The men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 1988 World Junior Championships in Athletics was held in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, at Laurentian University Stadium on 29 and 31 July.
| Gold | William Chemitei | |
| Silver | Matthew Birir | |
| Bronze | Arto Kuusisto |
31 July
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | align=left | | 8:41.61 | ||||
| align=left | align=left | | 8:44.54 | ||||
| align=left | align=left | | 8:46.42 | ||||
| 4 | align=left | align=left |  | 8:48.16 | |||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | 8:51.01 | ||||
| 6 | align=left | align=left |  | 8:56.66 | |||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | 9:00.65 | ||||
| 8 | align=left | align=left | 9:01.19 | ||||
| 9 | align=left | align=left | | 9:01.97 | |||
| 10 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:04.71 | |||
| 11 | align=left | align=left | 9:04.96 | ||||
| 12 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:04.96 | |||
| 13 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:05.56 | |||
| 14 | align=left | align=left | | 9:06.57 | |||
| 15 | align=left | align=left | | 9:08.04 |
29 July
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align=left | align=left | | 9:03.05 | Q | ||
| 2 | align=left | align=left | | 9:03.97 | Q | ||
| 3 | align=left | align=left | | 9:07.23 | Q | ||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | 9:12.01 | Q | |||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | 9:14.65 | ||||
| 6 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:26.20 | |||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | | 9:36.40 | |||
| 8 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:40.85 | |||
| 9 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:51.29 | |||
| 10 | align=left | align=left | 10:05.18 | ||||
| align=left | align=left | DNF |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align=left | align=left | | 8:54.51 | Q | ||
| 2 | align=left | align=left | | 9:05.62 | Q | ||
| 3 | align=left | align=left | 9:07.73 | Q | |||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | | 9:08.74 | Q | ||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | | 9:08.76 | q | ||
| 6 | align=left | align=left | | 9:14.44 | |||
| 7 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:18.29 | |||
| 8 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:19.19 | |||
| 9 | align=left | align=left | 9:31.12 | ||||
| 10 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:39.46 | |||
| 11 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:56.71 |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align=left | align=left | | 8:53.89 | Q | ||
| 2 | align=left | align=left | | 9:04.59 | Q | ||
| 3 | align=left | align=left | 9:05.40 | Q | |||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | 9:07.77 | Q | |||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | | 9:10.60 | q | ||
| 6 | align=left | align=left | | 9:12.14 | q | ||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | 9:22.51 | ||||
| 8 | align=left | align=left | | 9:24.65 | |||
| 9 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:35.14 | |||
| 10 | align=left | align=left |  | 9:37.45 | |||
| 11 | align=left | align=left | | 9:44.81 |
According to an unofficial count, 33 athletes from 24 countries participated in the event.