| Heat 1 | time | | | 1. Dieter Baumann |  FRG | 7:50.22 | Q | | 2. Brank Zorko |  YUG | 7:50.99 | Q | | 3. Stefano Mei |  ITA | 7:51.48 | Q | | 4. Jos� Luis Gonzalez |  ESP | 7:51.52 | Q | | 5. Michail Dasko |  URS | 7:51.83 | q | | 6. Brian Abshire |  USA | 7:52.52 | q | | 7. Jacky Carlier |  FRA | 7:53.16 | | | 8. Gerry O'Reilly |  IRL | 7:53.32 | | | 9. Mohamed Choumassi |  MAR | 7:55.58 | | | 10.Adauto Domingues |  BRA | 7:56.76 | |
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| Heat 2 | time | | | 1. Said Aouita | MAR | 7:51.72 | Q | | 2. Jos� Luis Carreira | ESP | 7:51.98 | Q | | 3. Doug Padilla | USA | 7:52.00 | Q | | 4. Frank O'Mara | IRL | 7:52.37 | Q | | 5. Klaus-Peter Nabein | FRG | 7:53.15 | | | 6. Peter Wirz |  SUI | 7:53.70 | | | 7. Remy Geoffroy | FRA | 7:53.91 | | | 8. Nikolaos Vouzis |  GRE | 7:59.92 | | | 9. Bela Vago |  HUN | 8:05.78 | |
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