Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metres
These are the official results of the women's 400 metres event at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The competition was held on July 25, 1980, and on July 28, 1980.Final
- Held on Monday July 28, 1980
Semifinals
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Marita Koch | | 50.57 | - |
| 2 | Gabriele Löwe | | 50.85 | - |
| 3 | Pirjo Häggman | | 51.02 | - |
| 4 | Nina Zyuskova | | 51.12 | - |
| 5 | Lyudmila Chernova | | 51.30 | - |
| 6 | Joslyn Hoyte-Smith | | 51.47 | - |
| 7 | Małgorzata Dunecka | | 51.93 | - |
| 8 | Rositsa Stamenova | | 52.96 | - |
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Christina Lathan | | 50.16 | - |
| 2 | Irina Nazarova | | 50.18 | - |
| 3 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | | 50.79 | - |
| 4 | Linsey MacDonald | | 51.60 | - |
| 5 | Michelle Probert | | 51.89 | - |
| 6 | Ilona Pál | | 51.99 | - |
| 7 | Grażyna Oliszewska | | 52.36 | - |
| 8 | Irena Szewińska | | 53.13 | - |
Heats
- Held on Friday July 25, 1980
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Christina Lathan | | 51.33 | - |
| 2 | Ilona Pál | | 51.99 | - |
| 3 | Michelle Probert | | 52.16 | - |
| 4 | Svobodka Damyanova | | 52.23 | - |
| 5 | Niculina Lazarciuc | | 52.52 | - |
| 6 | Ann-Louise Skoglund | | 52.78 | - |
| 7 | Kehinde Vaughan | | 53.54 | - |
| 8 | Eugenia Osho-Williams | | 1:00.44 | - |
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Nina Ziuskova | | 51.42 | - |
| 2 | Linsey MacDonald | | 52.57 | - |
| 3 | Rositsa Stamenova | | 52.71 | - |
| 4 | Maria Samungi | | 52.89 | - |
| 5 | Sophie Malbranque | | 53.46 | - |
| 6 | Hala El-Moughrabi | | 59.33 | - |
| 7 | Xiomara Larios | | 1:01.50 | - |
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Irina Nazarova | | 51.66 | - |
| 2 | Pirjo Häggman | | 52.56 | - |
| 3 | Irena Szewińska | | 52.57 | - |
| 4 | Karoline Käfer | | 52.82 | - |
| 5 | Erica Rossi | | 52.98 | - |
| 6 | Judit Forgács | | 53.06 | - |
| 7 | Marième Boye | | 55.16 | - |
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Joslyn Hoyte-Smith | | 52.24 | - |
| 2 | Gabriele Löwe | | 52.43 | - |
| 3 | Grażyna Oliszewska | | 52.62 | - |
| 4 | Mary Akinyemi | | 52.64 | - |
| 5 | Elena Tărîţă | | 52.96 | - |
| 6 | Malena Andonova | | 53.30 | - |
| 7 | Anne Michel | | 54.22 | - |
| 8 | Acacia Mate | | 1:00.90 | - |
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | | 51.04 | - |
| 2 | Marita Koch | | 51.06 | - |
| 3 | Lyudmila Chernova | | 51.51 | - |
| 4 | Małgorzata Dunecka | | 51.84 | - |
| 5 | Rosine Wallez | | 52.00 | - |
| 6 | Gloria Ayanlaja | | 53.55 | - |
| 7 | Ruth Williams-Simpson | | 55.59 | - |
| 8 | Trần Thị Ngọc Anh | | 1:00.62 | - |
