| Heat 1 | time | | 1. Raymond Pannier | FRA | 8:30.94 | | 2. Mark Rowland | GBR | 8:31.40 | | 3. Peter Koech | KEN | 8:31.66 | | 4. Alessandro Lambruschini | ITA | 8:32.59 | | 5. Adauto Domingues | BRA | 8:32.77 | | 6. Henry Marsh | USA | 8:33.89 | | 7. Hans Koeleman | HOL | 8:35.20 | | 8. Hector Begeo | PHI | 8:46.60 | | 9. Ramon Lopez | PAR | 8:56.06 | | 10.Davendra Singh | FIJ | 9:23.50 | | -. Abdelaziz Sahere | MAR | DQ |
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| Heat 2 | time | | 1. Francesco Panetta | ITA | 8:29.75 | | 2. Julius Kariuki | KEN | 8:33.42 | | 3. Azzeddine Brahmi | ALG | 8:35.59 | | 4. Brian Diemer | USA | 8:38.40 | | 5. Eddie Wedderburn | GBR | 8:38.90 | | 6. Boguslaw Maminski | POL | 8:45.72 | | 7. Graeme Fell | CAN | 8:51.25 | | 8. Han-Sik Cha | KOR | 8:59.82 | | 9. Ikaji Salom | TAN | 9:10.36 | | -. Emilio Ulloa | CHI | DNF | | -. Bela Vago | HUN | DNS |
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| Heat 3 | time | | 1. Patrick Sang | KEN | 8:36.11 | | 2. Jens Volkmann | FRG | 8:36.37 | | 3. Hager Melzer | GDR | 8:36.45 | | 4. Brian Abshire | USA | 8:36.56 | | 5. Willam Van Dijck | BEL | 8:36.80 | | 6. Bruno Le Stum | FRA | 8:36.95 | | 7. Fathi Baccouche | TUN | 8:38.67 | | 8. Roger Hackney | GBR | 8:39.30 | | 9. Brendan Quinn | IRL | 8:40.87 | | 10.Hameed Al Dousari | KSA | 8:45.25 | | 11.Abdullah Al Doseri | BRN | 9:10.85 |
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