These are the official results of theWomen's 3.000 metres event at the1987 IAAF World Championships inRome, Italy. There were a total number of 30 participating athletes and one non-starter, with two qualifying heats and the final held on Tuesday 1987-09-01.
| Gold |  Tetyana SamolenkoSoviet Union(URS) |
| Silver |  Maricica PuicăRomania(ROU) |
| Bronze |  Ulrike BrunsEast Germany(GDR) |
Existing records at the start of the event.
| World record | Tatyana Kazankina (URS) | 8:22.62 | Leningrad,USSR | August 26, 1984 |
| Championship record |  Mary Decker-Slaney (USA) | 8:34.62 | Helsinki,Finland | August 10, 1983 |
| RANK | FINAL | TIME |
|---|---|---|
 | Tetyana Samolenko (URS) | 8:38.73 |
 | Maricica Puică (ROU) | 8:39.45 |
 | Ulrike Bruns (GDR) | 8:40.30 |
| 4. |  Cornelia Bürki (SUI) | 8:40.31 |
| 5. | Yelena Romanova (URS) | 8:41.33 |
| 6. |  Elly van Hulst (NED) | 8:42.56 |
| 7. |  Yvonne Murray (GBR) | 8:43.94 |
| 8. | Wendy Sly (GBR) | 8:45.85 |
| 9. |  Lynn Williams (CAN) | 8:49.91 |
| 10. | Mary Knisely (USA) | 8:50.99 |
| 11. |  Vera Michallek (FRG) | 8:55.16 |
| 12. | Christine Benning (GBR) | 8:57.92 |
| 13. | Debbie Bowker (CAN) | 8:58.63 |
| 14. |  Marie-Pierre Duros (FRA) | 9:14.61 |
| — | Olga Bondarenko (URS) | DNS |
| RANK | HEAT 1 | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Debbie Bowker (CAN) | 8:46.88 |
| 2. | Ulrike Bruns (GDR) | 8:47.15 |
| 3. | Cornelia Bürki (SUI) | 8:47.95 |
| 4. | Olga Bondarenko (URS) | 8:48.11 |
| 5. | Yvonne Murray (GBR) | 8:48.44 |
| 6. | Vera Michallek (FRG) | 8:49.61 |
| 7. | Mary Knisely (USA) | 8:49.61 |
| 8. | Annette Sergent (FRA) | 8:52.45 |
| 9. | Cindy Bremser (USA) | 8:54.17 |
| 10. |  Jackie Perkins (AUS) | 8:57.24 |
| 11. |  Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) | 9:01.15 |
| 12. | Dorina Calenic (ROU) | 9:01.83 |
| 13. |  Satu Levelä (FIN) | 9:16.28 |
| 14. |  Monica Regonesi (CHI) | 9:26.11 |
| 15. |  Raj Kumari Pandey (NEP) | 10:44.15 |
| RANK | HEAT 2 | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wendy Sly (GBR) | 8:44.79 |
| 2. | Yelena Romanova (URS) | 8:45.00 |
| 3. | Tetyana Samolenko (URS) | 8:45.20 |
| 4. | Elly van Hulst (NED) | 8:45.20 |
| 5. | Maricica Puică (ROU) | 8:45.55 |
| 6. | Marie-Pierre Duros (FRA) | 8:46.11 |
| 7. | Lynn Williams (CAN) | 8:47.43 |
| 8. | Christine Benning (GBR) | 8:48.63 |
| 9. |  Wang Xiuting (CHN) | 8:50.68 |
| 10. | Paula Ivan (ROU) | 8:51.20 |
| 11. | Leslie Seymour (USA) | 8:51.34 |
| 12. |  Radka Naplatanova (BUL) | 8:51.98 |
| 13. |  Agnese Possamai (ITA) | 8:57.85 |
| 14. |  Andri Avraam (CYP) | 9:09.34 |
| — | Martine Fays (FRA) | DNF |
| — |  Fanny Gidiyoni (MAW) | DNS |
| 3000 metres (1980–1993) |
|
|---|---|
| 5000 metres (1995–present) |
|
Note: In1995, the 3000 m was replaced by the 5000 m. | |
