With most of the leading contenders planning on doubling up, the 5000m on the first night of the European Athletics Championships could provide a useful form guide for the 10,000m on the penultimate evening.
One of the few exceptions is Sweden’s Andreas Almgren who is focusing solely on the 10,000m as he chases an elusive European medal in Birmingham. Almgren has an unwanted distinction of having finished fourth at four major continental championships at four different distances, including the 5000m in 2022 and the 10,000m in 2024.
European record - Mo Farah (GBR) 26:46.57
European lead - Mohamed Abdilaahi (GER) 26:56.58
Championship record - Martti Vainio (FIN) 27:30.99
Roma 2024 medallists
- Dominic Lobalu (SUI) 28:00.32
- Yann Schrub (FRA) 28:00.48
- Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 28:00.96
Five to watch
- Jimmy Gressier (FRA)
- Andreas Almgren (SWE)
- Isaac Kimeli (BEL)
- Dominic Lobalu (SUI)
- Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA)
However, Almgren has improved significantly in the last two years. Since then, he has smashed European records at 5000m (12:44.29), 10km (26:45) and the half marathon (58:41) and finally broke a string of near-misses with 10,000m bronze in a frantic last lap at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in a race famously won by France’s Jimmy Gressier.
Like Almgren, Gressier is also without a European Athletics Championships medal on his CV although he has come close, finishing fifth and fourth in the 10,000m at the last two editions.
Gressier has been indifferent form this year. He looked supreme in setting a European 5km record of 12:51 in Lille in April but he was found wanting for pace in the last lap of the 5000m in the Paris Diamond League in late June where he faded to seventh. Gressier hasn’t raced since then, preferring to put in another uninterrupted block of training ahead of Birmingham where he will contest the 5000m as well as the 10,000m.
The reigning European champion is Dominic Lobalu who outsprinted a field including Gressier and Almgren to become the first Swiss winner of the 10,000m title in Rome. Lobalu also demonstrated he can sprint off a fast pace as well, winning the 5000m in the Monaco Diamond League last month in 12:52.54
Lobalu, who will also contest the 5000m, is the only returning medallist from Rome two years ago with France’s Yann Schrub and Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, the silver and bronze medallists respectively, both absent due to injury.
Another notable absentee is 2026 world 3000m and 10,000m leader Mohamed Abdilaahi who is a late withdrawal due to a foot injury.
Also watch out for 2022 European 10,000m champion Yemaneberhan Crippa who is poised to make a rare re-appearance on the track. Crippa’s primary focus is the marathon these days but the Italian, who won the Paris Marathon in April, will still be a factor if he can reproduce his famed sprint finish if in contention on the last lap.
Other medal contenders in a field replete with talent and ability include Belgium’s 2025 world 5000m silver medalist Isaac Kimeli, Mike Foppen from the Netherlands and the British pair of Scott Beattie and David Mullarkey.
Mullarkey recently made history at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where he won 10,000m bronze, becoming the Isle of Man's first ever medallist in championship history.