| Final A | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Tracy Caulkins | USA | 2:12.64 | 1. | | 2. Nancy Hogshead | USA | 2:15.17 | 2. | | 3. Michelle Pearson | AUS | 2:15.92 | 3. | | 4. Lisa Curry-Kenny | AUS | 2:16.75 | 8. | | 5. Christiane Pielke | FRG | 2:17.82 | 4. | | 6. Manuela Dalla Valle | ITA | 2:19.69 | 7. | | 7. Petra Zindler | FRG | 2:19.86 | 6. | | 8. Kathrine Bomstad | NOR | 2:20.48 | 5. |
| Final B | Team | time | Rk. | | 9. Maarit Vähäsaari-Sihvonen | FIN | 2:19.27 | 11. | | 10.Michelle MacPherson | CAN | 2:19.34 | 9. | | 11.Alison Dozzo | CAN | 2:19.70 | 10. | | 12.Anette Philipsson | SWE | 2:21.54 | 12. | | 13.Gaynor Stanley | GBR | 2:21.71 | 18. | | 14.Zara Long | GBR | 2:22.25 | 16. | | 15.Hideka Koshimizu | JPN | 2:22.81 | 15. | | 16.Laurence Bensimon | FRA | 2:27.13 | 17. |
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| This event was reinstated in the Olympic Games. |
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| Heat 4 | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Tracy Caulkins | USA | 2:14.47 | 1. | | 2. Kathrine Bomstad | NOR | 2:19.88 | 5. | | 3. Petra Zindler | FRG | 2:20.05 | 6. | | 4. Sabine Pauwels | BEL | 2:22.86 | 13. | | 5. Maria Kardum | SWE | 2:22.87 | 14. | | 6. Hideka Koshimizu | JPN | 2:23.38 | 15. | | 7. Blanca Morales | GUA | 2:38.16 | 27. |
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| Heat 3 | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Nancy Hogshead | USA | 2:16.29 | 2. | | 2. Michelle Pearson | AUS | 2:17.46 | 3. | | 3. Manuela Dalla Valle | ITA | 2:20.50 | 7. | | 4. Maarit Vähäsaari-Sihvonen | FIN | 2:21.05 | 11. | | 5. Helen Chow | MAS | 2:29.25 | 22. | | 6. Karin Brandes | PER | 2:29.87 | 24. |
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| Heat 2 | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Lisa Curry-Kenny | AUS | 2:20.57 | 8. | | 2. Alison Dozzo | CAN | 2:20.85 | 10. | | 3. Anette Philipsson | SWE | 2:21.70 | 12. | | 4. Zara Long | GBR | 2:23.89 | 16. | | 5. Brigitte Wanderer | AUT | 2:26.85 | 20. | | 6. Yan Hong | CHN | 2:27.95 | 21. | | 7. Lotta Flink | HKG | 2:31.70 | 25. |
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| Heat 1 | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Christiane Pielke | FRG | 2:19.17 | 4. | | 2. Michelle MacPherson | CAN | 2:20.68 | 9. | | 3. Laurence Bensimon | FRA | 2:24.34 | 17. | | 4. Gaynor Stanley | GBR | 2:24.94 | 18. | | 5. Gail Jonson | NZL | 2:25.00 | 19. | | 6. Faten Ghattas | TUN | 2:29.77 | 23. | | 7. Sharon Pickering | FIJ | 2:34.77 | 26. |
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