km road race with 26:45 and the half marathon with 58:41.
– This is definitely the event where we notice the greatest demand just to get into the field, says meeting director Steinar Hoen.
– Bislett has become the place where everyone wants to race because they know it will be fast, and they know we put together optimal fields and optimal pacing, he says.
It was in 2023 that things really took off. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha won in 12:41.73 in a sensational race where Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo recorded the same time.
The following year, Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet claimed victory in 12:36.73 in a race where Kejelcha clocked 12:38.95, while American Nico Young won last year’s race in 12:45.27, in a race where nine men ran under 12:50.
Today, three of the fastest races in history have come at Bislett:
- Gebrhiwet’s 12:36.73 ranks second all-time
- Kejelcha’s 12:38.95 ranks fourth
- Kiplimo’s 12:40.96 ranks eighth
In 2023, two Bislett races featured in the world’s top 10 statistics. In both 2024 and 2025, that number increased to seven out of ten.
The world record stands at 12:35.36, set by Uganda’s Joseph Cheptegei in Monaco in 2020. It could be chased down at The World Record Track on Wednesday, June 10.
There will also be Norwegian representation in the event. Magnus Tuv Myhre has shown excellent form this spring. He owns a personal best of 13:06.98 and is chasing the milestone of becoming the second Norwegian ever to break 13 minutes, while Filip Ingebrigtsen will have every opportunity to improve his personal best of 13:11.75 from 2019.
Confirmed Athletes
(The numbers in parentheses indicate their all-time world ranking, and after the dash their ranking on the 2025 world list.)
- Berihu Aregawi (Ethiopia)
Personal best: 12:40.45 (7-13) - Grant Fisher (USA)
Personal best: 12:44.09 (11-1)
Bronze medalist, Olympics 2024 - Andreas Almgren (Sweden)
Personal best: 12:44.27 (12-2) - Nico Young (USA)
Personal best: 12:45.27 (14-3)
Sixth place, World Championships 2025 - Jakob Krop (Kenya)
Personal best: 12:45.71 (15-15) - Biniam Mehary (Ethiopia)
Personal best: 12:45.93 (16-4)
Fifth place, World Championships 2025
Sixth place, Olympics 2024 - Kuma Girma (Ethiopia)
Personal best: 12:46.41 (18-5) - Graham Blanks (USA)
Personal best: 12:48.20 (25) - Birhanu Balew (Bahrain)
Personal best: 12:48.67 (29-11) - Mezgebu Sime (Ethiopia)
Personal best: 12:49.80 (37-12) - Dominic Lobalu (Switzerland)
Personal best: 12:50.87 (46-14)
Fourth place, Olympics 2024 - Isaac Kimeli (Belgium)
Personal best: 12:56.53
Silver medalist, World Championships 2025 - Graham Blanks (USA)
Personal best: 12:48.20 (25-10) - Ky Robinson (Australia)
Personal best: 12:58.38
Fourth place, World Championships 2025 - Parker Wolfe (USA)
Personal best: 12:59.09 - Ishmael Kipkurui (Kenya)
Personal best: 13:05.47 - Magnus Tuv Myhre (Norway)
Personal best: 13:06.98 - Filip Ingebrigtsen (Norway)
Personal best: 13:11.75