| | Event type

400 metres, Women

Date	23 – 26 September 1988
Status	Olympic
Location	Ol-lim-pik Ju-gyeong-gi-jang, Seoul Sports Complex, Seoul
Participants	46 from 33 countries

The greatest 400 runner ever, Marita Koch, had retired and the favorites role fell to Soviet Olga Bryzgina, who had won the 1987 World Championship. The defending champion was back, now as Valerie Brisco. Also present was the runner-up at the 1987 Worlds, Petra Müller of the GDR. Brisco led the final for the first 200 metres, but by 300 Bryzgina had nearly closed the gap. Bryzgina pulled ahead on the final turn and won going away, by 8/10ths of a second. Müller had the strongest finish of the other runners and got up for second, with Brisco nipped for the bronze medal by Soviet Olga Nazarova.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	R1	QF	SF	Final
1	516	Olga Bryzgina	URS	51.94 (1 h6)	51.90 (1 h2)	49.33 (1 h2)	48.65 (1)	Gold	OR
2	279	Petra Müller	GDR	51.93 (2 h3)	51.45 (1 h3)	49.50 (2 h1)	49.45 (2)	Silver
3	541	Olga Nazarova	URS	52.18 (1 h1)	50.26 (1 h4)	49.11 (1 h1)	49.90 (3)	Bronze
4	555	Valerie Brisco	USA	51.96 (1 h5)	51.24 (2 h4)	49.90 (2 h2)	50.16 (4)
5	564	Diane Dixon	USA	52.45 (1 h4)	51.98 (2 h2)	49.84 (3 h1)	50.72 (5)
6	571	Denean Howard	USA	52.26 (1 h7)	51.02 (3 h1)	49.87 (4 h1)	51.12 (6)
7	183	Helga Arendt	FRG	52.69 (2 h7)	52.08 (3 h2)	50.36 (4 h2)	51.17 (7)
8	14	Maree Holland	AUS	52.29 (2 h5)	50.90 (1 h1)	50.24 (3 h2)	51.25 (8)
5 h1 r3/4	77	Jill Richardson	CAN	53.06 (4 h7)	52.33 (4 h2)	49.91 (5 h1)	–
5 h2 r3/4	262	Kirsten Emmelmann	GDR	54.02 (4 h5)	51.02 (2 h1)	50.39 (5 h2)	–
6 h1 r3/4	200	Ute Thimm	FRG	52.79 (2 h4)	51.18 (4 h1)	50.28 (6 h1)	–
6 h2 r3/4	369	Cathy Rattray-Williams	JAM	52.39 (3 h6)	51.81 (4 h3)	50.82 (6 h2)	–
7 h1 r3/4	75	Marita Payne Wiggins	CAN	52.70 (2 h2)	51.73 (2 h3)	50.29 (7 h1)	–
7 h2 r3/4	68	Charmaine Crooks	CAN	53.58 (3 h1)	51.64 (4 h4)	51.63 (7 h2)	–
8 h1 r3/4	281	Dagmar Neubauer	GDR	52.51 (1 h2)	51.48 (3 h4)	50.92 (8 h1)	–
8 h2 r3/4	121	Norfalia Carabalí	COL	53.27 (3 h5)	51.76 (3 h3)	52.65 (8 h2)	–
5 h1 r2/4	38	Magnólia Figueiredo	BRA	51.74 (1 h3)	51.32 (5 h1)	–	–
5 h2 r2/4	370	Sandie Richards	JAM	52.19 (3 h3)	52.90 (5 h2)	–	–
5 h3 r2/4	227	Linda Keough	GBR	52.26 (2 h6)	51.91 (5 h3)	–	–
5 h4 r2/4	115	Céléstine N'Drin	CIV	52.48 (4 h6)	52.04 (5 h4)	–	–
6 h1 r2/4	426	Airat Bakare	NGR	52.83 (3 h2)	52.86 (6 h1)	–	–
6 h2 r2/4	167	Évelyne Élien	FRA	52.90 (4 h4)	53.36 (6 h2)	–	–
6 h3 r2/4	322	Yvonne van Dorp	NED	52.84 (3 h4)	53.50 (6 h3)	–	–
6 h4 r2/4	472	Aïssatou N'Diaye	SEN	52.95 (3 h7)	52.33 (6 h4)	–	–
7 h1 r2/4	221	Loreen Hall	GBR	53.13 (4 h3)	53.42 (7 h1)	–	–
7 h2 r2/4	100	Sun Sumei	CHN	53.46 (5 h3)	53.58 (7 h2)	–	–
7 h3 r2/4	131	Liliana Chalá	ECU	53.74 (4 h1)	53.83 (7 h3)	–	–
7 h4 r2/4	171	Fabienne Ficher	FRA	53.42 (4 h2)	52.95 (7 h4)	–	–
8 h2 r2/4	26	Yolande Straughn	BAR	53.62 (6 h3)	54.22 (8 h2)	–	–
8 h3 r2/4	332	Mercy Kuttan-Mathews	IND	53.41 (5 h6)	53.93 (8 h3)	–	–
8 h4 r2/4	135	Blanca Lacambra	ESP	53.04 (2 h1)	53.76 (8 h4)	–	–
5 h1 r1/4	210	Pat Beckford	GBR	54.39 (5 h1)	–	–	–
5 h2 r1/4	506	Farida Kyakutema	UGA	56.00 (5 h2)	–	–	–
5 h4 r1/4	312	Marilyn Dewarder	GUY	54.76 (5 h4)	–	–	–
5 h5 r1/4	117	Assumpta Achuo-Bei	CMR	55.22 (5 h5)	–	–	–
5 h7 r1/4	180	Nathalie Simon	FRA	53.30 (5 h7)	– (DNS h1)	–	–
6 h1 r1/4	403	Yang Gyeong-Hui	KOR	58.18 (6 h1)	–	–	–
6 h2 r1/4	608	Christine Bakombo	COD	57.85 (6 h2)	–	–	–
6 h4 r1/4	408	May Sardouk	LBN	1:00.01 (6 h4)	–	–	–
6 h5 r1/4	412	Josephine Mary Singarayar	MAS	56.06 (6 h5)	–	–	–
6 h6 r1/4	347	Ruth Morris	ISV	55.60 (6 h6)	–	–	–
6 h7 r1/4	495	Chang Feng-Hua	TPE	56.10 (6 h7)	–	–	–
7 h1 r1/4	292	Juliana Obiong	GEQ	1:07.58 (7 h1)	–	–	–
7 h5 r1/4	615	Lasnet Nkouka	CGO	57.19 (7 h5)	–	–	–
7 h6 r1/4	6	Barbara Selkridge	ANT	55.96 (7 h6)	–	–	–
7 h7 r1/4	306	Agnes Griffith	GRN	57.09 (7 h7)	–	–	–
DNS	21	Gerda Haas	AUT	– (DNS h3)	–	–	–
DNS	422	Sheila Seebaluck	MRI	– (DNS h4)	–	–	–

Round One

Date	23 September 1988
Format	Top four in each heat and next four fastest advanced to the quarter-finals.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	38	Magnólia Figueiredo	BRA	51.74	Q
2	279	Petra Müller	GDR	51.93	Q
3	516	Olga Bryzgina	URS	51.94	Q
4	555	Valerie Brisco	USA	51.96	Q
5	541	Olga Nazarova	URS	52.18	Q
6	370	Sandie Richards	JAM	52.19	Q
=7	227	Linda Keough	GBR	52.26	Q
=7	571	Denean Howard	USA	52.26	Q
9	14	Maree Holland	AUS	52.29	Q
10	369	Cathy Rattray-Williams	JAM	52.39	Q
11	564	Diane Dixon	USA	52.45	Q
12	115	Céléstine N'Drin	CIV	52.48	Q
13	281	Dagmar Neubauer	GDR	52.51	Q
14	183	Helga Arendt	FRG	52.69	Q
15	75	Marita Payne Wiggins	CAN	52.70	Q
16	200	Ute Thimm	FRG	52.79	Q
17	426	Airat Bakare	NGR	52.83	Q
18	322	Yvonne van Dorp	NED	52.84	Q
19	167	Évelyne Élien	FRA	52.90	Q
20	472	Aïssatou N'Diaye	SEN	52.95	Q
21	135	Blanca Lacambra	ESP	53.04	Q
22	77	Jill Richardson	CAN	53.06	Q
23	221	Loreen Hall	GBR	53.13	Q
24	121	Norfalia Carabalí	COL	53.27	Q
25	180	Nathalie Simon	FRA	53.30	q
26	332	Mercy Kuttan-Mathews	IND	53.41	q
27	171	Fabienne Ficher	FRA	53.42	Q
28	100	Sun Sumei	CHN	53.46	q
29	68	Charmaine Crooks	CAN	53.58	Q
30	26	Yolande Straughn	BAR	53.62	q
31	131	Liliana Chalá	ECU	53.74	Q
32	262	Kirsten Emmelmann	GDR	54.02	Q
33	210	Pat Beckford	GBR	54.39
34	312	Marilyn Dewarder	GUY	54.76
35	117	Assumpta Achuo-Bei	CMR	55.22
36	347	Ruth Morris	ISV	55.60
37	6	Barbara Selkridge	ANT	55.96
38	506	Farida Kyakutema	UGA	56.00
39	412	Josephine Mary Singarayar	MAS	56.06
40	495	Chang Feng-Hua	TPE	56.10
41	306	Agnes Griffith	GRN	57.09
42	615	Lasnet Nkouka	CGO	57.19
43	608	Christine Bakombo	COD	57.85
44	403	Yang Gyeong-Hui	KOR	58.18
45	408	May Sardouk	LBN	1:00.01
46	292	Juliana Obiong	GEQ	1:07.58
DNS	21	Gerda Haas	AUT	–
DNS	422	Sheila Seebaluck	MRI	–

Heat #1

Time	12:30

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	541	Olga Nazarova	URS	52.18	Q
2	135	Blanca Lacambra	ESP	53.04	Q
3	68	Charmaine Crooks	CAN	53.58	Q
4	131	Liliana Chalá	ECU	53.74	Q
5	210	Pat Beckford	GBR	54.39
6	403	Yang Gyeong-Hui	KOR	58.18
7	292	Juliana Obiong	GEQ	1:07.58

Heat #2

Time	12:35

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	281	Dagmar Neubauer	GDR	52.51	Q
2	75	Marita Payne Wiggins	CAN	52.70	Q
3	426	Airat Bakare	NGR	52.83	Q
4	171	Fabienne Ficher	FRA	53.42	Q
5	506	Farida Kyakutema	UGA	56.00
6	608	Christine Bakombo	COD	57.85

Heat #3

Time	12:40

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	38	Magnólia Figueiredo	BRA	51.74	Q
2	279	Petra Müller	GDR	51.93	Q
3	370	Sandie Richards	JAM	52.19	Q
4	221	Loreen Hall	GBR	53.13	Q
5	100	Sun Sumei	CHN	53.46	q
6	26	Yolande Straughn	BAR	53.62	q
DNS	21	Gerda Haas	AUT	–

Heat #4

Time	12:45

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	564	Diane Dixon	USA	52.45	Q
2	200	Ute Thimm	FRG	52.79	Q
3	322	Yvonne van Dorp	NED	52.84	Q
4	167	Évelyne Élien	FRA	52.90	Q
5	312	Marilyn Dewarder	GUY	54.76
6	408	May Sardouk	LBN	1:00.01
DNS	422	Sheila Seebaluck	MRI	–

Heat #5

Time	12:50

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	555	Valerie Brisco	USA	51.96	Q
2	14	Maree Holland	AUS	52.29	Q
3	121	Norfalia Carabalí	COL	53.27	Q
4	262	Kirsten Emmelmann	GDR	54.02	Q
5	117	Assumpta Achuo-Bei	CMR	55.22
6	412	Josephine Mary Singarayar	MAS	56.06
7	615	Lasnet Nkouka	CGO	57.19

Heat #6

Time	12:55

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	516	Olga Bryzgina	URS	51.94	Q
2	227	Linda Keough	GBR	52.26	Q
3	369	Cathy Rattray-Williams	JAM	52.39	Q
4	115	Céléstine N'Drin	CIV	52.48	Q
5	332	Mercy Kuttan-Mathews	IND	53.41	q
6	347	Ruth Morris	ISV	55.60
7	6	Barbara Selkridge	ANT	55.96

Heat #7

Time	13:00

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	571	Denean Howard	USA	52.26	Q
2	183	Helga Arendt	FRG	52.69	Q
3	472	Aïssatou N'Diaye	SEN	52.95	Q
4	77	Jill Richardson	CAN	53.06	Q
5	180	Nathalie Simon	FRA	53.30	q
6	495	Chang Feng-Hua	TPE	56.10
7	306	Agnes Griffith	GRN	57.09

Quarter-Finals

Date	24 September 1988
Format	Top four in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	541	Olga Nazarova	URS	50.26	Q
2	14	Maree Holland	AUS	50.90	Q
3	262	Kirsten Emmelmann	GDR	51.02	Q
4	571	Denean Howard	USA	51.02	Q
5	200	Ute Thimm	FRG	51.18	Q
6	555	Valerie Brisco	USA	51.24	Q
7	38	Magnólia Figueiredo	BRA	51.32
8	279	Petra Müller	GDR	51.45	Q
9	281	Dagmar Neubauer	GDR	51.48	Q
10	68	Charmaine Crooks	CAN	51.64	Q
11	75	Marita Payne Wiggins	CAN	51.73	Q
12	121	Norfalia Carabalí	COL	51.76	Q
13	369	Cathy Rattray-Williams	JAM	51.81	Q
14	516	Olga Bryzgina	URS	51.90	Q
15	227	Linda Keough	GBR	51.91
16	564	Diane Dixon	USA	51.98	Q
17	115	Céléstine N'Drin	CIV	52.04
18	183	Helga Arendt	FRG	52.08	Q
=19	77	Jill Richardson	CAN	52.33	Q
=19	472	Aïssatou N'Diaye	SEN	52.33
21	426	Airat Bakare	NGR	52.86
22	370	Sandie Richards	JAM	52.90
23	171	Fabienne Ficher	FRA	52.95
24	167	Évelyne Élien	FRA	53.36
25	221	Loreen Hall	GBR	53.42
26	322	Yvonne van Dorp	NED	53.50
27	100	Sun Sumei	CHN	53.58
28	135	Blanca Lacambra	ESP	53.76
29	131	Liliana Chalá	ECU	53.83
30	332	Mercy Kuttan-Mathews	IND	53.93
31	26	Yolande Straughn	BAR	54.22
DNS	180	Nathalie Simon	FRA	–

Heat #1

Time	10:30

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	14	Maree Holland	AUS	50.90	Q
2	262	Kirsten Emmelmann	GDR	51.02	Q
3	571	Denean Howard	USA	51.02	Q
4	200	Ute Thimm	FRG	51.18	Q
5	38	Magnólia Figueiredo	BRA	51.32
6	426	Airat Bakare	NGR	52.86
7	221	Loreen Hall	GBR	53.42
DNS	180	Nathalie Simon	FRA	–

Heat #2

Time	10:35

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	516	Olga Bryzgina	URS	51.90	Q
2	564	Diane Dixon	USA	51.98	Q
3	183	Helga Arendt	FRG	52.08	Q
4	77	Jill Richardson	CAN	52.33	Q
5	370	Sandie Richards	JAM	52.90
6	167	Évelyne Élien	FRA	53.36
7	100	Sun Sumei	CHN	53.58
8	26	Yolande Straughn	BAR	54.22

Heat #3

Time	10:40

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	279	Petra Müller	GDR	51.45	Q
2	75	Marita Payne Wiggins	CAN	51.73	Q
3	121	Norfalia Carabalí	COL	51.76	Q
4	369	Cathy Rattray-Williams	JAM	51.81	Q
5	227	Linda Keough	GBR	51.91
6	322	Yvonne van Dorp	NED	53.50
7	131	Liliana Chalá	ECU	53.83
8	332	Mercy Kuttan-Mathews	IND	53.93

Heat #4

Time	10:45

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	541	Olga Nazarova	URS	50.26	Q
2	555	Valerie Brisco	USA	51.24	Q
3	281	Dagmar Neubauer	GDR	51.48	Q
4	68	Charmaine Crooks	CAN	51.64	Q
5	115	Céléstine N'Drin	CIV	52.04
6	472	Aïssatou N'Diaye	SEN	52.33
7	171	Fabienne Ficher	FRA	52.95
8	135	Blanca Lacambra	ESP	53.76

Semi-Finals

Date	25 September 1988
Format	Top four in each heat advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time (automatic)
1	541	Olga Nazarova	URS	49.11	Q
2	516	Olga Bryzgina	URS	49.33	Q
3	279	Petra Müller	GDR	49.50	Q
4	564	Diane Dixon	USA	49.84	Q
5	571	Denean Howard	USA	49.87	Q
6	555	Valerie Brisco	USA	49.90	Q
7	77	Jill Richardson	CAN	49.91
8	14	Maree Holland	AUS	50.24	Q
9	200	Ute Thimm	FRG	50.28
10	75	Marita Payne Wiggins	CAN	50.29
11	183	Helga Arendt	FRG	50.36	Q
12	262	Kirsten Emmelmann	GDR	50.39
13	369	Cathy Rattray-Williams	JAM	50.82
14	281	Dagmar Neubauer	GDR	50.92
15	68	Charmaine Crooks	CAN	51.63
16	121	Norfalia Carabalí	COL	52.65

Heat #1

Time	12:45

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	541	Olga Nazarova	URS	49.11	Q
2	279	Petra Müller	GDR	49.50	Q
3	564	Diane Dixon	USA	49.84	Q
4	571	Denean Howard	USA	49.87	Q
5	77	Jill Richardson	CAN	49.91
6	200	Ute Thimm	FRG	50.28
7	75	Marita Payne Wiggins	CAN	50.29
8	281	Dagmar Neubauer	GDR	50.92

Heat #2

Time	12:50

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	516	Olga Bryzgina	URS	49.33	Q
2	555	Valerie Brisco	USA	49.90	Q
3	14	Maree Holland	AUS	50.24	Q
4	183	Helga Arendt	FRG	50.36	Q
5	262	Kirsten Emmelmann	GDR	50.39
6	369	Cathy Rattray-Williams	JAM	50.82
7	68	Charmaine Crooks	CAN	51.63
8	121	Norfalia Carabalí	COL	52.65

Final Round

Date	26 September 1988 — 16:05

Pos	Lane	Competitor	NOC	Time (Automatic)
1	516	Olga Bryzgina	URS	48.65	OR
2	279	Petra Müller	GDR	49.45
3	541	Olga Nazarova	URS	49.90
4	555	Valerie Brisco	USA	50.16
5	564	Diane Dixon	USA	50.72
6	571	Denean Howard	USA	51.12
7	183	Helga Arendt	FRG	51.17
8	14	Maree Holland	AUS	51.25