Athletics at the 1996 Summer Games: Previous Summer Games ▪ Next Summer Games
Host City: Atlanta, United States
Venue(s): Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Date Started: July 29, 1996
Date Finished: July 29, 1996
Format: Top six in each heat and next six fastest advanced to the semi-finals.
| Gold: | Joseph Keter |
| Silver: | Moses Kiptanui |
| Bronze: | Alessandro Lambruschini |
| Rank | Athlete | Age | Team | NOC | T(A) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joseph Keter | 27 | Kenya | KEN | 8:30.23 | QU |
| 2 | Godfrey Siamusiye | 23 | Zambia | ZAM | 8:30.56 | QU |
| 3 | Florin Ionescu | 25 | Romania | ROU | 8:31.34 | QU |
| 4 | Alessandro Lambruschini | 31 | Italy | ITA | 8:31.69 | QU |
| 5 | Hicham Bouaouiche | 22 | Morocco | MAR | 8:31.97 | QU |
| 6 | Martin Strege | 30 | Germany | GER | 8:32.76 | QU |
| 7 | Jamal Abdi Hassan | 23 | Qatar | QAT | 8:36.99 | QC |
| 8 | Eduardo Henriques | 28 | Portugal | POR | 8:38.58 | |
| 9 | Elisardo de la Torre | 24 | Spain | ESP | 8:42.75 | |
| 10 | Spencer Duval | 26 | Great Britain | GBR | 8:46.76 | |
| 11 | Robert Gary | 23 | United States | USA | 8:49.68 | |
| AC | Primo Higa | 23 | Solomon Islands | SOL | DNF |
| Rank | Athlete | Age | Team | NOC | T(A) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abdel Aziz Sahère | 28 | Morocco | MAR | 8:26.79 | QU |
| 2 | Matthew Birir | 24 | Kenya | KEN | 8:27.09 | QU |
| 3 | Mark Croghan | 28 | United States | USA | 8:27.91 | QU |
| 4 | Joël Bourgeois | 25 | Canada | CAN | 8:28.14 | QU |
| 5 | Justin Chaston | 27 | Great Britain | GBR | 8:28.32 | QU |
| 6 | Vladimir Pronin | 27 | Russia | RUS | 8:29.49 | QU |
| 7 | Nadir Bosch | 23 | France | FRA | 8:31.65 | QC |
| 8 | Kim Bauermeister | 25 | Germany | GER | 8:36.86 | QC |
| 9 | Ricardo Vera | 33 | Uruguay | URU | 8:40.78 | |
| 10 | Néstor Nieves | 21 | Venezuela | VEN | 8:47.34 | |
| 11 | Vítor Almeida | 26 | Portugal | POR | 8:48.16 | |
| 12 | Clodoaldo do Carmo | 28 | Brazil | BRA | 8:51.78 |
| Rank | Athlete | Age | Team | NOC | T(A) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angelo Carosi | 32 | Italy | ITA | 8:30.83 | QU |
| 2 | Moses Kiptanui | 24 | Kenya | KEN | 8:30.87 | QU |
| 3 | Brahim Boulami | 24 | Morocco | MAR | 8:30.97 | QU |
| 4 | Steffen Brand | 31 | Germany | GER | 8:31.18 | QU |
| 5 | Marc Davis | 26 | United States | USA | 8:31.25 | QU |
| 6 | Keith Cullen | 24 | Great Britain | GBR | 8:31.26 | QU |
| 7 | Jim Svenøy | 24 | Norway | NOR | 8:31.30 | QC |
| 8 | Chris Unthank | 23 | Australia | AUS | 8:31.86 | QC |
| 9 | Vladimir Golyas | 25 | Russia | RUS | 8:35.50 | QC |
| 10 | Shadrack Mogotsi | 33 | South Africa | RSA | 8:46.24 | |
| 11 | Ibrahim Al-Asiri Yahya | 30 | Saudi Arabia | KSA | 8:46.37 |