| 1 | Natalja Petrusjova (Senior) | URS | 41.58 | (1) | TR | 1:25.69 | (1) | TR | 41.55 | (1) | TR | 1:24.02 | (1) | TR | 167.985 | TR | - |
| 2 | Karin Busch (Neo) | GDR | 41.65 | (2) | | 1:26.07 | (2) | | 41.84 | (2) | | 1:25.67 | (2) | | 169.360 | SB | +1.375 |
| 3 | Monika Holzner-Pflug (Senior) | FRG | 42.15 | (4) | | 1:28.22 | (5) | | 42.26 | (5) | | 1:26.44 | (6) | | 171.740 | | +3.755 |
| 4 | Yvonne van Gennip (A1) | NED | 42.91 | (10) | | 1:26.98 | (3) | | 42.51 | (8) | NRJ | 1:26.19 | (4) | | 172.005 | NRJ, NR | +4.020 |
| 5 | Alie Boorsma (Neo) | NED | 42.49 | (8) | | 1:28.37 | (7) | | 42.33 | (6) | | 1:26.82 | (8) | | 172.415 | SB | +4.430 |
| 6 | Christa Rothenburger (Neo) | GDR | 42.39 | (6) | | 1:29.33 | (10) | | 42.16 | (3) | | 1:26.42 | (5) | | 172.425 | | +4.440 |
| 7 | Skadi Walter (A1) | GDR | 42.48 | (7) | | 1:29.25 | (9) | | 42.36 | (7) | | 1:27.83 | (13) | | 173.380 | | +5.395 |
| 8 | Ljudmila Boldyreva-Masjkovtseva (Senior) | URS | 42.37 | (5) | | 1:29.22 | (8) | | 43.05 | (11) | | 1:26.98 | (9) | | 173.520 | | +5.535 |
| 9 | Sylvie Daigle (A2) | CAN | 43.58 | (13) | | 1:29.63 | (13) | | 43.11 | (12) | | 1:27.62 | (12) | | 175.315 | SB | +7.330 |
| 10 | Marzia Peretti (B2) | ITA | 42.80 | (9) | | 1:29.88 | (15) | | 42.91 | (9) | | 1:29.61 | (18) | | 175.455 | SB | +7.470 |
| 11 | Sarah Docter (A1) | USA | 44.15 | (18) | | 1:28.22 | (5) | | 44.01 | (24) | | 1:26.70 | (7) | | 175.620 | PB | +7.635 |
| 12 | Annette Carlén-Karlsson (Senior) | SWE | 43.70 | (14) | | 1:30.19 | (17) | | 43.77 | (19) | | 1:27.33 | (11) | | 176.230 | SB | +8.245 |
| 13 | Sheila Young-Ochowicz (M30) | USA | 43.25 | (11) | | 1:31.93 | (26) | | 43.25 | (13) | | 1:29.19 | (15) | | 177.060 | | +9.075 |
| 14 | Seiko Hashimoto (B2) | JPN | 43.74 | (15) | | 1:29.99 | (16) | | 44.16 | (25) | | 1:29.25 | (16) | | 177.520 | SB | +9.535 |
| 15 | Sylvia Brunner (Senior) | SUI | 44.31 | (20) | | 1:30.78 | (19) | | 43.51 | (16) | | 1:29.13 | (14) | | 177.775 | | +9.790 |
| 16 | Connie Paraskevin (Neo) | USA | 43.55 | (12) | | 1:31.61 | (23) | | 43.27 | (14) | SB | 1:30.37 | (22) | | 177.810 | SB | +9.825 |
| 17 | Guifang Wang (A2) | CHN | 44.08 | (17) | | 1:30.98 | (20) | | 43.71 | (18) | NRJ, NR | 1:30.58 | (25) | NRJ, NR | 178.570 | NRJ, NR | +10.585 |
| 18 | Miyoshi Kato (A2) | JPN | 44.77 | (26) | | 1:29.39 | (11) | | 44.49 | (30) | | 1:29.54 | (17) | | 178.725 | | +10.740 |
| 19 | Manuela Haßmann (Neo) | FRG | 44.53 | (23) | | 1:31.58 | (22) | | 43.98 | (22) | | 1:29.69 | (19) | | 179.145 | | +11.160 |
| 20 | Turid Lillehagen-Welo (Neo) | NOR | 44.21 | (19) | | 1:31.54 | (21) | | 44.36 | (28) | | 1:30.47 | (23) | | 179.575 | SB | +11.590 |
| 21 | Zofia Tokarczyk (A2) | POL | 44.73 | (24) | | 1:32.11 | (27) | | 44.29 | (27) | | 1:31.17 | (27) | | 180.660 | | +12.675 |
| 22 | Brigitte Flierl (Neo) | FRG | 45.04 | (28) | | 1:31.84 | (25) | | 44.46 | (29) | | 1:30.60 | (26) | | 180.720 | | +12.735 |
| 23 | Linda Palle (Neo) | SWE | 44.75 | (25) | | 1:32.95 | (29) | | 44.69 | (31) | SB | 1:29.91 | (20) | SB | 180.870 | SB | +12.885 |
| 24 | Emese Hunyady (B1) | HUN | 44.44 | (22) | | 1:33.58 | (30) | | 44.00 | (23) | | 1:31.39 | (28) | | 180.925 | NRJ, NR | +12.940 |
| Anne Girard (A1) | CAN | 44.99 | (27) | | 1:32.92 | (28) | | 44.21 | (26) | | 1:30.53 | (24) | | 180.925 | SB | +12.940 |
| 26 | Dorie Boyce (A1) | USA | 44.33 | (21) | | 1:29.76 | (14) | | 43.67 | (17) | | 1:38.61 | (30) | | 182.185 | SB | +14.200 |
| 27 | Thea Limbach (Neo) | NED | 43.98 | (16) | | 1:29.52 | (12) | | 43.87 | (21) | | 1:50.75 | (31) | | 187.985 | SB | +20.000 |
| 28 | Ewa Białkowska-Krysiak (Neo) | POL | 56.53 | (29) | | 1:30.46 | (18) | | 43.40 | (15) | | 1:31.46 | (29) | | 190.890 | SB | +22.905 |
| 29 | Virve Mäkelä (Neo) | FIN | 1:03.45 | (30) | | 1:31.68 | (24) | | 43.81 | (20) | | 1:30.36 | (21) | | 198.280 | | +30.295 |
| 30 | Natalja Kurova (Neo) | URS | 1:11.53 | (31) | | 1:28.08 | (4) | | 42.97 | (10) | | 1:27.28 | (10) | | 202.180 | | +34.195 |
| Natalja Glebova (A2) | URS | 42.03 | (3) | | DQ | | | 42.19 | (4) | | 1:26.04 | (3) | | 127.240 | | - |