- Held on Monday July 28, 1980
| RANK | FINAL | TIME |
|---|---|---|
 |  Marita Koch (GDR) | 48.88 OR |
 |  Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH) | 49.46 |
 | Christina Lathan (GDR) | 49.66 |
| 4. |  Irina Nazarova (URS) | 50.07 |
| 5. | Nina Zyuskova (URS) | 50.17 |
| 6. | Gabriele Löwe (GDR) | 51.33 |
| 7. |  Pirjo Häggman (FIN) | 51.35 |
| 8. |  Linsey MacDonald (GBR) | 52.40 |
