| Final | time | | 1. Paula Ivan | ROM | 3:53.96 | | 2. Lailoute Baikauskaite | URS | 4:00.24 | | 3. Tatiana Samolenko | URS | 4:00.30 | | 4. Christina Cahill | GBR | 4:00.64 | | 5. Lynn Williams | CAN | 4:00.86 | | 6. Andrea Hahmann | GDR | 4:00.96 | | 7. Shireen Bailey | GBR | 4:02.32 | | 8. Mary Slaney | USA | 4:02.49 | | 9. Doina Ofelia Melinte | ROM | 4:02.89 | | 10.Fatima Aouam | MAR | 4:08.00 | | 11.Kim Gallagher | USA | 4:16.25 | | 12.Deborah Bowker | CAN | 4:17.95 |
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| | | Venue: Centennial Olympic Stadium, Seoul. Capp.: 69,950. | | -- competitors from -- nations. |
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| Heat 1 | time | | 1. Doina Ofelia Melinte | ROM | 4:06.87 | | 2. Deborah Bowker | CAN | 4:07.06 | | 3. Tatiana Samolenko | URS | 4:07.11 | | 4. Kim Gallagher | USA | 4:07.22 | | 5. Elisa Van Hulst | HOL | 4:07.40 | | 6. Kirsty Wade | GBR | 4:08.37 | | 7. Lioubov Gurina | URS | 4:08.59 | | 8. Angela Chalmers | CAN | 4:08.64 | | 9. Vera Michallek | FRG | 4:10.05 | | 10.Cornelia Buerki | SUI | 4:10.89 | | 11 Khinkhinhtwe | BIR | 4:20.92 | | 12.Hea-Soon Noh | KOR | 4:26.05 | | 13.Daphrose Nyiramutuzo | RWA | 4:32.31 | | 14.Polonie D Avek | NGU | 4:46.49 |
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| Heat 2 | time | | 1. Paula Ivan | ROM | 4:03.33 | | 2. Mary Slaney | USA | 4:03.61 | | 3. Andrea Hahmann | GDR | 4:03.65 | | 4. Lynn Williams | CAN | 4:04.20 | | 5. Shireen Bailey | GBR | 4:04.65 | | 6. Christina Cahill | GBR | 4:05.33 | | 7. Lailoute Baikauskaite | URS | 4:05.74 | | 8. Fatima Aouam | MAR | 4:06.87 | | 9. Hassiba Boulmerka | ALG | 4:08.33 | | 10.Susan Sirma | KEN | 4:10.13 | | 11.Regina Jacobs | USA | 4:18.09 | | 12.Letitia Vriesde | SUR | 4:19.58 | | 13.Laverne Bryan | ANT | 4:39.73 | | 14.Rachel Thompson | SLE | 5:31.42 |
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