| Final | | time | | | 1. Ursula Happe |  West Germany | 2:54.9 | - | | 2. Jytte Hansen |  Denmark | 2:55.0 | - | | 3. Klára Killermann-Bartos |  Hungary | 2:55.8 | - | | 4. Irena Gryka |  Poland | 2:57.7 | - | | 5. Elenor Gordon-McKay |  Great Britain | 2:58.5 | - | | 6. Rika Bruins |  Netherlands | 2:59.5 | - | | 7. Dorrit Kristensen | Denmark | 3:00.6 | - | | 8. Vinka Jeričević |  Yugoslavia | 3:00.7 | - |
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| World Record: | | European Record: |
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Heats - , --th September | | Best 8 times advanced to Final>. |
| Heat 4 | | time | | Rk | | 1. Rika Bruins | Netherlands | 3:00.9 | - | 7. | | 2. Nel van Opstal | Netherlands | 3:02.5 | - | 9. | | 3. Ripszima Székely | Hungary | 3:02.5 | - | 9. | | 4. Margaret Grundy | Great Britain | 3:07.4 | - | 14. | | 5. Jarmila Helešicová |  Czechoslovakia | 3:07.4 | - | 14. | | 6. Liselotte Altmann |  Austria | 3:10.7 | - | 18. |
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| Heat 3 | | time | | Rk | | 1. Klára Killermann-Bartos | Hungary | 2:56.8 | - | 1. | | 2. Vinka Jeričević | Yugoslavia | 3:00.0 | - | 6. | | 3. Helga Voigt |  East Germany | 3:03.1 | - | 11. | | 4. Jenny Mangelschots |  Belgium | 3:11.0 | - | 19. | | -. Mira Madjarev | Yugoslavia | DNS | - | | | -. Wilma Francoletti |  Italy | DNS | - | |
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| Heat 2 | | time | | Rk | | 1. Jytte Hansen | Denmark | 2:56.8 | - | 1. | | 2. Irena Gryka | Poland | 2:58.7 | - | 5. | | 3. Dorrit Kristensen | Denmark | 3:01.4 | - | 8. | | 4. Kaija Mäkelä |  Finland | 3:06.1 | - | 13. | | 5. Raymonda Vergauwen | Belgium | 3:10.0 | - | 17. | | 6. Ilse Albert | Austria | 3:15.0 | - | 21. | | -. Wiltrud Gorski | West Germany | DNS | - | |
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| Heat 1 | | time | | Rk | | 1. Ursula Happe | West Germany | 2:56.8 | - | 1. | | 2. Elenor Gordon-McKay | Great Britain | 2:58.3 | - | 4. | | 3. Helga Barth | East Germany | 3:05.2 | - | 12. | | 4. A. ŀubrová | Czechoslovakia | 3:09.1 | - | 16. | | 5. Nucci Solari | Italy | 3:11.3 | - | 20. | | -. Alicja Klemińska | Poland | DNS | - | |
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