Athletics at the 2004 Athina Summer Games:

The final here matched the 1,500 gold medalist, Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR), and the 10K gold medalist, Kenenisa Bekele (ETH). Also present was the 2003 World Champion, Eliud Kipchoge (KEN). The pace in the final was very slow, passing the kilometer in 2:58.46. Bekele and Kipchoge then took the lead and increased the pace, but strangely slowed after 3,000. Five runners were together at the bell, but El Guerrouj was sitting on the shoulders of Bekele and Kipchoge and they had no chance to match his speed. Bekele took the lead over Kipchoge on the backstretch and El Guerrouj caught Bekele near the end of the curve. Bekele actually fought hard to hang on in the final stretch but could never close the gap, El Guerrouj winning the gold and Bekele the silver, Kipchoge hanging on for third.