| Final | | time | | | 1. Marita Koch |  East Germany | 51.14s | WR | | 2. Verona Elder |  Great Britain | 52.75s | | | 3. Jelica Pavličić |  Yugoslavia | 53.49s | | | 4. Natalya Sokolova |  Soviet Union | 53.57s | | | 5. Rosa-María Colorado |  Spain | 53.78s | | | 6. Jarmila Kratochvílová |  Czechoslovakia | 53.95s | |
|
|
|
Heats - Saturday, 12th March | | First 3 from each Heat advanced to Final. |
| Heat 1 | | time | | | 3. Marita Koch | East Germany | 54.42s | Q | | 5. Jelica Pavličić | Yugoslavia | 54.52s | Q | | 7. Elke Decker |  West Germany | 54.68s | |
|
|
| Heat 2 | | time | | | 1. Verona Elder | Great Britain | 53.93s | Q | | 2. Natalya Sokolova | Soviet Union | 54.12s | Q | | 4. Rosa-María Colorado | Spain | 54.45s | q | | 6. Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia | 54.65s | q |
|
| 