| 1 | Svetlana Ulmasova | URS | 8:46,65 | Q | |
| 2 | Agnese Possamai | ITA | 8:46,68 | Q | |
| 3 | Brigitte Kraus | FRG | 8:47,25 | Q | |
| 4 | Wendy Smith-Sly | GBR | 8:47,39 | Q | |
| 5 | Christine Tranter-Benning | GBR | 8:49,71 | Q | |
| 6 | Aurora Cunha | POR | 8:51,66 | Q | |
| 7 | Natalya Artyomova | URS | 8:54,14 | q | |
| 8 | Lynn Kanuka-Williams | CAN | 8:54,61 | q | |
| 9 | Geri Fitch | CAN | 9:01,85 | ||
| 10 | Monica Joyce | IRL | 9:14,83 | ||
| 11 | Helena Hyvönen | FIN | 9:19,65 | ||
| 12 | Brenda Webb | USA | 9:24,38 | ||
| 13 | Marcianne Mukamurenzi | RWA | 9:26,59 | NR | |
| 14 | Marit Holtklimpen | NOR | 9:43,40 | ||
| 15 | Khadija Al Matari | JOR | 10:49,62 | ||
| Betty Van Steenbroeck | BEL | DNF |
| 1 | Tatyana Kazankina | URS | 8:44,72 | Q | |
| 2 | Mary Decker-Slaney | USA | 8:44,72 | Q | |
| 3 | Cornelia Bürki | SUI | 8:46,94 | Q | |
| 4 | Jane Furniss-Shields | GBR | 8:48,59 | Q | |
| 5 | Alison Wiley | CAN | 8:51,27 | Q | |
| 6 | Lorraine Moller | NZL | 8:51,78 | Q | |
| 7 | Eva Ernström | SWE | 8:51,91 | q | |
| 8 | Ivana Kleinová | TCH | 8:55,54 | NR | |
| 9 | Maggie Keyes-Kraft | USA | 9:01,97 | ||
| 10 | Vera Michallek | FRG | 9:04,51 | ||
| 11 | Marica Mršic | YUG | 9:05,59 | ||
| 12 | Pilar Fernández | ESP | 9:10,86 | ||
| 13 | Maria Radu | ROM | 9:30,37 | ||
| 14 | Monica Regonessi | CHI | 9:31,95 | ||
| 15 | Kriscia Garcia | ESA | 10:06,14 |