| | Venue: Olimpiapark Swimming Hall. 30 competitors from 18 nations. | 
 | | Final | Points | Final | Qualif. | age |  | 1. Micki King |  USA | 450.03 | 160.89 | 1. | 289.14 | 3. | 28 |  | 2. Ulrika Knape |  SWE | 434.19 | 141.60 | 6. | 292.59 | 1. | 17 |  | 3. Marina Janicke |  GDR | 430.92 | 157.44 | 2. | 273.48 | 8. | 18 |  | 4. Janet Ely |  USA | 420.99 | 151.08 | 3. | 269.91 | 9. | 18 |  | 5. Beverly Boys |  CAN | 418.89 | 144.54 | 5. | 274.35 | 7. | 21 |  | 6. Agneta Henriksson |  SWE | 417.48 | 126.69 | 9. | 290.79 | 2. | 19 |  | 7. Cynthia Potter |  USA | 413.58 | 148.68 | 4. | 264.90 | 10. | 21 |  | 8. Elzbieta Wierniuk |  POL | 408.36 | 131.04 | 8. | 277.32 | 6. | 21 |  | 9. Heidi Becker |  GDR | 405.78 | 124.20 | 10. | 281.58 | 4. | 17 |  | 10.Milena Duchková |  TCH | 400.83 | 137.28 | 7. | 263.55 | 11. | 20 |  | 11.Christa Köhler |  GDR | 394.20 | 115.32 | 12. | 278.88 | 5. | 21 |  | 12.Alison Drake |  GBR | 378.18 | 115.86 | 11. | 262.32 | 12. | 19 | 
 | | Divers performed three voluntary dives without limit of degrees of difficulty. The final ranking was determined by the combined score with the preliminary round. | 
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 |  |  | Divers performed 7 dives. First 12 advanced to Final. | 
 | | Ranking | Points |  | 1. Ulrika Knape |  SWE | 292.59 |  | 2. Agneta Henriksson |  SWE | 290.79 |  | 3. Micki King |  USA | 289.14 |  | 4. Heidi Becker |  GDR | 281.58 |  | 5. Christa Köhler |  GDR | 278.88 |  | 6. Elzbieta Wierniuk |  POL | 277.32 |  | 7. Beverly Boys |  CAN | 274.35 |  | 8. Marina Janicke |  GDR | 273.48 |  | 9. Janet Ely |  USA | 269.91 |  | 10.Cynthia Potter |  USA | 264.90 |  | 11.Milena Duchková |  TCH | 263.55 |  | 12.Alison Drake |  GBR | 262.32 |  | eliminated |  | 13.Michaela Herweck |  FRG | 261.78 |  | 14.Nataliya Kuznetsova-Lobanova |  URS | 258.45 |  | 15.Bertha Baraldi |  MEX | 252.66 |  | 16.Tatyana Shtyreva |  URS | 252.42 |  | 17.Tamara Fedosova-Pogosheva |  URS | 252.09 |  | 18.Regina Krajnow |  POL | 248.91 |  | 19.Teri York |  CAN | 247.14 |  | 20.Elizabeth Carruthers |  CAN | 243.84 |  | 21.Sorana Prelipceanu |  ROU | 242.61 |  | 22.Helen Koppell |  GBR | 242.22 |  | 23.Mariette Dommers |  NED | 239.40 |  | 24.Laura Kivelä |  FIN | 236.25 |  | 24.Taeko Kubo |  JPN | 236.25 |  | 26.Glenise Jones |  AUS | 232.44 |  | 27.Melania Decuseara |  ROU | 232.02 |  | 28.Christiane Wiles |  FRA | 229.56 |  | 29.Betsy Sullivan |  JAM | 210.39 |  | 30.Mirnawati Hardjolukito |  INA | 188.94 | 
 |  | | Olympic Champions Women 3m Springboard |  | 2016: | Shi Tingmao |  CHN |  | 2012: | Wu Minxia |  CHN |  | 2008: | Guo Jingjing |  CHN |  | 2004: | Guo Jingjing |  CHN |  | 2000: | Fu Mingxia |  CHN |  | 1996: | Fu Mingxia |  CHN |  | 1992: | Gao Min |  CHN |  | 1988: | Gao Min |  CHN |  | 1984: | Sylvie Bernier |  CAN |  | 1980: | Irina Kalinina |  URS |  | 1976: | Jennifer Chandler |  USA |  | 1972: | Micki King |  USA |  | 1968: | Susanne Gossick |  USA |  | 1964: | Ingrid Krämer |  EUA |  | 1960: | Ingrid Krämer |  EUA |  | 1956: | Pat McCormick |  USA |  | 1952: | Pat McCormick |  USA |  | 1948: | Vicki Draves |  USA |  | 1936: | Marjorie Gestring |  USA |  | 1932: | Georgia Coleman |  USA |  | 1928: | Helen Meany |  USA |  | 1924: | Elizabeth Becker |  USA |  | 1920: | Aileen Riggin |  USA | 
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