| 2023 | ||||
| (Budapest, Hungary, August 27) | ||||
| 1. | Winfred Yavi (Bahrain) | 8:54.29 | ||
| 2. | Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya) | 8:58.98 | ||
| 3. | Faith Cherotich (Kenya) | 9:00.69 | ||
| 4. | Alice Finot (France) | 9:06.15 | ||
| 5. | Maruša Mišmaš-Zrimsek (Slovenia) | 9:06.37 | ||
| 6. | Peruth Chemutai (Uganda) | 9:10.26 | ||
| 7. | Luiza Gega (Albania) | 9:10.27 | ||
| 8. | Jackline Chepkoech (Kenya) | 9:14.72 | ||
| [14. | Courtney Wayment (USA) | 9:25.90] | ||
| [dq—Zerfe Wondemagegn (Ethiopia) [9:05.51] | ||||
| [Krissy Gear (USA) 7th in heat] | ||||
| [Emma Coburn (USA) 10th in heat] | ||||
| 2022 | ||||
| (Eugene, Oregon, July 20) | ||||
| 1. | Norah Jeruto (Kazakhstan) | 8:53.02 | ||
| 2. | Werkwuha Getachew (Ethiopia) | 8:54.61 | ||
| 3. | Mekides Abebe (Ethiopia) | 8:56.08 | ||
| 4. | Winfred Yavi (Bahrain) | 9:01.31 | ||
| 5. | Luiza Gega (Albania) | 9:10.04 | ||
| 6. | Courtney Frerichs (USA) | 9:10.59 | ||
| 7. | Aimee Pratt (Great Britain) | 9:15.64 | ||
| 8. | Emma Coburn (USA) | 9:16.49 | ||
| [12. | Courtney Wayment (USA) | 9:22.37] | ||
| 2019 | ||||
| (Doha, Qatar, September 30) | ||||
| 1. | Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya) | 8:57.84 | ||
| 2. | Emma Coburn (USA) | 9:02.35 | ||
| 3. | Gesa-Felicitas Krause (Germany) | 9:03.30 | ||
| 4. | Winfred Yavi (Bahrain) | 9:05.68 | ||
| 5. | Peruth Chemutai (Uganda) | 9:11.08 | ||
| 6. | Courtney Frerichs (USA) | 9:11.27 | ||
| 7. | Anna Emilie Møller (Denmark) | 9:13.46 | ||
| 8. | Hyvin Jepkemoi (Kenya) | 9:13.53 | ||
| [Allie Ostrander (USA) 7th heat] | ||||
| 2017 | ||||
| (London, August 11) | ||||
| 1. | Emma Coburn (USA) | 9:02.58 | WCR, AR | |
| 2. | Courtney Frerichs (USA) | 9:03.77 | ||
| 3 | Hyvin Jepkemoi (Kenya) | 9:04.03 | ||
| 4 | Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya) | 9:10.45 | ||
| 5 | Ruth Jebet (Bahrain) | 9:13.96 | ||
| 6 | Celliphine Chespol (Kenya) | 9:15.04 | ||
| 7 | Etenesh Diro (Ethiopia) | 9:22.46 | ||
| 8 | Winfred Yavi (Bahrain) | 9:22.67 | ||
| [Colleen Quigley (US) dq in heat] | ||||
| 2015 | ||||
| (Beijing, August 26) | ||||
| 1 | Hyvin Jepkemoi (Kenya) | 9:19.11 | ||
| 2 | Habiba Ghribi (Tunisia) | 9:19.24 | ||
| 3 | Gesa-Felicitas Krause (Germany) | 9:19.25 | ||
| 4 | Sofia Assefa (Ethiopia) | 9:20.01 | ||
| 5 | Emma Coburn (USA) | 9:21.78 | ||
| 6 | Hiwot Ayalew (Ethiopia) | 9:24.27 | ||
| 7 | Virginia Nyambura (Kenya) | 9:26.21 | ||
| 8 | Lalita Babar (India) | 9:29.64 | ||
| [9 | Stephanie Garcia (USA) | 9:31.06] | ||
| [12 | Colleen Quigley (USA) | 9:34.29] | ||
| 2013 | ||||
| (Moscow, August 13) | ||||
| 1 | Milcah Chemos (Kenya) | 9:11.65 | ||
| 2 | Lydia Chepkurui (Kenya) | 9:12.55 | ||
| 3 | Sofia Assefa (Ethiopia) | 9:12.84 | ||
| 4 | Hiwot Ayalew (Ethiopia) | 9:15.25 | ||
| 5 | Etenesh Diro (Ethiopia) | 9:16.97 | ||
| 6 | Hyvin Jepkemoi (Kenya) | 9:22.05 | ||
| 7 | Valentyna Zhudina (Ukraine) | 9:33.73 | ||
| 8 | Antje Möldner-Schmidt (Germany) | 9:34.06 | ||
| [Shalaya Kipp (USA) 9th in heat] | ||||
| [Ashley Higginson (USA) 11th in heat] | ||||
| [Nicole Bush (USA) 13th in heat] | ||||
| 2011 | ||||
| 1 | Habiba Ghribi (Tunisia) | 9:11.97 | ||
| 2 | Milcah Chemos (Kenya) | 9:17.16 | ||
| 3 | Mercy Njoroge (Kenya) | 9:17.88 | ||
| 4 | Lydia Rotich (Kenya) | 9:25.74 | ||
| 5 | Sofia Assefa (Ethiopia) | 9:28.24 | ||
| 6 | Binnaz Uslu (Turkey) | 9:31.06 | ||
| 7 | Hanane Ouhaddou (Morocco) | 9:32.36 | ||
| 8 | Gesa-Felicitas Krause (Germany) | 9:32.74 | ||
| [12 | Emma Coburn (USA) | 9:51.40] | ||
| [dq] | Yuliya Zaripova (Russia) | 9:07.03 | ||
| [Bridget Franek (USA) 7th in heat] | ||||
| [Stephanie Garcia (USA) 7th in heat] | ||||
| 2009 | ||||
| 1 | Yuliya Zaripova (Russia) | 9:08.39 | ||
| 2 | Milcah Chemos (Kenya) | 9:08.57 | ||
| 3 | Gulnara Galkina (Russia) | 9:11.09 | ||
| 4 | Jenny Simpson (USA) | 9:12.50 | ||
| 5 | Habiba Ghribi (Tunisia) | 9:12.52 | ||
| 6 | Ruth Bisibori (Kenya) | 9:13.16 | ||
| 7 | Gladys Kipkemboi (Kenya) | 9:14.62 | ||
| 8 | Antje Möldner (Germany) | 9:18.54 | ||
| [dq] | Marta Domínguez (Spain) | 9:07.32 | ||
| [Lindsey Anderson (USA) 11th in heat] | ||||
| [Bridget Franek (USA) 12th in heat] | ||||
| 2007 | ||||
| 1 | Yekaterina Volkova (Russia) | 9:06.57 | WCR | |
| 2 | Tatyana Petrova (Russia) | 9:09.19 | ||
| 3 | Eunice Jepkorir (Kenya) | 9:20.09 | ||
| 4 | Ruth Bisibori (Kenya) | 9:25.25 | WJR | |
| 5 | Sophie Duarte (France) | 9:27.51 | ||
| 6 | Cristina Casandra (Romania) | 9:29.63 | ||
| 7 | Gulnara Galkina (Russia) | 9:30.24 | ||
| 8 | Rosa Morato (Spain) | 9:36.84 | ||
| [Jenny Simpson (USA) 7th in heat] | ||||
| [Anna Willard (USA) 8th in heat] | ||||
| [Lindsey Anderson (USA) 10th in heat] | ||||
| 2005 | ||||
| 1 | Dorcus Inzikuru (Uganda) | 9:18.24 | WCR | |
| 2 | Yekaterina Volkova (Russia) | 9:20.49 | ||
| 3 | Jeruto Kiptum (Kenya) | 9:26.95 | ||
| 4 | Korene Hinds (Jamaica) | 9:33.30 | ||
| 5 | Salome Chepchumba (Kenya) | 9:37.39 | ||
| 6 | Yelena Zadorozhnaya (Russia) | 9:37.91 | ||
| 7 | Cristina Casandra (Romania) | 9:39.52 | ||
| 8 | Mardrea Hyman (Jamaica) | 9:39.66 | ||
| [9 | Elizabeth Jackson (USA) | 9:46.72] | ||
| [15 | Carrie Messner (USA) | 10:11.20] | ||
| [Lisa Aguilera (USA) 6th in heat] | ||||
| [Zadorozhnaya 9:32.96 WCR {heat}; Inizkuru 9:27.85 WCR {heat}] | ||||
| 1983-2003 | ||||
| event not contested |