| Final 19:00 | time | | 1. Hassiba Boulmerka | ALG | 4:02.21 | | 2. Tatyana Samolenko-Dorovskikh | URS | 4:02.58 | | 3. Lyudmila Rogachova | URS | 4:02.72 | | 4. Doina Melinte | ROM | 4:03.19 | | 5. Ellen Kiessling | GER | 4:04.75 | | 6. Kirsty Wade | GBR | 4:05.16 | | 7. Susan Sirma | KEN | 4:05.47 | | 8. Malgorzata Rydz | POL | 4:05.52 | | 9. Letitia Vriesde | SUR | 4:05.67 | | 10.Violeta Beclea-Szekely | ROM | 4:05.86 | | 11.Debbie Scott-Bowker | CAN | 4:06.06 | | 12.Patti Sue Plumer | USA | 4:06.80 | | 13.Yvonne Mai-Graham | GER | 4:07.45 | | 14.Elena Fidatov | ROM | 4:10.15 | | 15.Ravilya Agletdinova-Kotovich | URS | 4:17.59 |
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| Round | H | Athl. | date | | Heats | 3 | 42 | 16:15 |
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| Heats | Thursday 29.08 16:15 |
| Heat 1 | time | | 1. Susan Sirma | KEN | 4:04.94 | | 2. Debbie Scott-Bowker | CAN | 4:05.07 | | 3. Patti Sue Plumer | USA | 4:05.08 | | 4. Ravilya Agletdinova-Kotovich | URS | 4:05.53 | | 5. Violeta Beclea-Szekely | ROM | 4:05.77 | | 6. Yvonne Mai-Graham | GER | 4:06.09 | | 7. Kirsty Wade | GBR | 4:07.22 | | 8. Yvonne Van Der Kolk | NED | 4:07.39 | | 9. Christine Pfitzinger | NZL | 4:08.43 | | 10.Khin Khin Htwe | MYA | 4:12.21 | | 11.Estela Estevez | ESP | 4:13.93 | | 12.Snezana Pajkic | YUG | 4:14.20 | | 13.Lijuan Zheng | CHN | 4:14.95 | | -. Dawn Williams-Sewer | DMN | DNS |
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| Heat 2 | time | | 1. Hassiba Boulmerka | ALG | 4:08.20 | | 2. Lyudmila Rogachova | URS | 4:08.34 | | 3. Letitia Vriesde | SUR | 4:08.46 | | 4. Elena Fidatov | ROM | 4:08.81 | | 5. Christina Boxer-Cahill | GBR | 4:09.01 | | 6. Darcy Arreola | USA | 4:13.08 | | 7. Ivana Kleinova-Walterova-Kubesova | TCH | 4:14.69 | | 8. Leah Pells | CAN | 4:14.82 | | 9. Aisling Molloy | IRL | 4:16.61 | | 10.Veronique Pongerard | FRA | 4:16.87 | | 11.Bigna Samuel | STV | 4:29.42 | | 12.Angelina Mantokoane Pitso | LES | 4:42.79 | | -. Sandra Gasser | SUI | DNF | | -. Ana Isabel Elias | ANO | DNS |
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| Heat 3 | time | | 1. Doina Melinte | ROM | 4:08.78 | | 2. Ellen Kiessling | GER | 4:09.23 | | 3. Tatyana Samolenko-Dorovskikh | URS | 4:09.25 | | 4. Malgorzata Rydz | POL | 4:09.31 | | 5. Gabriella Dorio | ITA | 4:09.34 | | 6. Irini Theodoridou | GRE | 4:11.14 | | 7. Karin Medin | SWE | 4:11.23 | | 8. Robyn Meagher | CAN | 4:12.47 | | 9. Suzy Hamilton | USA | 4:15.54 | | 10.Jana Kucerikova | TCH | 4:15.69 | | 11.Tuuli Merikoski | FIN | 4:17.57 | | 12.Edith Nakiyingi | UGA | 4:25.43 | | 13.Gangue Rosalie Bague Peng | CHA | 4:54.41 | | -. Pauline Konga | KEN | DNS |
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