1987 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 400 metres
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 Monday 1987-08-31.Results
Final
Monday, 31 August 1987
| Rank | Name | Result | Notes |
| | 49.38 | |
| | 49.94 | |
| | 50.20 | |
| 4 | | 50.53 | |
| 5 | | 50.82 | |
| 6 | | 51.03 | |
| 7 | | 51.13 | |
| 8 | | 51.20 | |
Semifinals
Sunday, 30 August 1987
| Rank | Heat | Name | Result | Notes |
| 1 | 2 | | 50.15 | Q |
| 2 | 3 | | 50.53 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | | 50.83 | Q |
| 4 | 3 | | 50.83 | Q |
| 5 | 2 | | 50.88 | Q |
| 6 | 1 | | 50.91 | Q |
| 7 | 1 | | 50.95 | q |
| 8 | 3 | | 51.07 | q |
| 9 | 3 | | 51.23 | |
| 10 | 2 | | 51.28 | |
| 11 | 3 | | 51.54 | |
| 12 | 2 | | 51.69 | |
| 13 | 3 | | 51.75 | |
| 14 | 1 | | 52.15 | |
| 15 | 2 | | 52.24 | |
| 16 | 1 | | 52.51 | |
| 17 | 1 | | 52.58 | |
| 18 | 2 | | 52.66 | |
| 19 | 1 | | 52.80 | |
| 20 | 3 | | 52.86 | |
| 21 | 2 | | 52.99 | |
| 22 | 2 | | 53.35 | |
| 23 | 1 | | 54.72 | |
| 24 | 3 | | DNS | |
Heats
Saturday, 29 August 1987
| Rank | Heat | Name | Result | Notes |
| 1 | 3 | | 51.38 | Q |
| 2 | 1 | | 51.62 | Q |
| 2 | 6 | | 51.62 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | | 51.68 | Q |
| 5 | 6 | | 51.72 | Q |
| 6 | 5 | | 51.94 | Q |
| 7 | 4 | | 51.96 | Q |
| 8 | 5 | | 52.04 | Q |
| 9 | 3 | | 52.06 | Q |
| 10 | 1 | | 52.07 | Q |
| 11 | 4 | | 52.16 | Q |
| 12 | 4 | | 52.21 | Q |
| 13 | 5 | | 52.29 | Q |
| 14 | 2 | | 52.34 | Q |
| 15 | 2 | | 52.46 | Q |
| 16 | 3 | | 52.48 | Q |
| 17 | 1 | | 52.49 | Q |
| 18 | 2 | | 52.59 | q |
| 19 | 3 | | 52.64 | q |
| 20 | 5 | | 52.80 | q |
| 21 | 5 | | 53.15 | q |
| 22 | 1 | | 53.21 | q |
| 23 | 6 | | 53.59 | Q |
| 24 | 2 | | 53.64 | q |
| 25 | 3 | | 54.13 | |
| 26 | 1 | | 54.18 | |
| 27 | 5 | | 54.50 | |
| 28 | 4 | | 54.56 | |
| 29 | 2 | | 55.61 | |
| 30 | 6 | | 56.36 | |
| 31 | 2 | | 57.20 | |
| 32 | 3 | | 57.64 | |
| 33 | 5 | | | |
| 34 | 4 | | | |
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