These are the official results of the Women's 400 metres event at the 1987 IAAF World Championships in Rome, Italy. There were a total number of 41 participating athletes, with six qualifying heats and the final held on 31 August 1987.
Results
editFinal
editMonday, 31 August 1987
| Rank | Name | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
 Olga Bryzgina (URS)
|
49.38 | |
|
 Petra Müller (GDR)
|
49.94 | |
|
Kirsten Emmelmann (GDR)
|
50.20 | |
| 4 | Mariya Pinigina (URS)
|
50.53 | |
| 5 |  Lillie Leatherwood (USA)
|
50.82 | |
| 6 |  Jillian Richardson (CAN)
|
51.03 | |
| 7 | Diane Dixon (USA)
|
51.13 | |
| 8 | Olga Nazarova (URS)
|
51.20 |
Semifinals
editSunday, 30 August 1987
| Rank | Heat | Name | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Petra Müller (GDR)
|
50.15 | Q |
| 2 | 3 | Kirsten Emmelmann (GDR)
|
50.53 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | Mariya Pinigina (URS)
|
50.83 | Q |
| 4 | 3 | Diane Dixon (USA)
|
50.83 | Q |
| 5 | 2 | Olga Bryzgina (URS)
|
50.88 | Q |
| 6 | 1 | Jillian Richardson (CAN)
|
50.91 | Q |
| 7 | 1 | Lillie Leatherwood (USA)
|
50.95 | q |
| 8 | 3 | Olga Nazarova (URS)
|
51.07 | q |
| 9 | 3 |  Ute Thimm (FRG)
|
51.23 | |
| 10 | 2 | Denean Howard (USA)
|
51.28 | |
| 11 | 3 |  Sandie Richards (JAM)
|
51.54 | |
| 12 | 2 | Charmaine Crooks (CAN)
|
51.69 | |
| 13 | 3 | Marita Payne-Wiggins (CAN)
|
51.75 | |
| 14 | 1 | Dagmar Neubauer (GDR)
|
52.15 | |
| 15 | 2 |  Maria Magnolia Figueiredo (BRA)
|
52.24 | |
| 16 | 1 | Cathy Rattray-Williams (JAM)
|
52.51 | |
| 17 | 1 |  Fabienne Ficher (FRA)
|
52.58 | |
| 18 | 2 | Gisela Kinzel (FRG)
|
52.66 | |
| 19 | 1 | Helga Arendt (FRG)
|
52.80 | |
| 20 | 3 |  Francisca Chepkurui (KEN)
|
52.86 | |
| 21 | 2 |  Judit Forgács (HUN)
|
52.99 | |
| 22 | 2 | Ilrey Oliver (JAM)
|
53.35 | |
| 23 | 1 |  Blanca Lacambra (ESP)
|
54.72 | |
| 24 | 3 |  Maria Usifo (NGR)
|
DNS |
Heats
editSaturday, 29 August 1987
| Rank | Heat | Name | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Mariya Pinigina (URS)
|
51.38 | Q |
| 2 | 1 | Olga Bryzgina (URS)
|
51.62 | Q |
| 2 | 6 | Kirsten Emmelmann (GDR)
|
51.62 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | Petra Muller (GDR)
|
51.68 | Q |
| 5 | 6 | Diane Dixon (USA)
|
51.72 | Q |
| 6 | 5 | Jillian Richardson (CAN)
|
51.94 | Q |
| 7 | 4 | Dagmar Neubauer (GDR)
|
51.96 | Q |
| 8 | 5 | Olga Nazarova (URS)
|
52.04 | Q |
| 9 | 3 | Denean Howard (USA)
|
52.06 | Q |
| 10 | 1 | Sandie Richards (JAM)
|
52.07 | Q |
| 11 | 4 | Lillie Leatherwood (USA)
|
52.16 | Q |
| 12 | 4 | Marita Payne-Wiggins (CAN)
|
52.21 | Q |
| 13 | 5 |  Maria Magnolia Figueiredo (BRA)
|
52.29 | Q |
| 14 | 2 | Gisela Kinzel (FRG)
|
52.34 | Q |
| 15 | 2 | Blanca Lacambra (ESP)
|
52.46 | Q |
| 16 | 3 | Ute Thimm (FRG)
|
52.48 | Q |
| 17 | 1 | Charmaine Crooks (CAN)
|
52.49 | Q |
| 18 | 2 | Fabienne Ficher (FRA)
|
52.59 | q |
| 19 | 3 | Cathy Rattray-Williams (JAM)
|
52.64 | q |
| 20 | 5 | Helga Arendt (FRG)
|
52.80 | q |
| 21 | 5 | Judit Forgacs (HUN)
|
53.15 | q |
| 22 | 1 | Francisca Chepkurui (KEN)
|
53.21 | q |
| 23 | 6 | Ilrey Oliver (JAM)
|
53.59 | Q |
| 24 | 2 | Maria Usifo (NGR)
|
53.64 | q |
| 25 | 3 |  Mercy Addy (GHA)
|
54.13 | |
| 26 | 1 |  Bei Assumpta Achuo (CMR)
|
54.18 | |
| 27 | 5 |  Ester Petitón (CUB)
|
54.50 | |
| 28 | 4 |  Josephine Mary Singarayar (MAS)
|
54.56 | |
| 29 | 2 |  Jocelyn Joseph (ATG)
|
55.61 | |
| 30 | 6 |  Ruth Morris (ISV)
|
56.36 | |
| 31 | 2 |  Anna Cherry (LCA)
|
57.20 | |
| 32 | 3 |  Diane Dunrod-Francis (SKN)
|
57.64 | |
| 33 | 5 |  Vanessa Barlow (SAM)
|
1:01.53 | |
| 34 | 4 |  Nadine Mbitoloum (CHA)
|
1:01.71 | |
| – | 3 |  Mariam Zewde (ETH)
|
DNF | |
| – | 1 |  Kungu Bakombo (ZAI)
|
DNS | |
| – | 1 |  P.T. Usha (IND)
|
DNS | |
| – | 4 |  Nawal El Moutawakil (MAR)
|
DNS | |
| – | 4 |  Adina Valdez (TRI)
|
DNS | |
| – | 6 |  Cosetta Campana (ITA)
|
DNS | |
| – | 6 |  Chakma Sharmila Ray (BAN)
|
DNS |