| Final | time | | 1. Olga Vladykina-Bryzgina |  URS | 49.38s | | 2. Petra Muller-Schersing |  GDR | 49.94s | | 3. Kirsten Siemon-Emmelmann | GDR | 50.20s | | 4. Mariya Kulchunova-Pinigina | URS | 50.53s | | 5. Lillie Leatherwood |  USA | 50.82s | | 6. Jillian Richardson |  CAN | 51.03s | | 7. Diane Dixon | USA | 51.13s | | 8. Olga V. Nazarova | URS | 51.20s |
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| Semi 1 | time | | 1. Mariya Kulchunova-Pinigina | URS | 50.83s | | 2. Jillian Richardson | CAN | 50.91s | | 3. Lillie Leatherwood | USA | 50.95s | | 4. Dagmar Rubsam-Neubauer | GDR | 52.15s | | 5. Cathy Rattray-Williams |  JAM | 52.51s | | 6. Fabienne Ficher |  FRA | 52.58s | | 7. Helga Arendt |  FRG | 52.80s | | 8. Blanca Lacambra |  ESP | 54.72s |
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| Semi 2 | time | | 1. Petra Muller-Schersing | GDR | 50.15s | | 2. Olga Vladykina-Bryzgina | URS | 50.88s | | 3. Denean Howard-Hill | USA | 51.28s | | 4. Charmaine Crooks | CAN | 51.69s | | 5. Maria Magnolia Figueiredo | BRA | 52.24s | | 6. Gisela Kinzel | FRG | 52.66s | | 7. Judit Forgacs | HUN | 52.99s | | 8. Ilrey Oliver | JAM | 53.35s |
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| Semi 3 | time | | 1. Kirsten Siemon-Emmelmann | GDR | 50.53s | | 2. Diane Dixon | USA | 50.83s | | 3. Olga V. Nazarova | URS | 51.07s | | 4. Ute Thimm | FRG | 51.23s | | 5. Sandie Richards | JAM | 51.54s | | 6. Marita Payne-Wiggins | CAN | 51.75s | | 7. Francisca Chepkurui |  KEN | 52.86s | | -. Maria Usifo |  NGR | DNS |
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| Heat 1 | time | | 1. Olga Vladykina-Bryzgina | URS | 51.62s | | 2. Sandie Richards | JAM | 52.07s | | 3. Charmaine Crooks | CAN | 52.49s | | 4. Francisca Chepkurui | KEN | 53.21s | | 5. Bei Assumpta Achuo |  CMR | 54.18s | | -. Kungu Bakombo |  COD | DNS | | -. P.T. Usha |  IND | DNS |
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| Heat 2 | time | | 1. Petra Muller-Schersing | GDR | 51.68s | | 2. Gisela Kinzel | FRG | 52.34s | | 3. Blanca Lacambra | ESP | 52.46s | | 4. Fabienne Ficher | FRA | 52.59s | | 5. Maria Usifo | NGR | 53.64s | | 6. Joycelin Joseph |  ANT | 55.61s | | 7. Anna Cherry |  STL | 57.20s |
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| Heat 3 | time | | 1. Mariya Kulchunova-Pinigina | URS | 51.38s | | 2. Denean Howard-Hill | USA | 52.06s | | 3. Ute Thimm | FRG | 52.48s | | 4. Cathy Rattray-Williams | JAM | 52.64s | | 5. Mercy Addy |  GHA | 54.13s | | 6. Diane Dunrod-Francis |  STK | 57.64s | | -. Mariam Zewde |  ETH | DNF |
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| Heat 4 | time | | 1. Dagmar Rubsam-Neubauer | GDR | 51.96s | | 2. Lillie Leatherwood | USA | 52.16s | | 3. Marita Payne-Wiggins | CAN | 52.21s | | 4. Josephine Mary Singarayar |  MAS | 54.56s | | 5. Nadine Mbitoloum |  CHA | 1:01.71 | | -. Nawal El Moutawakil |  MAR | DNS | | -. Adina Valdez |  TRI | DNS |
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| Heat 5 | time | | 1. Jillian Richardson | CAN | 51.94s | | 2. Olga V. Nazarova | URS | 52.04s | | 3. Maria Magnolia Figueiredo |  BRA | 52.29s | | 4. Helga Arendt | FRG | 52.80s | | 5. Judit Forgacs |  HUN | 53.15s | | 6. Ester Petiton |  CUB | 54.50s | | 7. Vanessa Barlow |  SAM | 1:01.53 |
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| Heat 6 | time | | 1. Kirsten Siemon-Emmelmann | GDR | 51.62s | | 2. Diane Dixon | USA | 51.72s | | 3. Ilrey Oliver | JAM | 53.59s | | 4. Ruth Morris |  ISV | 56.36s | | -. Cosetta Campana |  ITA | DNS | | -. Chakma Sharmila Ray |  BAN | DNS |
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