Each national team consisted of six athletes, who alternately covered six stages to complete the 42.195 km marathon distance. The first, third and fifth stages were of 5 km, the second and fourth stages were of 10 km, and the final stage covered the remaining 7.195 km.[3]
In the women's race, Askale Bereda and Derartu Tulu ran the fastest times of the first two stages to establish a 40-second lead for Ethiopia. On the third leg, Yelena Kopytova made up this deficit to give the Russians a 6-second lead. Her compatriots Olga Churbanova and Yelena Romanova won the final two stages to take gold for Russia in a time of 2:17:19 hours. Ethiopia were a comfortable second in 2:19:09 hours, while Romania took third nine seconds behind with the help of fourth stage winner Anuța Cătună.
In the men's race, Worku Bikila gained a five-second lead for Ethiopia in the first leg. A fast second leg from Joseph Kibor, saw Kenya take the lead by 12 seconds. Hicham El Guerrouj made up half a minute on the third leg to take the lead for Morocco. Salah Hissou and Brahim Boutayeb won the next two stages to cement the lead for Morocco resulting in a championship record time of 1:57:56 hours. Just under a minute behind were Ethiopia in 1:58:51, courtesy of leg six winner Haile Gebrselassie. Kenya finished a clear third in 2:00:51 hours.
