| Final | | time | | | 1. Taťána Kocembová |  Czechoslovakia | 49.97s | | | 2. Erika Rossi |  Italy | 52.37s | | | 3. Rositsa Stamenova |  Bulgaria | 52.41s | | | 4. Regine Berg |  Belgium | 53.41s | |
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| | | First 2 from each Heat advanced to Final. |
| Semi 1 | | time | | | 1. Regine Berg | Belgium | 53.13s | Q, NR | | 2. Rositsa Stamenova | Bulgaria | 53.21s | Q | | 6. Elżbieta Kapusta |  Poland | 53.97s | | | 7. Astrid Brun |  Norway | 55.00s | |
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| Semi 2 | | time | | | 3. Taťána Kocembová | Czechoslovakia | 53.41s | Q | | 4. Erika Rossi | Italy | 53.43s | Q | | 5. Małgorzata Dunecka | Poland | 53.94s | | | 8. Katya Ilieva | Bulgaria | 55.30s | |
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| | | First 2 from each Heat and next Best 2 advanced to Semi-Finals. |
| Heat 1 | | time | | | 3. Rositsa Stamenova | Bulgaria | 53.62s | Q | | 4. Erika Rossi | Italy | 53.85s | Q | | 6. Astrid Brun | Norway | 54.44s | q | | 9. Esther Lahoz |  Spain | 56.14s | |
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| Heat 2 | | time | | | 1. Taťána Kocembová | Czechoslovakia | 53.01s | Q | | 2. Regine Berg | Belgium | 53.23s | Q | | 5. Elżbieta Kapusta | Poland | 54.15s | q |
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| Heat 3 | | time | | | 7. Małgorzata Dunecka | Poland | 54.91s | Q | | 8. Katya Ilieva | Bulgaria | 55.80s | Q | | -. Cosetta Campana | Italy | DQ | |
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