| Date | 18 September 1988 |
|---|---|
| Location | Su-yeong-jang, Ol-lim-pik Gong-won, Seoul |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Noëmi Lung | ROU | 4:41.96 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Kathleen Nord | GDR | 4:42.92 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Jodie Clatworthy | AUS | 4:44.26 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Yelena Dendeberova | URS | 4:46.63 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Lin Li | CHN | 4:48.89 | |||
| 6 | 1 | Birgit Lohberg-Schulz | FRG | 4:52.05 | |||
| 7 | 7 | Marianne Muis | NED | 4:56.31 | |||
| 8 | 8 | Mildred Muis | NED | 4:56.89 |