| 1 | Yelena Zadorozhnaya | RUS | 9:32,96 | Q | |
| 2 | Korene Hinds | JAM | 9:36,76 | Q | |
| 3 | Salome Chepchumba | KEN | 9:39,27 | Q | |
| 4 | Minori Hayakari | JPN | 9:41,21 | q | AR |
| 5 | Bouchra Chaabi | MAR | 9:41,82 | q | |
| 6 | Lisa Galaviz | USA | 9:47,45 | ||
| 7 | Lívia Tóth | HUN | 9:51,03 | ||
| 8 | Stephanie de Croock | BEL | 9:54,78 | ||
| 9 | Roisin McGettigan | IRL | 9:56,31 | ||
| 10 | Clarisse Cruz | POR | 10:06,96 | ||
| 11 | Andrea Mayr | AUT | 10:07,61 | ||
| 12 | Miranda Boonstra | NED | 10:09,91 |
| 1 | Wioletta Janowska | POL | 9:35,66 | Q | |
| 2 | Mardrea Hyman | JAM | 9:38,75 | Q | |
| 3 | Carrie Messner | USA | 9:39,68 | Q | |
| 4 | Jackline Chemwok Rionoropo | KEN | 9:47,37 | ||
| 5 | Rasa Troup | LTU | 9:47,47 | NR | |
| 6 | Élodie Olivarès | FRA | 9:49,28 | ||
| 7 | Ida Nilsson | SWE | 9:56,17 | ||
| 8 | Nataliya Izmodenova | RUS | 10:01,97 | ||
| 9 | Rosa Morató | ESP | 10:07,09 | ||
| 10 | Fatiha Bahi Azzouhoum | ALG | 10:07,39 | ||
| 11 | Dobrinka Shalamanova | BUL | 10:07,75 | ||
| Anni Tuimala | FIN | DNF |
| 1 | Docus Inzikuru | UGA | 9:27,85 | Q | |
| 2 | Jeruto Kiptum | KEN | 9:29,21 | Q | NR |
| 3 | Yekaterina Volkova | RUS | 9:29,88 | Q | |
| 4 | Cristina Casandra | ROM | 9:37,19 | q | |
| 5 | Yamina Bouchaouante | FRA | 9:42,18 | q | |
| 6 | Elizabeth Jackson | USA | 9:45,24 | q | |
| 7 | Inês Monteiro | POR | 9:47,19 | q | |
| 8 | Habiba Ghribi | TUN | 9:51,49 | NR | |
| 9 | Türkan Bozkurt | TUR | 9:56,61 | ||
| 10 | Valentyna Horpynych | UKR | 9:59,29 | ||
| 11 | Jo Ankier | GBR | 10:12,50 |