| Final | Team | Time | | 1. Tatyana Samolenko-Dorovskikh |  URS | 3:58.56 | | 2. Hildegard Korner |  GDR | 3:58.67 | | 3. Doina Melinte |  ROU | 3:59.27 | | 4. Cornelia Burki |  SUI | 3:59.90 | | 5. Andrea Lange-Hahmann | GDR | 4:00.63 | | 6. Kirsty Wade |  GBR | 4:01.41 | | 7. Diana Richburg |  USA | 4:01.79 | | 8. Elly Van Hulst |  NED | 4:03.63 | | 9. Svetlana Kitova | URS | 4:04.66 | | 10.Linda Sheskey | USA | 4:08.33 | | 11.Debbie Scott-Bowker |  CAN | 4:08.38 | | 12.Mitica Junghiatu-Constantin | ROU | 4:10.35 | | 13.Marina Yachmenyova | URS | 4:10.51 | | -. Ulrike Bruns | GDR | DNF | | -. Sandra Gasser | SUI | DQ |
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| Round | H | Athl. | date | | Heats | 3 | 33 | 03.09 |
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| Heat 1 | Team | Time | | 1. Doina Melinte | ROU | 4:05.41 | | 2. Hildegard Korner | GDR | 4:05.42 | | 3. Tatyana Samolenko-Dorovskikh | URS | 4:05.48 | | 4. Elly Van Hulst | NED | 4:05.57 | | 5. Linda Sheskey | USA | 4:06.03 | | 6. Fatima Aouam |  MAR | 4:07.38 | | 7. Yvonne Murray | GBR | 4:07.83 | | 8. Brit Lind-Petersen-McRoberts | CAN | 4:08.37 | | 9. Annika Ericson |  SWE | 4:11.59 | | 10.Maria Lomba |  STP | 5:01.43 | | -. Selina Chirchir |  KEN | DNS |
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| Heat 2 | Team | Time | | 1. Andrea Lange-Hahmann | GDR | 4:05.18 | | 2. Sandra Gasser | SUI | 4:05.48 | | 3. Marina Yachmenyova | URS | 4:05.51 | | 4. Mitica Junghiatu-Constantin | ROU | 4:05.60 | | 5. Debbie Scott-Bowker | CAN | 4:05.90 | | 6. Diana Richburg | USA | 4:07.10 | | 7. Brigitte Kraus |  FRG | 4:07.40 | | 8. Agnese Possamai |  ITA | 4:08.84 | | 9. Florence Giolitti |  FRA | 4:09.08 | | 10.Alphocinah Simelane |  SWZ | 4:35.64 | | 11.Georgine Tomisato |  AMS | 5:49.52 |
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| Heat 3 | Team | Time | | 1. Ulrike Bruns | GDR | 4:08.36 | | 2. Cornelia Burki | SUI | 4:08.39 | | 3. Svetlana Kitova | URS | 4:08.64 | | 4. Kirsty Wade | GBR | 4:09.06 | | 5. Paula Ilie-Ivan | ROU | 4:09.28 | | 6. Vera Michallek | FRG | 4:09.89 | | 7. Regina Jacobs | USA | 4:12.52 | | 8. Christine Pfitzinger |  NZL | 4:13.59 | | 9. Maite Zuniga |  ESP | 4:16.21 | | 10.Evelyn Adiru |  UGA | 4:17.72 | | 11.Kriscia Garcia |  ESA | 4:34.76 |
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