| 1 | Merlene Ottey | JAM | 22,64 | Q |
| 2 | Andrea Thomas | GER | 22,98 | Q |
| 3 | Galina Malchugina | URS | 23,07 | Q |
| 4 | Pauline Davis | BAH | 23,58 | |
| 5 | Angela Williams | CAN | 23,66 | |
| 6 | Renata Kubalova | TCH | 23,74 |
| 1 | Irina Sergeyeva | URS | 22,86 | Q |
| 2 | Grit Breuer | GER | 23,10 | Q |
| 3 | Sisko Hanhijoki | FIN | 23,55 | Q |
| 4 | Fabienne Ficher | FRA | 23,63 | |
| 5 | Celena Mondie-Milner | USA | 23,73 | |
| 6 | Sölvi Olsen | NOR | 24,70 |