| Final | time | | | 1. Christine Wachtel |  GDR | 1:59.24 | | | 2. Tatyana Grebenchuk |  URS | 1:59.53 | | | 3. Ellen Kießling | GDR | 1:59.68 | | | 4. Violeta Beclea |  ROU | 2:00.26 | | | 5. Gaby Lesch |  FRG | 2:01.09 | | | -. Joetta Clark |  USA | DNF | |
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| | | First 2 and Best 2 advanced to Final |
| Heat 1 | time | | | 1. Christine Wachtel | GDR | 2:02.29 | Q | | | 2. Tatyana Grebenchuk | URS | 2:02.35 | Q | | | 3. Tudorita Chidu | ROU | 2:02.85 | | | | 4. Maite Zuniga |  ESP | 2:03.65 | | | | 5. Alisa Harvey | USA | 2:04.03 | | |
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| Heat 2 | time | | | 1. Ellen Kießling | GDR | 2:01.74 | Q | | | 2. Violeta Beclea | ROU | 2:01.88 | Q | | | 3. Joetta Clark | USA | 2:01.96 | q | | | 4. Gaby Lesch | FRG | 2:02.20 | q | | | 5. Erzsebet Szabo |  HUN | 2:03.37 | | | | 6. Marcia Tate |  JAM | 2:05.28 | | |
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