| 1 | Marie Holland | AUS | 52,90 | Q |
| 2 | Marina Shmonina | URS | 53,03 | Q |
| 3 | Judit Forgacs | HUN | 53,33 | q |
| 4 | Jearl Miles | USA | 53,33 | q |
| 1 | Diane Dixon | USA | 53,15 | Q |
| 2 | Jillian Richardson | CAN | 53,36 | Q |
| 3 | Erzsebet Szabo | HUN | 53,41 | q |
| 4 | Marcia Tate | JAM | 53,53 | |
| 5 | Angela Piggford | GBR | 53,69 |
| 1 | Sally Gunnell | GBR | 52,91 | Q |
| 2 | Charmaine Crooks | CAN | 53,22 | Q |
| 3 | Helga Arendt | FRG | 53,31 | q |
| 4 | Marina Charlamova | URS | 53,44 | q |
| 5 | Iolanda Oanta | ROM | 53,50 | q |