| Heat 1 | time | Rk | | 1. Stacy Westfall |  United States | 2:17.90 | 3. | | 2. Tekemi Ise |  Japan | 2:18.40 | 4. | | 3. Maryke Degroot |  Netherlands | 2:18.93 | 5. | | 4. Natalie Gingras |  Canada | 2:20.59 | 10. | | 5. Claudia Gomes |  Brazil | 2:25.12 | 15. | | 6. Fatgen Ghattas |  Tunisia | 2:33.47 | 18. |
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| Heat 2 | time | Rk | | 1. Naoko Kume | Japan | 2:17.84 | 2. | | 2. Jennifer Wagstaff | United States | 2:19.01 | 7. | | 3. Tatiana Kurnikova |  Soviet Union | 2:20.07 | 8. | | 4. Sinzia Savi Scarpone |  Italy | 2:22.08 | 12. | | 5. Sue Jenner |  Great Britain | 2:23.60 | 13. | | 6. Rosemay Ribeiro | Brazil | 2:26.46 | 16. |
| Heat 3 | time | Rk | | 1. Susie Woodhouse |  Australia | 2:17.57 | 1. | | 2. Michelle Ford | Australia | 2:18.96 | 6. | | 3. Sivia Hetzel |  West Germany | 2:20.28 | 9. | | 4. Anita Vandyke | Canada | 2:21.71 | 11. | | 5. Criztina Quintarelli | Italy | 2:24.68 | 14. | | 6. Sophie Falandry |  France | 2:29.31 | 17. |
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