Final | time | | 1. Elly van Hulst | NED | 8:33.82 | WR | 2. Elizabeth McColgan | GBR | 8:34.80 | | 3. Margareta Keszeg | ROU | 8:48.70 | | 4. Vera Michallek | FRG | 8:49.66 | 5. Nicky Morris | GBR | 8:53.52 | 6. Ludmilla Borissova | URS | 9:04.75 | 7. Zita Agoston | HUN | 9:18.72 |
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| First 2 and Best 6 advanced to Final. |
Heat 1 | time | | 1. Nadeshda Ryashkina | URS | 12:20.28 | Q | 2. Beate Anders | GDR | 12:22.22 | Q | 3. Reyes Sobrino | ESP | 12:27.82 | q | 4. Ann Peel | CAN | 12:36.46 | q | 5. Andrea Alföldi | HUN | 12:47.70 | q | 6. Bev Hayman | AUS | 13:06.61 | | 7. Andrea Brückmann | FRG | 13:21.72 | |
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Heat 2 | time | | 1. Ileana Salvador | ITA | 12:41.12 | Q | 2. Kerry Saxby | AUS | 12:41.55 | Q | 3. Anika Szebensky | HUN | 12:45.93 | q | 4. Olga Sanchez | ESP | 12:50.87 | q | 5. Dana Vavracova | TCH | 12:52.01 | q | 6. Teresa Vaill | USA | 12:52.39 | | -. Alison Baker | CAN | DQ | | -. Valeriya Todorova | BUL | DQ | |
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