| Date | 29 July – 2 August 1996 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Participants | 35 from 22 countries |
By now, it was established that a Kenyan would win, and the favorite was Moses Kiptanui. He had won the World Championships in 1991, 1993, and 1995. In August 1995, at the Weltklasse Meet in Zürich, he had become the first man to run the steeplechase in under eight minutes.
In the final, Kiptanui took the lead on the first lap and would lead for most of the race. At the halfway point, the three Kenyans, Kiptanui, Joseph Keter, and Matthew Birir, went clear and ran a team race throughout. At 2,000 metres, they were joined by Italy’s Alessandro Lambruschini. On the final lap, Lambruschini could not keep up when Keter and Kiptanui powered ahead, Kiptanui leading to the last water jump. On the final straight, Keter ran down Kip to win the gold medal, with a stunning last lap of 59.4. Lambruschini won the bronze medal after two fourth-place Olympic finishes, Birir having struggled to maintain the pace on the last lap.
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1799 | Joseph Keter |  KEN | 8:30.23 (1 h1) | 8:18.90 (1 h2) | 8:07.12 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 1803 | Moses Kiptanui | KEN | 8:30.87 (2 h3) | 8:18.91 (2 h2) | 8:08.33 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 1711 | Alessandro Lambruschini |  ITA | 8:31.69 (4 h1) | 8:27.32 (3 h1) | 8:11.28 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 1788 | Matthew Birir | KEN | 8:27.09 (2 h2) | 8:27.16 (2 h1) | 8:17.18 (4) | |||
| 5 | 2345 | Mark Croghan |  USA | 8:27.91 (3 h2) | 8:21.01 (6 h2) | 8:17.84 (5) | |||
| 6 | 1533 | Steffen Brand |  GER | 8:31.18 (4 h3) | 8:19.11 (3 h2) | 8:18.52 (6) | |||
| 7 | 1901 | Brahim Boulami |  MAR | 8:30.97 (3 h3) | 8:20.43 (5 h2) | 8:23.13 (7) | |||
| 8 | 2012 | Jim Svenøy |  NOR | 8:31.30 (7 h3) | 8:19.79 (4 h2) | 8:23.39 (8) | |||
| 9 | 1697 | Angelo Carosi | ITA | 8:30.83 (1 h3) | 8:21.86 (7 h2) | 8:29.67 (9) | |||
| 10 | 1577 | Martin Strege | GER | 8:32.76 (6 h1) | 8:27.99 (5 h1) | 8:30.31 (10) | |||
| 11 | 1900 | Hicham Bouaouiche | MAR | 8:31.97 (5 h1) | 8:27.76 (4 h1) | 8:46.22 (11) | |||
| 12 | 2347 | Marc Davis | USA | 8:31.25 (5 h3) | 8:26.76 (1 h1) | 9:51.96 (12) | |||
| 6 h1 r2/3 | 2104 | Florin Ionescu |  ROU | 8:31.34 (3 h1) | 8:28.77 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 7 h1 r2/3 | 1194 | Joël Bourgeois |  CAN | 8:28.14 (4 h2) | 8:31.45 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r2/3 | 1912 | Abdel Aziz Sahère | MAR | 8:26.79 (1 h2) | 8:33.90 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h2 r2/3 | 1063 | Chris Unthank |  AUS | 8:31.86 (8 h3) | 8:25.59 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 9 h1 r2/3 | 2133 | Vladimir Golyas |  RUS | 8:35.50 (9 h3) | 8:36.85 (9 h1) | – | |||
| 9 h2 r2/3 | 1476 | Justin Chaston |  GBR | 8:28.32 (5 h2) | 8:28.50 (9 h2) | – | |||
| 10 h1 r2/3 | 2450 | Godfrey Siamusiye |  ZAM | 8:30.56 (2 h1) | 8:37.41 (10 h1) | – | |||
| 10 h2 r2/3 | 2155 | Vladimir Pronin | RUS | 8:29.49 (6 h2) | 8:34.79 (10 h2) | – | |||
| 11 h1 r2/3 | 1479 | Keith Cullen | GBR | 8:31.26 (6 h3) | 8:46.74 (11 h1) | – | |||
| 11 h2 r2/3 | 2094 | Jamal Abdi Hassan |  QAT | 8:36.99 (7 h1) | 8:36.40 (11 h2) | – | |||
| 12 h1 r2/3 | 1528 | Kim Bauermeister | GER | 8:36.86 (8 h2) | 8:51.83 (12 h1) | – | |||
| 12 h2 r2/3 | 1426 | Nadir Bosch |  FRA | 8:31.65 (7 h2) | 8:47.31 (12 h2) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r1/3 | 2069 | Eduardo Henriques |  POR | 8:38.58 (8 h1) | – | – | |||
| 9 h1 r1/3 | 1339 | Elisardo de la Torre |  ESP | 8:42.75 (9 h1) | – | – | |||
| 9 h2 r1/3 | 2326 | Ricardo Vera |  URU | 8:40.78 (9 h2) | – | – | |||
| 10 h1 r1/3 | 1482 | Spencer Duval | GBR | 8:46.76 (10 h1) | – | – | |||
| 10 h2 r1/3 | 2423 | Néstor Nieves |  VEN | 8:47.34 (10 h2) | – | – | |||
| 10 h3 r1/3 | 2115 | Shadrack Mogotsi |  RSA | 8:46.24 (10 h3) | – | – | |||
| 11 h1 r1/3 | 2351 | Robert Gary | USA | 8:49.68 (11 h1) | – | – | |||
| 11 h2 r1/3 | 2059 | Vítor Almeida | POR | 8:48.16 (11 h2) | – | – | |||
| 11 h3 r1/3 | 1852 | Ibrahim Al-Asiri Yahya |  KSA | 8:46.37 (11 h3) | – | – | |||
| 12 h2 r1/3 | 1168 | Clodoaldo Lopes |  BRA | 8:51.78 (12 h2) | – | – | |||
| AC h1 r1/3 | 2471 | Primo Higa |  SOL | – (DNF h1) | – | – |
| Date | 29 July 1996 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 6 in each heat and next six fastest advanced to the semi-finals. |
| Time | 19:55 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Joseph Keter | KEN | 8:30.23 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Godfrey Siamusiye | ZAM | 8:30.56 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Florin Ionescu | ROU | 8:31.34 | ||
| 4 | 9 | Alessandro Lambruschini | ITA | 8:31.69 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Hicham Bouaouiche | MAR | 8:31.97 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Martin Strege | GER | 8:32.76 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Jamal Abdi Hassan | QAT | 8:36.99 | ||
| 8 | 11 | Eduardo Henriques | POR | 8:38.58 | ||
| 9 | 6 | Elisardo de la Torre | ESP | 8:42.75 | ||
| 10 | 12 | Spencer Duval | GBR | 8:46.76 | ||
| 11 | 10 | Robert Gary | USA | 8:49.68 | ||
| 5 | Primo Higa | SOL | – |
| Time | 20:10 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Abdel Aziz Sahère | MAR | 8:26.79 | ||
| 2 | 11 | Matthew Birir | KEN | 8:27.09 | ||
| 3 | 6 | Mark Croghan | USA | 8:27.91 | ||
| 4 | 4 | Joël Bourgeois | CAN | 8:28.14 | ||
| 5 | 12 | Justin Chaston | GBR | 8:28.32 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Vladimir Pronin | RUS | 8:29.49 | ||
| 7 | 9 | Nadir Bosch | FRA | 8:31.65 | ||
| 8 | 7 | Kim Bauermeister | GER | 8:36.86 | ||
| 9 | 2 | Ricardo Vera | URU | 8:40.78 | ||
| 10 | 10 | Néstor Nieves | VEN | 8:47.34 | ||
| 11 | 5 | Vítor Almeida | POR | 8:48.16 | ||
| 12 | 8 | Clodoaldo Lopes | BRA | 8:51.78 |
| Time | 20:25 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Angelo Carosi | ITA | 8:30.83 | ||
| 2 | 11 | Moses Kiptanui | KEN | 8:30.87 | ||
| 3 | 4 | Brahim Boulami | MAR | 8:30.97 | ||
| 4 | 10 | Steffen Brand | GER | 8:31.18 | ||
| 5 | 8 | Marc Davis | USA | 8:31.25 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Keith Cullen | GBR | 8:31.26 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Jim Svenøy | NOR | 8:31.30 | ||
| 8 | 5 | Chris Unthank | AUS | 8:31.86 | ||
| 9 | 2 | Vladimir Golyas | RUS | 8:35.50 | ||
| 10 | 9 | Shadrack Mogotsi | RSA | 8:46.24 | ||
| 11 | 6 | Ibrahim Al-Asiri Yahya | KSA | 8:46.37 |
| Date | 31 July 1996 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 5 in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Time (automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1799 | Joseph Keter | KEN | 8:18.90 | ||
| 2 | 1803 | Moses Kiptanui | KEN | 8:18.91 | ||
| 3 | 1533 | Steffen Brand | GER | 8:19.11 | ||
| 4 | 2012 | Jim Svenøy | NOR | 8:19.79 | ||
| 5 | 1901 | Brahim Boulami | MAR | 8:20.43 | ||
| 6 | 2345 | Mark Croghan | USA | 8:21.01 | ||
| 7 | 1697 | Angelo Carosi | ITA | 8:21.86 | ||
| 8 | 1063 | Chris Unthank | AUS | 8:25.59 | ||
| 9 | 2347 | Marc Davis | USA | 8:26.76 | ||
| 10 | 1788 | Matthew Birir | KEN | 8:27.16 | ||
| 11 | 1711 | Alessandro Lambruschini | ITA | 8:27.32 | ||
| 12 | 1900 | Hicham Bouaouiche | MAR | 8:27.76 | ||
| 13 | 1577 | Martin Strege | GER | 8:27.99 | ||
| 14 | 1476 | Justin Chaston | GBR | 8:28.50 | ||
| 15 | 2104 | Florin Ionescu | ROU | 8:28.77 | ||
| 16 | 1194 | Joël Bourgeois | CAN | 8:31.45 | ||
| 17 | 1912 | Abdel Aziz Sahère | MAR | 8:33.90 | ||
| 18 | 2155 | Vladimir Pronin | RUS | 8:34.79 | ||
| 19 | 2094 | Jamal Abdi Hassan | QAT | 8:36.40 | ||
| 20 | 2133 | Vladimir Golyas | RUS | 8:36.85 | ||
| 21 | 2450 | Godfrey Siamusiye | ZAM | 8:37.41 | ||
| 22 | 1479 | Keith Cullen | GBR | 8:46.74 | ||
| 23 | 1426 | Nadir Bosch | FRA | 8:47.31 | ||
| 24 | 1528 | Kim Bauermeister | GER | 8:51.83 |
| Time | 20:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Marc Davis | USA | 8:26.76 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Matthew Birir | KEN | 8:27.16 | ||
| 3 | 4 | Alessandro Lambruschini | ITA | 8:27.32 | ||
| 4 | 10 | Hicham Bouaouiche | MAR | 8:27.76 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Martin Strege | GER | 8:27.99 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Florin Ionescu | ROU | 8:28.77 | ||
| 7 | 2 | Joël Bourgeois | CAN | 8:31.45 | ||
| 8 | 6 | Abdel Aziz Sahère | MAR | 8:33.90 | ||
| 9 | 12 | Vladimir Golyas | RUS | 8:36.85 | ||
| 10 | 8 | Godfrey Siamusiye | ZAM | 8:37.41 | ||
| 11 | 11 | Keith Cullen | GBR | 8:46.74 | ||
| 12 | 9 | Kim Bauermeister | GER | 8:51.83 |
| Time | 20:15 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Joseph Keter | KEN | 8:18.90 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Moses Kiptanui | KEN | 8:18.91 | ||
| 3 | 6 | Steffen Brand | GER | 8:19.11 | ||
| 4 | 11 | Jim Svenøy | NOR | 8:19.79 | ||
| 5 | 3 | Brahim Boulami | MAR | 8:20.43 | ||
| 6 | 7 | Mark Croghan | USA | 8:21.01 | ||
| 7 | 8 | Angelo Carosi | ITA | 8:21.86 | ||
| 8 | 9 | Chris Unthank | AUS | 8:25.59 | ||
| 9 | 10 | Justin Chaston | GBR | 8:28.50 | ||
| 10 | 2 | Vladimir Pronin | RUS | 8:34.79 | ||
| 11 | 12 | Jamal Abdi Hassan | QAT | 8:36.40 | ||
| 12 | 1 | Nadir Bosch | FRA | 8:47.31 |
| Date | 2 August 1996 — 21:05 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Joseph Keter | KEN | 8:07.12 | ||
| 2 | 10 | Moses Kiptanui | KEN | 8:08.33 | ||
| 3 | 11 | Alessandro Lambruschini | ITA | 8:11.28 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Matthew Birir | KEN | 8:17.18 | ||
| 5 | 6 | Mark Croghan | USA | 8:17.84 | ||
| 6 | 4 | Steffen Brand | GER | 8:18.52 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Brahim Boulami | MAR | 8:23.13 | ||
| 8 | 3 | Jim Svenøy | NOR | 8:23.39 | ||
| 9 | 7 | Angelo Carosi | ITA | 8:29.67 | ||
| 10 | 12 | Martin Strege | GER | 8:30.31 | ||
| 11 | 5 | Hicham Bouaouiche | MAR | 8:46.22 | ||
| 12 | 8 | Marc Davis | USA | 9:51.96 |
