Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's 10,000 metres

The men's 10,000 metres was an event at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, held on Friday November 23, 1956. There were a total number of 25 participants from 15 nations.^[1]

Men's 10,000 metres at the Games of the XVI Olympiad
Kuts winning the 10,000 m event
Dates	November 23, 1956 (final)
Competitors	25 from 15 nations
Winning time	28:45.6
Medalists
Vladimir Kuts  Soviet Union József Kovács  Hungary Allan Lawrence  Australia
← 1952 1960 →

From the gun, favorite Vladimir Kuts took the lead. Only Gordon Pirie was able to maintain contact as Kuts pushed the pace. Then at the conclusion of 12 laps, Kuts swung wide to let Pirie go by. Pirie obliged while Kuts took the rear for a little less than 200 meters, then Kuts accelerated back into the lead. In the last mile, Pirie was broken, Kuts pulled away to an ever-increasing lead. The chase group settled the remaining medals with a final sprint as József Kovács beat Allan Lawrence to the line for silver. Pirie struggled home a lap behind.

Final classification

RANK	NAME ATHLETE	TIME
	Vladimir Kuts (URS)	28:45.6
	József Kovács (HUN)	28:52.4
	Allan Lawrence (AUS)	28:53.6
4.	Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak (POL)	29:05.0
5.	Ken Norris (GBR)	29:21.6
6.	Ivan Cherniavskyi (URS)	29:31.6
7.	David Power (AUS)	29:49.6
8.	Gordon Pirie (GBR)	30.00:6
9.	Herbert Schade (EUA)	30.00:6
10.	Frank Sando (GBR)	30.00:6
11.	Pavel Kantorek (TCH)	30.00:6
12.	Alain Mimoun (FRA)	30.18:0
13.	Walter Konrad (EUA)	—
14.	Frans Herman (BEL)	—
15.	Thyge Thøgersen (DEN)	—
16.	Pyotr Bolotnikov (URS)	—
17.	Klaus Porbadnik (EUA)	—
18.	Gordon McKenzie (USA)	—
19.	Rune Ahlund (SWE)	—
20.	Dave Stephens (AUS)	—
21.	Richard Hart (USA)	—
22.	Ilmari Taipale (FIN)	—
23.	Douglas Kyle (CAN)	—
—	Max Truex (USA)	DNF
—	Naw Myitung (BIR)	DNF