There were a total number of 33 participating athletes, with two qualifying heats and the final being held on 6 August 1997.
The question was, how to beat the Olympic Champion and new World Record holder Haile Gebrselassie.
The pack, led by Kenyans Paul Koech and Dominic Kirui jogged around the track for almost 15 laps with a few constants; Gebrselassie was marking the leader from second or third place, and everybody else was jockeying for position to be near him.
Hissou only held the lead for a lap before dropping back but the faster trend continued and the pack dwindled to six.
The pace gradually slowed slightly, while Hissou and Domingos Castro took their turns behind Gebrselassie as the laps diminished.