Athletics at the 1920 Antwerpen Summer Games:

The world record for the 10,000 was 30:58.8, set by Jean Bouin in winning at Colombes in November 1911. But Bouin was not at Antwerp, having succumbed to the horrors of World War I in September 1914. In the 10K, Paavo Nurmi and Joseph Guillemot resumed the battle they had waged in the 5,000 only three days earlier. These two, and James Wilson of Great Britain, held the pace for most of the race. The pack briefly caught the three leaders, until Guillemot picked up the pace with five laps remaining. Nurmi took the lead at the bell and led the entire final lap to win.