| 1 | Merlene Ottey | JAM | 22,72 | Q |
| 2 | Natalya Kovzun | URS | 23,38 | Q |
| 3 | Maria Figueiredo | BRA | 23,71 | Q |
| 4 | Terry Dendy | USA | 23,75 | |
| 5 | Krasimira Ilyeva | BUL | 23,98 | |
| 6 | Sabine Tröger | AUT | 24,24 |
| 1 | Grace Jackson | JAM | 23,05 | Q |
| 2 | Silke Knoll | FRG | 23,26 | Q |
| 3 | Marie-José Perec | FRA | 23,36 | Q |
| 4 | Sisko Hanhijoki | FIN | 23,94 | |
| 5 | Agnes Kozary | HUN | 24,37 | |
| Alice Jackson | USA | DQ |