| Final | | time | | | 1. Fița Lovin |  Romania | 4:10.03 | | | 2. Elly van Hulst |  Netherlands | 4:11.09 | | | 3. Sandra Gasser |  Switzerland | 4:11.70 | | | 4. Vanya Gospodinova |  Bulgaria | 4:11.79 | | | 5. Gloria Pallé |  Spain | 4:15.88 | | | 6. Roswitha Gerdes |  West Germany | 4:16.34 | | | 7. Maria Radu | Romania | 4:20.84 | | | 8. Gabriella Dorio |  Italy | 4:23.76 | |
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| | | First 2 from each Heat and next Best 4 advanced to Final. |
| Heat 1 | | time | | | 1. Fița Lovin | Romania | 4:18.82 | Q | | 2. Roswitha Gerdes | West Germany | 4:18.87 | Q | | 3. Gabriella Dorio | Italy | 4:19.03 | q | | 4. Vanya Gospodinova | Bulgaria | 4:19.04 | q | | 5. Elly van Hulst | Netherlands | 4:19.24 | q | | 6. Gloria Pallé | Spain | 4:19.51 | q |
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| Heat 2 | | time | | | 7. Sandra Gasser | Switzerland | 4:21.55 | Q | | 8. Maria Radu | Romania | 4:21.85 | Q | | 9. Lynne MacDougall |  Great Britain | 4:23.13 | |
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