The competition exists out of a single race, in which all competitors conduct a course of 10,000 metres. The competitor with the fastest time is the winner of the event.
Preview[]
Thirty-seven athletes qualified for the event with the Ethiopian athletes as big favorites for the title, featuring defending and two-time Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba, the world-leading time and world champion at the 5000 metres Almaz Ayana, and the silver medalist of the world championships Gelete Burka. Some of the big challengers for the Ethiopians were two-time world champion Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot, African champion Alice Aprot Nawowuna, and the bronze medalist of the world championships Emily Infeld, but other outsiders also included Eloise Wellings, Joanne Pavey, Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal, and Yasemin Can.