The women's 3000 metres event at the 1986 World Junior Championships in Athletics was held in Athens, Greece, at Olympic Stadium on 17 and 19 July.
| Gold | Cleopatra Palacian | |
| Silver | Philippa Mason | |
| Bronze | Doina Calenic |
19 July
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | align=left | | 9:02.91 | ||||
| align=left | align=left | 9:03.35 | |||||
| align=left | align=left | | 9:06.94 | ||||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | 9:09.39 | ||||
| 5 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:12.26 | |||
| 6 | align=left | align=left | | 9:12.80 | |||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | 9:17.77 | ||||
| 8 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:19.61 | |||
| 9 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:20.58 | |||
| 10 | align=left | align=left | | 9:21.94 | |||
| 11 | align=left | align=left | 9:27.51 | ||||
| 12 | align=left | align=left | 9:30.42 | ||||
| 13 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:39.19 | |||
| 14 | align=left | align=left | 9:47.08 | ||||
| align=left | align=left |  | DNF |
17 July
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align=left | align=left | | 9:23.41 | Q | ||
| 2 | align=left | align=left | | 9:24.06 | Q | ||
| 3 | align=left | align=left | 9:24.78 | Q | |||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | | 9:25.30 | Q | ||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | 9:25.55 | Q | |||
| 6 | align=left | align=left | | 9:27.96 | q | ||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | | 9:29.46 | q | ||
| 8 | align=left | align=left | | 9:42.00 | |||
| 9 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:42.73 | |||
| 10 | align=left | align=left | 9:47.41 | ||||
| 11 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:48.77 | |||
| 12 | align=left | align=left |  | 10:29.58 | |||
| 13 | align=left | align=left | 11:47.6 | ||||
| 14 | align=left | align=left | 12:28.66 |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align=left | align=left | | 9:15.96 | Q | ||
| 2 | align=left | align=left | 9:16.32 | Q | |||
| 3 | align=left | align=left | | 9:17.46 | Q | ||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | 9:19.07 | Q | |||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | | 9:19.26 | Q | ||
| 6 | align=left | align=left | 9:19.27 | q | |||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | 9:19.82 | q | |||
| 8 | align=left | align=left | | 9:20.44 | q | ||
| 9 | align=left | align=left | | 9:41.00 | |||
| 10 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:59.38 | |||
| 11 | align=left | align=left | 10:10.63 | ||||
| 12 | align=left | align=left | 10:48.67 | ||||
| 13 | align=left | align=left |  | 11:20.56 |
According to an unofficial count, 28 athletes from 20 countries participated in the event.