The women's 400 metres event at the 1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships was held at the Budapest Sportcsarnok in Budapest on 3 and 4 March.
Medalists
| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
Helga Arendt West Germany
|
Diane Dixon United States
|
Jillian Richardson Canada
|
Results
Heats
The first 2 of each heat (Q) and next 2 fastest (q) qualified for the semifinals.[1]
| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Maree Holland |  Australia |
52.90 | Q, AR |
| 2 | 3 | Sally Gunnell |  Great Britain |
52.91 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | Marina Shmonina |  Soviet Union |
53.03 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | Diane Dixon | United States |
53.15 | Q |
| 5 | 3 | Charmaine Crooks | Canada |
53.22 | Q |
| 6 | 3 | Helga Arendt | West Germany |
53.31 | q |
| 7 | 1 | Judit Forgács |  Hungary |
53.33 | q |
| 8 | 1 | Jearl Miles | United States |
53.33 | q |
| 9 | 2 | Jillian Richardson | Canada |
53.36 | Q |
| 10 | 2 | Erzsébet Szabó | Hungary |
53.41 | q |
| 11 | 3 | Marina Kharlamova | Soviet Union |
53.44 | q |
| 12 | 3 | Iolanda Oanță |  Romania |
53.50 | q |
| 13 | 2 | Marcia Tate |  Jamaica |
53.53 | |
| 14 | 2 | Angela Piggford | Great Britain |
53.69 |
Semifinals
First 3 of each semifinal (Q) qualified directly for the final.[2]
| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Diane Dixon | United States |
52.12 | Q |
| 2 | 1 | Jillian Richardson | Canada |
52.17 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | Maree Holland | Australia |
52.21 | Q, AR |
| 4 | 1 | Marina Kharlamova | Soviet Union |
52.23 | PB |
| 5 | 2 | Helga Arendt | West Germany |
52.29 | Q |
| 6 | 2 | Marina Shmonina | Soviet Union |
52.33 | Q |
| 7 | 2 | Sally Gunnell | Great Britain |
52.35 | Q |
| 8 | 1 | Charmaine Crooks | Canada |
52.52 | |
| 9 | 2 | Iolanda Oanță | Romania |
52.93 | |
| 10 | 2 | Erzsébet Szabó | Hungary |
52.93 | |
| 11 | 2 | Jearl Miles | United States |
53.28 | |
| 12 | 1 | Judit Forgács | Hungary |
53.86 |
Final
| Rank | Lane | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
3 | Helga Arendt | West Germany |
51.52 | CR |
 |
4 | Diane Dixon | United States |
51.77 | AR |
 |
5 | Jillian Richardson | Canada |
52.02 | |
| 4 | 6 | Maree Holland | Australia |
52.17 | AR |
| 5 | 2 | Marina Shmonina | Soviet Union |
52.44 | |
| 6 | 1 | Sally Gunnell | Great Britain |
52.60 |