# Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metres

The Women's 400 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics programme was held at Stadium Australia on Friday 22 September, Saturday 23 September, Sunday 24 September, and Monday 25 September 2000. The winning margin was 0.47 seconds.
The top three runners in each of the initial seven heats automatically qualified for the second round. The next eight fastest runners from across the heats also qualified for the second round. The top four runners in each of the four second round heats automatically qualified for the semi-final.
The top four runners in each semi-final automatically qualified for the final.
There were a total number of 59 participating athletes.

## Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 2000 Summer Olympics.
| World Record | 47.60 | Marita Koch | East Germany | Canberra, Australia | 6 October 1985 |
| Olympic Record | 48.25 | Marie-José Pérec | France | Atlanta, United States | 29 July 1996 |

## Medals

| Gold: | Silver: | Bronze: |
| Cathy Freeman, Australia | Lorraine Graham, Jamaica | Katharine Merry, Great Britain |

## Results

All times shown are in seconds.
* Q denotes qualification by place in heat.
* q denotes qualification by overall place.
* DNS denotes did not start.
* DNF denotes did not finish.
* DQ denotes disqualification.
* NR denotes national record.
* OR denotes Olympic record.
* WR denotes world record.
* PB denotes personal best.
* SB denotes season best.

## Qualifying heats
### Round 1

Heat 1 of 8 Date: Friday 22 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 9 | La Tasha Colander-Richardson | United States | 5 | 0.212 | 51.75 | Q | |
| 2 | T14 | Mireille Nguimgo | Cameroon | 6 | 0.242 | 51.88 | Q | |
| 3 | 16 | Heide Seyerling | South Africa | 3 | 0.428 | 51.92 | Q | |
| 4 | 30 | Foy Williams | Canada | 2 | 0.343 | 52.94 | q | |
| 5 | 33 | Christine Amertil | Bahamas | 4 | 0.254 | 53.12 | | |
| 6 | 47 | Oksana Luneva | Kyrgyzstan | 8 | 0.403 | 54.98 | | |
| 7 | 48 | Hazel-Ann Regis | Grenada | 7 | | 55.11 | | |
Heat 2 of 8 Date: Friday 22 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 10 | Charity Opara | Nigeria | 4 | 0.204 | 51.77 | Q | |
| 2 | 18 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 2 | 0.297 | 52.05 | Q | |
| 3 | 19 | Damayanthi Darsha | Sri Lanka | 6 | 0.242 | 52.13 | Q | |
| 4 | T22 | Nadjina Kaltouma | Chad | 2 | 0.202 | 52.34 | q | |
| 5 | 32 | Lee Naylor | Australia | 1 | | 53.10 | q | |
| 6 | 41 | Svetlana Bodritskaya | Kazakhstan | 5 | 0.199 | 53.91 | | |
| 7 | 46 | Lilian Bwalya | Zambia | 8 | 0.403 | 54.77 | | |
| 8 | 54 | Maritza Figueroa | Nicaragua | 7 | | 58.82 | | |
Heat 3 of 8 Date: Friday 22 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 12 | Amy Mbacké Thiam | Senegal | 8 | 0.217 | 51.79 | Q | |
| 2 | 22 | Ana Guevara | Mexico | 5 | 0.315 | 52.34 | Q | |
| 3 | 27 | Otilia Silvia Ruicu | Romania | 4 | | 52.65 | Q | |
| 4 | 34 | Karen Shinkins | Ireland | 2 | 0.258 | 53.27 | | |
| 5 | T35 | Norma Gonzalez | Colombia | 6 | 0.220 | 53.34 | | |
| 6 | 57 | Safia Abukar Hussein | Somalia | 3 | | 1:13.25 | | |
Heat 4 of 8 Date: Friday 22 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 5 | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 3 | 0.258 | 51.63 | Q | |
| 2 | 7 | Monique Hennagan | United States | 4 | 0.320 | 51.73 | Q | |
| 3 | 8 | Claudine Komgang | Cameroon | 8 | 0.551 | 51.74 | Q | |
| 4 | 24 | Norfalia Carabalí | Spain | 7 | | 52.36 | q | |
| 5 | 38 | Olena Rurak | Ukraine | 2 | 0.202 | 53.45 | | |
| 6 | 40 | Kristina Perica | Croatia | 6 | 0.523 | 53.72 | | |
| 7 | 44 | Awatef Ben Hassine | Tunisia | 5 | 0.308 | 54.50 | | |
Heat 5 of 8 Date: Friday 22 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | T3 | Katharine Merry | Great Britain | 7 | 0.336 | 51.61 | Q | |
| 2 | 13 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 4 | 0.294 | 51.86 | Q | |
| 3 | 26 | Nova Peris-Kneebone | Australia | 8 | 0.191 | 52.51 | Q | |
| 4 | 28 | Hana Benešová | Czech Republic | 6 | | 52.85 | q | |
| 5 | 31 | Aliann Pompey | Guyana | 2 | 0.226 | 53.09 | q | |
| 6 | 45 | Verneta Lesforis | Saint Lucia | 5 | 0.520 | 54.67 | | |
| 7 | 52 | Klodiana Shala | Albania | 1 | | 56.41 | | |
| 8 | | Marie-José Pérec | France | 3 | | DNS | | |
Heat 6 of 8 Date: Friday 22 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 2 | Jitka Burianová | Czech Republic | 4 | 0.302 | 51.59 | Q | |
| 2 | 3T | Olabisi Afolabi | Nigeria | 2 | 0.221 | 51.62 | Q | |
| 3 | 6 | Lorraine Graham | Jamaica | 5 | | 51.65 | Q | |
| 4 | 20 | Allison Curbishley | Great Britain | 6 | 0.209 | 52.20 | q | |
| 5 | 29 | Barbara Petráhn | Hungary | 2 | 0.189 | 52.86 | q | |
| 6 | 37 | Tonique Williams | Bahamas | 7 | 0.174 | 53.43 | | |
| 7 | 53 | Marcia Fernanda Daniel | Dominica | 8 | 0.222 | 58.20 | | |
| 8 | 56 | Haissa Ali Garba | Niger | 1 | | 1:07.49 | | |
Heat 7 of 8 Date: Friday 22 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 1 | K. M. Beenamol | India | 8 | | 51.51 | Q | |
| 2 | 17 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 6 | 0.190 | 51.99 | Q | |
| 3 | 25 | Žana Minina | Lithuania | 7 | 0.201 | 52.38 | Q | |
| 4 | 39 | Michelle Collins | United States | 4 | 0.295 | 53.66 | | |
| 5 | 42 | Tanya Oxley | Barbados | 2 | | 54.22 | | |
| 6 | 43 | Daniela Georgieva | Bulgaria | 1 | | 54.46 | | |
| 7 | 51 | Dijana Kojić | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 | | 55.61 | | |
| 8 | 55 | Awmima Mohamed | Sudan | 5 | | 1:02.94 | | |
Heat 8 of 8 Date: Friday 22 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 11 | Ladonna Antoine | Canada | 5 | | 51.78 | Q | |
| 2 | T14 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 6 | 0.187 | 51.88 | Q | |
| 3 | 21 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 8 | 0.209 | 52.33 | Q | |
| 4 | T35 | Svetlana Pospelova | Russia | 3 | | 53.34 | | |
| 5 | 49 | Yelena Piskunova | Uzbekistan | 2 | 0.285 | 55.40 | | |
| 6 | 50 | Ann Mooney | Papua New Guinea | 4 | 0.378 | 55.55 | | |
| 7 | | Brigita Langerholc | Slovenia | 7 | | DNS | | |
Overall Results Round 1
Round 1 Overall Results :
| Place | Athlete | Nation | Heat | Lane | Place | Time | Qual. |
| 1 | K. M. Beenamol | India | 7 | 8 | 1 | 51.51 | Q |
| 2 | Jitka Burianová | Czech Republic | 6 | 4 | 1 | 51.59 | Q |
| 3 | Olabisi Afolabi | Nigeria | 6 | 3 | 2 | 51.61 | Q |
| 3 | Katharine Merry | Great Britain | 5 | 7 | 1 | 51.61 | Q |
| 5 | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 4 | 3 | 1 | 51.63 | Q |
| 6 | Lorraine Graham | Jamaica | 6 | 5 | 3 | 51.65 | Q |
| 7 | Monique Hennagan | United States | 4 | 4 | 2 | 51.73 | Q |
| 8 | Claudine Komgang | Cameroon | 4 | 8 | 3 | 51.74 | Q |
| 9 | La Tasha Colander-Richardson | United States | 1 | 5 | 1 | 51.75 | Q |
| 10 | Charity Opara | Nigeria | 2 | 4 | 1 | 51.77 | Q |
| 11 | Ladonna Antoine | Canada | 8 | 5 | 1 | 51.78 | Q |
| 12 | Amy Mbacké Thiam | Senegal | 3 | 8 | 1 | 51.71 | Q |
| 13 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 5 | 4 | 2 | 51.86 | Q |
| 14 | Mireille Nguimgo | Cameroon | 1 | 6 | 2 | 51.88 | Q |
| 14 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 8 | 6 | 2 | 51.88 | Q |
| 16 | Heide Seyerling | South Africa | 1 | 3 | 3 | 51.92 | Q |
| 17 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 7 | 6 | 2 | 51.99 | Q |
| 18 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 2 | 2 | 2 | 52.05 | Q |
| 19 | Damayanthi Darsha | Sri Lanka | 2 | 6 | 3 | 52.13 | Q |
| 20 | Allison Curbishley | Great Britain | 6 | 6 | 4 | 52.20 | q |
| 21 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 8 | 8 | 3 | 52.33 | Q |
| 22 | Ana Guevara | Mexico | 3 | 5 | 2 | 52.34 | Q |
| 22 | Nadjina Kaltouma | Chad | 2 | 3 | 4 | 52.34 | q |
| 24 | Norfalia Carabalí | Spain | 4 | 7 | 4 | 52.36 | q |
| 25 | Zana Minina | Lithuania | 7 | 7 | 3 | 52.38 | Q |
| 26 | Nova Peris-Kneebone | Australia | 5 | 8 | 3 | 52.51 | Q |
| 27 | Otilia Silvia Ruicu | Romania | 3 | 4 | 3 | 52.65 | Q |
| 28 | Hana Benešová | Czech Republic | 5 | 6 | 4 | 52.85 | q |
| 29 | Barbara Petráhn | Hungary | 6 | 2 | 5 | 52.86 | q |
| 30 | Foy Williams | Canada | 1 | 2 | 4 | 52.94 | q |
| 31 | Aliann Pompey | Guyana | 5 | 2 | 5 | 53.09 | q |
| 32 | Lee Naylor | Australia | 2 | 1 | 5 | 53.10 | q |
| 33 | Christine Amertil | Bahamas | 1 | 4 | 5 | 53.12 | |
| 34 | Karen Shinkins | Ireland | 3 | 2 | 4 | 53.27 | |
| 35 | Norma Gonzalez | Colombia | 3 | 6 | 5 | 53.34 | |
| 35 | Svetlana Pospelova | Russia | 8 | 3 | 4 | 53.34 | |
| 37 | Tonique Williams | Bahamas | 6 | 7 | 6 | 53.43 | |
| 38 | Olena Rurak | Ukraine | 4 | 2 | 5 | 53.45 | |
| 39 | Michelle Collins | United States | 7 | 4 | 4 | 53.66 | |
| 40 | Kristina Perica | Croatia | 4 | 6 | 6 | 53.72 | |
| 41 | Svetlana Bodritskaya | Kazakhstan | 2 | 5 | 6 | 53.91 | |
| 42 | Tanya Oxley | Barbados | 7 | 3 | 5 | 54.22 | |
| 43 | Daniela Georgieva | Bulgaria | 7 | 1 | 6 | 54.46 | |
| 44 | Awatef Ben Hassine | Tunisia | 4 | 5 | 7 | 54.50 | |
| 45 | Verneta Lesforis | Saint Lucia | 5 | 5 | 6 | 54.67 | |
| 46 | Lilian Bwalya | Zambia | 2 | 8 | 7 | 54.77 | |
| 47 | Oksana Luneva | Kyrgyzstan | 1 | 8 | 6 | 54.98 | |
| 48 | Hazel-Ann Regis | Grenada | 1 | 7 | 7 | 55.11 | |
| 49 | Elena Piskunova | Uzbekistan | 8 | 2 | 5 | 54.40 | |
| 50 | Ann Mooney | Papua New Guinea | 8 | 4 | 6 | 55.55 | |
| 51 | Dijana Kojic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7 | 2 | 7 | 55.61 | |
| 52 | Klodiana Shala | Albania | 5 | 1 | 7 | 56.41 | |
| 53 | Marcia Fernanda Daniel | Dominica | 6 | 8 | 7 | 58.20 | |
| 54 | Maritza Figueroa | Nicaragua | 2 | 7 | 8 | 58.82 | |
| 55 | Awmima Mohamed | Sudan | 7 | 5 | 8 | 1:02.94 | |
| 56 | Haissa Ali Garba | Niger | 6 | 1 | 8 | 1:07.49 | |
| 57 | Safia Abukar Hussein | Somalia | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1:13.25 | |
| | Brigita Langerholc | Slovenia | 3 | 7 | | DNS | |
| | Marie-José Pérec | France | 5 | 3 | | DNS | |

### Round 2

Heat 1 of 4 Date: Saturday 23 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 6 | Jitka Burianová | Czech Republic | 3 | 0.274 | 50.85 | Q | PB |
| 2 | 8 | Ladonna Antoine | Canada | 5 | 0.179 | 50.92 | Q | PB |
| 3 | 14 | Nova Peris-Kneebone | Australia | 2 | 0.196 | 51.28 | Q | PB |
| 4 | 15 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 6 | 0.198 | 51.44 | Q | |
| 5 | 16 | Claudine Komgang | Cameroon | 7 | | 51.57 | | |
| 6 | 19 | Monique Hennagan | United States | 4 | 0.478 | 51.85 | | |
| 7 | 26 | Nadjina Kaltouma | Chad | 1 | 0.215 | 52.60 | | |
| 8 | 31 | Aliann Pompey | Guyana | 8 | 0.212 | 53.42 | | |
Heat 2 of 4 Date: Saturday 23 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 3 | Katharine Merry | Great Britain | 2 | 0.270 | 50.50 | Q | |
| 2 | 7 | Heide Seyerling | South Africa | 7 | 0.163 | 50.87 | Q | PB |
| 3 | 9 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 6 | 0.182 | 50.97 | Q | |
| 4 | 10 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 5 | 0.209 | 51.00 | Q | |
| 5 | 11 | Charity Opara | Nigeria | 4 | 0.206 | 51.04 | | |
| 6 | 25 | Zana Minina | Lithuania | 8 | 0.300 | 52.53 | | |
| 7 | 27 | Norfalia Carabalí | Spain | 1 | | 52.63 | | |
| 8 | 28 | Foy Williams | Canada | 2 | 0.337 | 52.68 | | |
Heat 3 of 4 Date: Saturday 23 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 4 | Lorraine Graham | Jamaica | 8 | 0.216 | 50.66 | Q | |
| 2 | 13 | Ana Guevara | Mexico | 5 | | 51.19 | Q | |
| 3 | 17 | Amy Mbacké Thiam | Senegal | 6 | 0.217 | 51.64 | Q | |
| 4 | 18 | K. M. Beenamol | India | 4 | | 51.81 | Q | |
| 5 | 20 | Olabisi Afolabi | Nigeria | 3 | 0.263 | 51.87 | | |
| 6 | 22 | Otilia Silvia Ruicu | Romania | 1 | | 52.28 | | |
| 7 | 24 | Allison Curbishley | Great Britain | 1 | 0.193 | 52.50 | | |
| 8 | 32 | Lee Naylor | Australia | 7 | | 53.83 | | |
Heat 4 of 4 Date: Saturday 23 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 1 | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 4 | 0.464 | 50.31 | Q | |
| 2 | 2 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 6 | 0.196 | 50.49 | Q | |
| 3 | 5 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 8 | 0.194 | 50.77 | Q | PB |
| 4 | 12 | Mireille Nguimgo | Cameroon | 5 | 0.200 | 51.08 | Q | |
| 5 | 21 | La Tasha Colander-Richardson | United States | 2 | 0.202 | 53.45 | | |
| 6 | 23 | Damayanthi Darsha | Sri Lanka | 1 | 0.234 | 52.35 | | |
| 7 | 29 | Hana Benešová | Czech Republic | 2 | 0.209 | 52.70 | | |
| 8 | 30 | Barbara Petráhn | Hungary | 7 | 0.224 | 52.72 | | |
Overall Results Round 2
Round 2 Overall Results :
| Place | Athlete | Nation | Heat | Lane | Place | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 4 | 4 | 1 | 50.31 | Q | |
| 2 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 4 | 6 | 2 | 50.49 | Q | |
| 3 | Katharine Merry | Great Britain | 2 | 3 | 1 | 50.50 | Q | |
| 4 | Lorraine Graham | Jamaica | 3 | 8 | 1 | 50.66 | Q | |
| 5 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 4 | 8 | 3 | 50.77 | Q | PB |
| 6 | Jitka Burianová | Czech Republic | 1 | 3 | 1 | 50.85 | Q | PB |
| 7 | Heide Seyerling | South Africa | 2 | 7 | 2 | 50.87 | Q | PB |
| 8 | Ladonna Antoine | Canada | 1 | 5 | 2 | 50.92 | Q | PB |
| 9 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 2 | 6 | 3 | 50.97 | Q | |
| 10 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 2 | 5 | 4 | 51.00 | Q | |
| 11 | Charity Opara | Nigeria | 2 | 4 | 5 | 51.04 | | |
| 12 | Mireille Nguimgo | Cameroon | 4 | 5 | 4 | 51.08 | Q | |
| 13 | Ana Guevara | Mexico | 3 | 5 | 2 | 51.19 | Q | |
| 14 | Nova Peris-Kneebone | Australia | 1 | 2 | 3 | 51.28 | Q | |
| 15 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 1 | 6 | 4 | 51.44 | Q | |
| 16 | Claudine Komgang | Cameroon | 1 | 7 | 5 | 51.57 | | |
| 17 | Amy Mbacké Thiam | Senegal | 3 | 6 | 3 | 51.64 | Q | |
| 18 | K. M. Beenamol | India | 3 | 4 | 4 | 51.81 | Q | |
| 19 | Monique Hennagan | United States | 1 | 4 | 6 | 51.85 | | |
| 20 | Olabisi Afolabi | Nigeria | 3 | 3 | 5 | 51.87 | | |
| 21 | La Tasha Colander-Richardson | United States | 4 | 3 | 5 | 52.07 | | |
| 22 | Otilia Silvia Ruicu | Romania | 3 | 1 | 6 | 52.28 | | |
| 23 | Damayanthi Darsha | Sri Lanka | 4 | 1 | 6 | 52.35 | | |
| 24 | Allison Curbishley | Great Britain | 3 | 2 | 7 | 52.50 | | |
| 25 | Zana Minina | Lithuania | 2 | 8 | 6 | 52.53 | | |
| 26 | Nadjina Kaltouma | Chad | 1 | 1 | 7 | 52.60 | | |
| 27 | Norfalia Carabalí | Spain | 2 | 1 | 7 | 52.63 | | |
| 28 | Foy Williams | Canada | 2 | 2 | 8 | 52:68 | | |
| 29 | Hana Benešová | Czech Republic | 4 | 2 | 7 | 52.70 | | |
| 30 | Barbara Petráhn | Hungary | 4 | 7 | 8 | 52.72 | | |
| 31 | Aliann Pompey | Guyana | 1 | 8 | 8 | 53.42 | | |
| 32 | Lee Naylor | Australia | 3 | 7 | 8 | 53.83 | | |

### Semi-finals

Heat 1 of 2 Date: Sunday 24 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 5 | Lorraine Graham | Jamaica | 4 | 0.444 | 50.28 | Q | |
| 2 | 6 | Katharine Merry | Great Britain | 3 | 0.301 | 50.32 | Q | |
| 3 | 8 | Heide Seyerling | South Africa | 5 | | 51.06 | Q | |
| 4 | 10 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 7 | 0.243 | 51.21 | Q | |
| 5 | 11 | Ladonna Antoine | Canada | 6 | 0.273 | 51.26 | | |
| 6 | 13 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 2 | 0.191 | 51.83 | | |
| 7 | 14 | Mireille Nguimgo | Cameroon | 1 | 0.213 | 52.03 | | |
| 8 | 16 | Nova Peris-Kneebone | Australia | 8 | 0.263 | 52.49 | | |
Heat 2 of 2 Date: Sunday 24 September 2000 :
| Place | Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| Heat | Overall | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | 1 | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 3 | 0.261 | 50.01 | Q | |
| 2 | 2 | Ana Guevara | Mexico | 5 | 0.370 | 50.11 | Q | |
| 3 | 3 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 4 | 0.416 | 50.18 | Q | |
| 4 | 4 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 7 | 0.188 | 50.21 | Q | PB |
| 5 | 7 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 2 | 0.253 | 50.42 | | SB |
| 6 | 9 | Jitka Burianová | Czech Republic | 6 | 0.255 | 51.15 | | |
| 7 | 12 | Amy Mbacké Thiam | Senegal | 1 | 0.238 | 51.60 | | |
| 8 | 15 | K. M. Beenamol | India | 8 | | 52.04 | | |
Overall results: Semi-finals
Semi-finals Overall results :
| Place | Athlete | Nation | Heat | Lane | Place | Time | Qual. | Record |
| 1 | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 2 | 3 | 1 | 50.01 | Q | |
| 2 | Ana Guevara | Mexico | 2 | 5 | 2 | 50.11 | Q | |
| 3 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 2 | 4 | 3 | 50.18 | Q | |
| 4 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 2 | 7 | 4 | 50.21 | Q | PB |
| 5 | Lorraine Graham | Jamaica | 1 | 4 | 1 | 50.28 | Q | |
| 6 | Katharine Merry | Great Britain | 1 | 3 | 2 | 50.32 | Q | |
| 7 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 2 | 2 | 5 | 50.42 | | SB |
| 8 | Heide Seyerling | South Africa | 1 | 5 | 3 | 51.06 | Q | |
| 9 | Jitka Burianová | Czech Republic | 2 | 6 | 6 | 51.15 | | |
| 10 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 1 | 7 | 4 | 51.21 | Q | |
| 11 | Ladonna Antoine | Canada | 1 | 6 | 5 | 51.26 | | |
| 12 | Amy Mbacké Thiam | Senegal | 2 | 1 | 7 | 51.60 | | |
| 13 | Natalya Nazarova | Russia | 1 | 2 | 6 | 51.83 | | |
| 14 | Mireille Nguimgo | Cameroon | 1 | 1 | 7 | 52.03 | | |
| 15 | K. M. Beenamol | India | 2 | 8 | 8 | 52.04 | | |
| 16 | Nova Peris-Kneebone | Australia | 1 | 8 | 8 | 52.49 | | |

### Final

Date: Monday 25 September 2000 :
| Place | Athlete | Nation | Lane | Reaction | Time | Record |
| | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 6 | 0.227 | 49.11 | SB |
| | Lorraine Graham | Jamaica | 4 | 0.452 | 49.58 | PB |
| | Katharine Merry | Great Britain | 3 | 0.270 | 49.72 | PB |
| 4 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 2 | 0.174 | 49.79 | PB |
| 5 | Ana Guevara | Mexico | 5 | 0.261 | 49.96 | |
| 6 | Heide Seyerling | South Africa | 7 | 0.175 | 50.05 | NR |
| 7 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 8 | 0.254 | 50.12 | |
| 8 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 1 | 0.254 | 51.04 | |