| 1 | Hassiba Boulmerka | ALG | |
4:02,21 | |
| 2 | Tatyana Samolenko-Dorovskikh | URS | |
4:02,58 | |
| 3 | Lyudmila Rogachova | URS | |
4:02,72 | |
| 4 | Doina Melinte | ROM | 4:03,19 | ||
| 5 | Ellen Kiessling | GER | 4:04,75 | ||
| 6 | Kirsty Wade | GBR | 4:05,16 | ||
| 7 | Susan Sirma | KEN | 4:05,47 | ||
| 8 | Malgorzata Rydz | POL | 4:05,52 | ||
| 9 | Letitia Vriesde | SUR | 4:05,67 | AR | |
| 10 | Violeta Beclea-Szekely | ROM | 4:05,86 | ||
| 11 | Debbie Scott-Bowker | CAN | 4:06,06 | ||
| 12 | Pattisue Plumer | USA | 4:06,80 | ||
| 13 | Yvonne Mai-Graham | GER | 4:07,45 | ||
| 14 | Elena Fidatov | ROM | 4:10,15 | ||
| 15 | Ravilya Agletdinova-Kotovich | URS | 4:17,59 |