| Final | | time | | | 1. Sally Gunnell |  Great Britain | 52.04s | | | 2. Marina Shmonina |  Soviet Union | 52.36s | | | 3. Anita Protti |  Switzerland | 52.57s | | | 4. Angela Piggford | Great Britain | 52.90s | | | 5. Taťána Slaninová |  Czechoslovakia | 54.16s | | | 6. Fabienne Ficher |  France | 54.67s | |
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Heats - Saturday, 18th February | | First 2 from each Heat and next Best 2 advanced to Final. |
| Heat 1 | | time | | | 4. Taťána Slaninová | Czechoslovakia | 53.79s | Q | | 5. Angela Piggford | Great Britain | 53.88s | Q | | 6. Fabienne Ficher | France | 54.63s | q |
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| Heat 2 | | time | | | 1. Sally Gunnell | Great Britain | 52.90s | Q | | 2. Anita Protti | Switzerland | 52.96s | Q | | 3. Marina Shmonina | Soviet Union | 52.98s | q | | 7. Esther Lahoz |  Spain | 54.67s | |
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