# 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics – Women's 400 metres

The women's 400 metres event at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics was held in Annecy, France, at Parc des Sports on 28, 29 and 31 July.

## Medalists

| Gold | Natalya Nazarova Russia |
| Silver | Nakiya Johnson United States |
| Bronze | Yudalis Díaz Cuba |

## Results
### Final

31 July
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time |
| | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 52.02 |
| | Nakiya Johnson | United States | 52.09 |
| | Yudalis Díaz | Cuba | 52.39 |
| 4 | Alina Rîpanu | Romania | 52.89 |
| 5 | Estie Wittstock | South Africa | 53.16 |
| 6 | Justine Bayiga | Uganda | 53.29 |
| 7 | Keasha Downer | Jamaica | 53.68 |
| 8 | Mikele Barber | United States | 54.24 |

### Semifinals

29 July

#### Semifinal 1

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 51.95 | Q |
| 2 | Nakiya Johnson | United States | 52.80 | Q |
| 3 | Keasha Downer | Jamaica | 53.01 | Q |
| 4 | Alina Rîpanu | Romania | 53.34 | q |
| 5 | Zulia Calatayúd | Cuba | 53.65 | |
| 6 | Kristin Götz | Germany | 54.41 | |
| 7 | Martina Morawska | Czech Republic | 54.48 | |
| 8 | Carey Easton | United Kingdom | 54.70 | |

#### Semifinal 2

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Justine Bayiga | Uganda | 52.73 | Q |
| 2 | Yudalis Díaz | Cuba | 53.07 | Q |
| 3 | Estie Wittstock | South Africa | 53.20 | Q |
| 4 | Mikele Barber | United States | 53.44 | q |
| 5 | Kristina Perica | Croatia | 53.60 | |
| 6 | Rosemary Hayward | Australia | 54.34 | |
| 7 | Alexia Oberstolz | Italy | 54.51 | |
| 8 | Katerina Glosová | Czech Republic | 54.58 | |

### Heats

28 July

#### Heat 1

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 52.98 | Q |
| 2 | Justine Bayiga | Uganda | 53.23 | Q |
| 3 | Rosemary Hayward | Australia | 53.90 | Q |
| 4 | Estie Wittstock | South Africa | 54.18 | q |
| 5 | Carey Easton | United Kingdom | 54.28 | q |
| 6 | Aleksandra Pielużek | Poland | 54.69 | |
| 7 | Lotte Visschers | Netherlands | 55.72 | |

#### Heat 2

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Nakiya Johnson | United States | 53.07 | Q |
| 2 | Alina Rîpanu | Romania | 53.36 | Q |
| 3 | Zulia Calatayúd | Cuba | 54.00 | Q |
| 4 | Svetlana Pospelova | Russia | 54.80 | |
| 5 | Jennifer Marshall | Australia | 54.88 | |
| 6 | Sashanie Simpson | Jamaica | 54.96 | |
| 7 | Lucy-Ann Richards | Barbados | 55.29 | |

#### Heat 3

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Kristina Perica | Croatia | 53.89 | Q |
| 2 | Keasha Downer | Jamaica | 53.94 | Q |
| 3 | Alexia Oberstolz | Italy | 54.48 | Q |
| 4 | Katerina Glosová | Czech Republic | 54.53 | q |
| 5 | Hazel-Ann Regis | Grenada | 55.55 | |
| 6 | Oksana Luneva | Kyrgyzstan | 57.54 | |

#### Heat 4

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Yudalis Díaz | Cuba | 52.74 | Q |
| 2 | Mikele Barber | United States | 53.86 | Q |
| 3 | Martina Morawska | Czech Republic | 54.13 | Q |
| 4 | Kristin Götz | Germany | 54.27 | q |
| 5 | Lu Minling | China | 55.35 | |
| 6 | Yolandé Neethling | South Africa | 56.28 | |
| 7 | Diala El-Chabi | Lebanon | 58.92 | |
| 8 | Mariama Diaby | Guinea | 59.06 | |

## Participation

According to an unofficial count, 28 athletes from 21 countries participated in the event.
* Australia (2)
* Barbados (1)
* China (1)
* Croatia (1)
* Cuba (2)
* Czech Republic (2)
* Germany (1)
* Grenada (1)
* Guinea (1)
* Italy (1)
* Jamaica (2)
* Kyrgyzstan (1)
* Lebanon (1)
* Netherlands (1)
* Poland (1)
* Romania (1)
* Russia (2)
* South Africa (2)
* Uganda (1)
* United Kingdom (1)
* United States (2)