| 1 | Waltraud Dietsch | GDR | 54,12 | Q |
| 2 | Erika Weinstein | FRG | 54,52 | Q |
| 3 | Riita Salin | FIN | 54,76 | |
| 4 | Eliane Jacq | FRA | 55,27 |
| 1 | Nadeshda Ilyina | URS | 53,02 | Q | WR |
| 2 | Angelika Handt | GDR | 53,48 | Q | |
| 3 | Ann Larsson | SWE | 54,20 | q | |
| 4 | Brigitte Koczelnik | FRG | 55,09 |
| 1 | Jelica Pavlicic | YUG | 53,43 | Q |
| 2 | Brigitte Rohde | GDR | 53,66 | Q |
| 3 | Krystyna Kacperczyk | POL | 54,17 | q |
| 4 | Nicole Duclos | FRA | 54,83 |