| Final | | time | | | 1. Yekaterina Podkopayeva |  Unified Team | 4:06.61 | | | 2. Lyubov Kremlyova | Unified Team | 4:06.62 | | | 3. Doina Melinte |  Romania | 4:06.90 | | | 4. Tudorita Chidu | Romania | 4:08.30 | | | 5. Theresia Kiesl |  Austria | 4:08.82 | | | 6. Anna Brzezińska |  Poland | 4:09.05 | | | 7. Ivana Kubešová |  Czechoslovakia | 4:09.43 | | | 8. Maria Akraka |  Sweden | 4:09.56 | |
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| | | First - from each Heat and next Best - advanced to Final. |
| Heat 1 | | time | | | 1. Tudorita Chidu | Romania | 4:09.52 | Q | | 2. Yekaterina Podkopayeva | Unified Team | 4:09.53 | Q | | 3. Theresia Kiesl | Austria | 4:09.62 | Q | | 4. Maria Akraka | Sweden | 4:09.78 | q | | 5. Anna Brzezińska | Poland | 4:11.14 | q | | -. Carla Sacramento |  Portugal | DNF | |
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| Heat 2 | | time | | | 6. Doina Melinte | Romania | 4:12.10 | Q | | 7. Lyubov Kremlyova | Unified Team | 4:12.25 | Q | | 8. Ivana Kubešová | Czechoslovakia | 4:12.35 | Q | | 9. Elisa Rea |  Italy | 4:12.77 | | | 10.Christina Cahill |  Great Britain | 4:14.46 | | | 11.Malahat Kokalp |  Turkey | 4:21.67 | |
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