| Final | time | | 1. Marita Koch |  GDR | 48.16s | | 2. Jarmila Kratochvilova |  TCH | 48.85s | | 3. Tatana Kocembova | TCH | 50.55s | | 4. Sabine Busch | GDR | 50.57s | | 5. Irina Baskakova |  URS | 50.58s | | 6. Dagmar Rubsam | GDR | 50.76s | | 7. Gaby Bussmann |  FRG | 50.93s | | 8. Judit Forgacs |  HUN | 52.49s |
|
|
|
| | | First 4 progress to Final. |
| Semi 1 | time | | 1. Marita Koch | GDR | 50.22s | | 2. Irina Baskakova | URS | 51.03s | | 3. Taťána Kocembová | TCH | 51.69s | | 4. Judit Forgács | HUN | 51.88s | | 5. Erica Rossi |  ITA | 52.01s | | 6. Grażyna Oliszewska |  POL | 53.15s | | 7. Claudia Steger | FRG | 53.56s | | 8. Charlotte Holmström |  SWE | 55.22s |
|
|
| Semi 2 | time | | 1. Jarmila Kratochvílová | TCH | 50.38s | | 2. Dagmar Rübsam | GDR | 50.55s | | 3. Gaby Bussmann | FRG | 50.64s | | 4. Sabine Busch | GDR | 50.80s | | 5. Yelena Korban | URS | 50.83s | | 6. Linsey McDonald |  GBR | 52.09s | | 7. Michelle Scutt | GBR | 52.11s | | 8. Elżbieta Kapusta | POL | 53.83s |
|
| 
