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The official world records in the 3000 metres steeplechase are held by Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar at 7:53.63 minutes for men and Ruth Jebet of Bahrain at 8:52.78 for women.
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The first 3000 m steeplechase world record to be ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) was a run of 8:49.6 minutes by Hungarian Sándor Rozsnyói in 1954. There are earlier records of times run for the event, but none have been recognised by the IAAF. Sweden's Josef Ternström was one of the earliest men to complete the event in under ten minutes with his time of 9:49.8 minutes in 1914. Another Swede, Erik Elmsäter, dipped under nine minutes in 1944. The first person to run the steeplechase in under eight minutes was Moses Kiptanui of Kenya, who ran it in 7:59.18 on 16 August 1995, in Zürich, Switzerland.
The women's 3000 m steeplechase was recognised as an official world record event at a much later date. It did not feature at the World Championships in Athletics until 2005 and made its Olympic debut in 2008. Following the recognition of the event, Justyna Bak's time of 9:25.31 minutes was ratified as the first official women's world record. Earlier records also exist for women, with Romania's Daniela Petrescu having run the first sub-10-minute time of 9:55.28 minutes in 1998. Current women's record holder Galkina-Samitova is the only woman to have run it under nine minutes.
On 16 August 2002, Brahim Boulami of Morocco ran 7:53.17 but this has not been ratified by the IAAF, as Boulami was banned for two years in 2003 after testing positive for EPO.
A total of 32 men's and 7 women's world records have been ratified by the IAAF for the men's event.