| Heat 1 | Team | time | | 1. Abdoulaye Wagne | SEN | 1:51.03 | | 2. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi | RSA | 1:51.09 | | 3. Prince Mumba | ZAM | 1:51.57 | | 4. Henry Rotich | KEN | 1:51.99 | | 5. Turk Gamal Beru | SUD | 1:52.15 | | 6. Coulibaly Sidiki | | 1:52.70 | | 7. Solomon Abtegiorgis | ETH | 1:54.43 | | 8. Lezi Elongo Ngoyi Konda | CGO | 1:58.07 |
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| Heat 2 | Team | time | | 1. Samuel Mwera | TAN | 1:48.98 | | 2. Justus Koech | KEN | 1:49.58 | | 3. Graham Davidson | RSA | 1:50.52 | | 4. Ashenafi Hailu | | 1:52.25 | | 5. Arthemon Hatungimana | BDI | 1:53.16 | | 6. Cheik Salou | BUR | 1:53.76 | | 7. Mao Tjiroze | NAM | 1:54.31 | | -. Sory Fofana | GUI | DNS | | -. Peter Roxo | SUD | DNS |
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| Heat 3 | Team | time | | 1. Michael Rotich | KEN | 1:48.92 | | 2. Hezekiel Sepeng | RSA | 1:48.94 | | 3. Ismael Ahmed | SUD | 1:49.15 | | 4. Crispen Mutakanyi | ZIM | 1:49.65 | | 5. Ghirmay Tukabo | ERI | 1:50.13 | | 6. Paskar Owor | UGA | 1:50.25 | | 7. Joseph Kagisye | BDI | 1:50.70 | | -. Dipa Traore | MLI | DNS | | -. Mohamed Hind | | DNS |
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