ethiopia is the most successful nation in the event, having taken six gold medals and fifteen medals in total. the next most successful nation, depending on definition, is either finland or kenya. in terms of gold medals, finland is equal with ethiopia at six, but has a total of twelve overall medals to ethiopia's 15. finland's period of great success in the 1920s and 1930s led to the wide usage of the nickname the flying finns; kaarlo maaninka was the last finnish athlete to medal over 5000 m, in 1980. kenya have won fourteen medals in the 5000 m, second only to ethiopia in total medals in the event, although john ngugi and vivian cheruiyot are the only kenyans to have won olympic gold.