| Final | Team | time |  | 1. Kutre Dulecha | ETH | 4:18.33 |  | 2. Benida Merah Nouria | ALG | 4:18.69 |  | 3. Jackline Maranga | KEN | 4:19.31 |  | 4. Genet Gebregiotgis | ETH | 4:21.08 |  | 5. Jeruto Kiptum | KEN | 4:24.80 |  | 6. Etuferahu Tarekegne | ETH | 4:25.24 |  | 7. Tsiba Leontine | CGO | 4:26.74 |  | 8. Florence Djeppe | CMR | 4:26.83 |  | 9. Julia Sakara | ZIM | 4:29.00 |  | 10.Catherine Maapela | RSA | 4:30.29 |  | 11.Zanelle Grobler | RSA | 4:35.29 |  | 12.Fatima Lanouar | TUN | 4:43.11 |   
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|  Heats - First 4 and Best 4 progress. |   
| Heat 1 | Team | time |  | 1. Kutre Dulecha | ETH | 4:26.38 |  | 2. Etuferahu Tarekegne | ETH | 4:28.00 |  | 3. Jeruto Kiptum | KEN | 4:28.02 |  | 4. Benida Merah Nouria | ALG | 4:28.12 |  | 5. Fatima Lanouar | TUN | 4:34.09 |  | 6. Zanelle Grobler | RSA | 4:35.44 |  | 7. Victoria Moradeyo | NGR | 4:38.37 |  | 8. Adde Mwamba | ZAM | 4:38.48 |  | 9. Catherine Webombesa | UGA | 4:44.84 |  | 10.Josiane Abougone | GAB | 4:51.69 |  | -. Lwiza John | TAN | DNS |   
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| Heat 2 | Team | time |  | 1. Genet Gebregiotgis | ETH | 4:32.65 |  | 2. Jackline Maranga | KEN | 4:33.16 |  | 3. Julia Sakara | ZIM | 4:33.76 |  | 4. Florence Djeppe | CMR | 4:34.23 |  | 5. Catherine Maapela | RSA | 4:34.62 |  | 6. Tsiba Leontine | CGO | 4:35.24 |  | 7. Abibaku Yakubu | NGR | 4:39.83 |  | 8. Speciose Gakobwa | BUR | 4:42.22 |  | 9. Yango Mbololia Tikala | COD | 5:40.40 |  | -. Agnes Chikwakwa | MAW | DNS |  | -. Maria de Lurdes Mutola | MOZ | DNS |   
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