Medalists
| Gold |
 Kenenisa Bekele
Ethiopia (ETH) |
| Silver |
 Eliud Kipchoge
Kenya (KEN) |
| Bronze |
Edwin Cheruiyot Soi
Kenya (KEN) |
Records
| World Record |
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) |
12:37.35 |
Hengelo, Netherlands |
31 May 2004 |
| Olympic Record |
Saīd Aouita (MAR) |
13:05.59 |
Los Angeles, USA |
11 August 1984 |
| Date |
Event |
Name |
Nationality |
Time |
OR |
WR |
| 23 August |
Final |
Kenenisa Bekele |
Ethiopia |
12:57.82 |
OR |
|
Finals
23 August 2008 - 20:10
| Position |
Athlete/Country |
Mark |
Remarks |
| 1 |
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) |
12:57.82 |
(OR) |
| 2 |
Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) |
13:02.80 |
. |
| 3 |
Edwin Cheruiyot Soi (KEN) |
13:06.22 |
(SB) |
| 4 |
Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (UGA) |
13:10.56 |
. |
| 5 |
Abreham Cherkos (ETH) |
13:16.46 |
. |
| 6 |
Tariku Bekele (ETH) |
13:19.06 |
. |
| 7 |
Juan Luis Barrios (MEX) |
13:19.79 |
(SB) |
| 8 |
James Kwalia C'Kurui (QAT) |
13:23.48 |
. |
| 9 |
Bernard Lagat (USA) |
13:26.89 |
. |
| 10 |
Kidane Tadasse (ERI) |
13:28.40 |
. |
| 11 |
Aelemayehu Bezabeh (ESP) |
13:30.48 |
. |
| 12 |
Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa (KEN) |
13:31.34 |
. |
| 13 |
Matthew Tegenkamp (USA) |
13:33.13 |
. |
| 14 |
Jesus Espaņa (ESP) |
13:55.94 |
. |
| . |
Alistair Ian Cragg (IRL) |
DNF |
. |
|
