Main > Women, 5000 m  All Time Best
The method I use to identify the 10 all time best athletes is a very simple.
From the Top 10 lists in the yearly statistics (Men 1891-2004, Women 1921-2004), the athlete
in the first position receives 10 points, the athlete in the second position receives 9 points
and so on down to the tenth position.
Athlete with the most points is the best.
The same method is applied to Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships.
The athlete in the first place receives 10 points, the athlete in the second place
receives 9 points and so on down to the tenth place.
Top 10 Yearly Statistics
Points Years
Meseret Defar  ETH  80  2003-2013
Tirunesh Dibaba  ETH  73  2002-2016
Gabriela Szabo  ROU  63  1995-2003
Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot  KEN  62  2006-2016
Paula Radcliffe  GBR  57  1995-2004
Sonia O'Sullivan  IRL  46  1993-2004
Hellen Obiri  KEN  45  2016-2021
Almaz Ayana  ETH  42  2012-2022
Genzebe Dibaba  ETH  41  2009-2018
Viola Jelagat Kibiwot  KEN  41  2008-2016
Top 10 Olympic Games
Points
Meseret Defar  ETH  28   
Tirunesh Dibaba  ETH  26   
Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot  KEN  25   
Hellen Obiri  KEN  18   
Senbere Teferi  ETH  11   
Gabriela Szabo  ROU  10   
Wang Junxia  CHN  10   
Sifan Hassan  NED  10   
Irina Mikitenko  GER  10   
Joanne Pavey  GBR  10   
Top 10 World Championships
Points
Meseret Defar  ETH  45   
Gabriela Szabo  ROU  30   
Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot  KEN  29   
Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi  KEN  29   
Almaz Ayana  ETH  27   
Sylvia Chibiwott Kibet  KEN  25   
Sifan Hassan  NED  22   
Mercy Cherono  KEN  21   
Tirunesh Dibaba  ETH  20   
Hellen Obiri  KEN  20   
Top 10 European Championships
Points
Marta Dominguez  ESP  28   
Yasemin Can  TUR  27   
Eilish McColgan  GBR  22   
Sara Moreira  POR  21   
Elvan Abeylegesse  TUR  21   
Sonia O'Sullivan  IRL  19   
Sifan Hassan  NED  19   
Meraf Bahta  SWE  19   
Jo Pavey  GBR  17   
Konstanze Klosterhalfen  GER  17