| Final | time | | L | | 1. Petra Thomer |  GDR | 4:08.91 | WR | 3 | | 2. Annelies Maas |  NED | 4:09.40 | NR | 4 | | 3. Barbara Krause | GDR | 4:14.30 | | 5 | | 4. Enith Brigitha | NED | 4:15.06 | | 6 | | 5. Cheryl Brazendale |  GBR | 4:22.11 | | 2 | | 6. Susanne Ackum |  SWE | 4:22.56 | | 7 | | 7. Erina Aksenova |  URS | 4:24.50 | | 8 | | 8. Carine Verbauwen |  BEL | 4:25.66 | | 1 |
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Heats - Wednesday, 17th August |
| Heat 1 | time | Rk. | | 1. Annelies Maas | NED | 4:15.72 | 1. | | 2. Susanne Ackum | SWE | 4:24.01 | 6. | | 3. Heggie | GBR | 4:29.18 | 8. | | 4. Svetlana Yakovleva | URS | 4:30.37 | 10. | | 5. Maunsbach |  DEN | 4:32.08 | 12. | | 6. Natalie Mas |  ESP | 4:33.08 | 15. | | 7. Marta Slolona |  POL | 4:43.91 | 19. |
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| Heat 2 | time | Rk. | | 1. Barbara Krause | GDR | 4:20.74 | 2. | | 2. Cheryl Brazendale | GBR | 4:23.28 | 5. | | 3. Carine Verbauwen | BEL | 4:24.33 | 7. | | 4. Anette Lindvall | SWE | 4:29.30 | 9. | | 5. An. Sostmann |  FRG | 4:33.50 | 17. | | 6. Yordana Penina |  BUL | 4:39.26 | 18. | | 7. Costea |  ROU | 4:45.19 | 21. |
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| Heat 2 | time | Rk. | | 1. Petra Thomer | GDR | 4:20.99 | 3. | | 2. Enith Brigitha | NED | 4:21.75 | 4. | | 3. Stoyanka Dangalakova | BUL | 4:30.95 | 11. | | 4. Sophie Falandry |  FRA | 4:32.89 | 13. | | 5. Veronique Fernandez | FRA | 4:32.95 | 14. | | 6. Torill |  NOR | 4:33.29 | 16. | | 7. Anne Carey |  IRL | 4:45.05 | 20. |
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