| POS | Rank | Heat | BIB | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | RESULTS | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 | USA | United States |  USA | 2:58.13 Q WL | 
| 2 | 2 | 2 | TTO | Trinidad and Tobago |  TTO | 2:58.67 Q SB | 
| 3 | 3 | 2 | JAM | Jamaica |  JAM | 2:58.69 Q SB | 
| 4 | 1 | 1 | GBR | Great Britain & NI |  GBR | 2:59.05 Q SB | 
| 5 | 2 | 1 | BEL | Belgium |  BEL | 2:59.28 Q NR | 
| 6 | 3 | 1 | FRA | France |  FRA | 2:59.42 Q SB | 
| 7 | 4 | 1 | RUS | Russia |  RUS | 2:59.45 q SB | 
| 8 | 4 | 2 | CUB | Cuba |  CUB | 2:59.80 q SB | 
| 9 | 5 | 2 | BOT | Botswana |  BOT | 2:59.95 NR | 
| 10 | 6 | 2 | DOM | Dominican Republic |  DOM | 3:00.15 NR | 
| 11 | 5 | 1 | POL | Poland |  POL | 3:00.72 SB | 
| 12 | 7 | 2 | BRA | Brazil |  BRA | 3:01.05 | 
| 13 | 8 | 2 | IRL | Ireland |  IRL | 3:01.26 NR | 
| 14 | 6 | 1 | VEN | Venezuela |  VEN | 3:02.96 SB | 
| 15 | 7 | 1 | JPN | Japan |  JPN | 3:02.97 SB | 
| 1 | BAH | Bahamas |  BAH | DQ R163.3(a) |