| Order / Lane | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | PB | SB 1997 | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fita Bayisa |  ETH | 13:05.40 | 13:07.20 | 
| 2 | Enrique Molina |  ESP | 13:07.34 | 13:07.34 | 
| 3 | Pablo Olmedo |  MEX | 13:27.65 | 13:27.65 | 
| 4 | El Hassan Lahssini |  MAR | 13:04.32 | 13:10.47 | 
| 5 | Dionisio Castro |  POR | 13:23.12 | 13:24.51 | 
| 6 | Bob Kennedy |  USA | 12:58.21 | 13:06.62 | 
| 7 | Paul Bitok |  KEN | 13:04.48 | 13:04.74 | 
| 8 | Dieter Baumann |  GER | 13:01.72 | 13:10.93 | 
| 9 | Abdellah Béhar |  FRA | 13:16.26 | 13:17.18 | 
| 10 | Worku Bikila |  ETH | 12:57.23 | 13:16.54 | 
| 11 | Manuel Pancorbo |  ESP | 13:12.95 | 13:12.95 | 
| 12 | Ismaïl Sghyr |  MAR | 12:58.99 | 13:00.62 | 
| 13 | Daniel Komen |  KEN | 12:45.09 | 12:48.98 | 
| 14 | Khalid Boulami |  MAR | 12:55.76 | 12:59.95 | 
| 15 | Tom Mongare Nyariki |  KEN | 12:55.94 | 12:55.94 |