# 1998 European Athletics Championships – Women's 400 metres

The women's 400 metres at the 1998 European Athletics Championships was held at the Népstadion on 19, 20 and 21 August.

## Medalists

| Gold | Grit Breuer Germany |
| Silver | Helena Fuchsová Czech Republic |
| Bronze | Olga Kotlyarova Russia |

## Results

| KEY: | q | Fastest non-qualifiers | Q | Qualified | NR | National record | PB | Personal best | SB | Seasonal best |

### Round 1

Qualification: First 3 in each heat (Q) and the next 4 fastest (q) advance to the Semifinals.
| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 2 | Grit Breuer | Germany | 51.60 | Q |
| 2 | 4 | Helena Fuchsová | Czech Republic | 51.61 | Q |
| 3 | 3 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 51.62 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | Patrizia Spuri | Italy | 51.82 | Q |
| 5 | 4 | Allison Curbishley | Great Britain | 52.05 | Q |
| 6 | 4 | Karen Shinkins | Ireland | 52.13 | Q |
| 7 | 3 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 52.20 | Q |
| 8 | 1 | Uta Rohländer | Germany | 52.37 | Q |
| 9 | 4 | Olena Rurak | Ukraine | 52.49 | q |
| 10 | 2 | Jitka Burianová | Czech Republic | 52.62 | Q |
| 11 | 2 | Otilia Ruicu | Romania | 52.66 | q, PB |
| 12 | 3 | Annamaria Bori | Hungary | 52.69 | Q, PB |
| 13 | 2 | Yekaterina Kulikova | Russia | 52.83 | q |
| 14 | 3 | Lana Jekabsone | Latvia | 52.84 | q |
| 15 | 4 | Christina Panagou | Greece | 52.89 | |
| 16 | 1 | Irina Rosikhina | Russia | 52.97 | Q |
| 17 | 1 | Fabienne Ficher | France | 53.05 | Q |
| 18 | 1 | Mariana Florea | Romania | 53.22 | SB |
| 19 | 2 | Anna Kozak | Belarus | 53.30 | |
| 20 | 1 | Carmo Tavares | Portugal | 53.32 | |
| 21 | 3 | Alina Ripanu | Romania | 53.35 | |
| 22 | 1 | Virna De Angeli | Italy | 53.42 | |
| 23 | 4 | Barbara Petráhn | Hungary | 53.43 | |
| 24 | 3 | Francesca Carbone | Italy | 53.72 | |
| 25 | 2 | Kristina Perica | Croatia | 53.93 | |
| | 1 | Dijana Kojić | Bosnia and Herzegovina | DNF | |
| | 3 | Dora Kyriakou | Cyprus | DNF | |

### Semifinals

Qualification: First 4 in each heat (Q) advance to the Final.
| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 1 | Grit Breuer | Germany | 50.79 | Q |
| 2 | 2 | Helena Fuchsová | Czech Republic | 50.87 | Q |
| 3 | 2 | Uta Rohländer | Germany | 51.04 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 51.08 | Q |
| 5 | 1 | Allison Curbishley | Great Britain | 51.43 | Q |
| 6 | 1 | Patrizia Spuri | Italy | 51.74 | Q, SB |
| 7 | 2 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 52.05 | Q |
| 8 | 1 | Olena Rurak | Ukraine | 52.36 | Q |
| 9 | 1 | Karen Shinkins | Ireland | 52.40 | |
| 10 | 1 | Jitka Burianová | Czech Republic | 52.41 | |
| 11 | 1 | Lana Jekabsone | Latvia | 52.76 | |
| 12 | 2 | Fabienne Ficher | France | 52.95 | |
| 13 | 2 | Annamaria Bori | Hungary | 53.11 | |
| 14 | 2 | Otilia Ruicu | Romania | 53.17 | |
| 15 | 2 | Yekaterina Kulikova | Russia | 53.25 | |
| 16 | 1 | Irina Rosikhina | Russia | 53.62 | |

### Final

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| | Grit Breuer | Germany | 49.93 | |
| | Helena Fuchsová | Czech Republic | 50.21 | PB |
| | Olga Kotlyarova | Russia | 50.38 | PB |
| 4 | Uta Rohländer | Germany | 50.48 | |
| 5 | Allison Curbishley | Great Britain | 51.05 | |
| 6 | Donna Fraser | Great Britain | 51.54 | |
| 7 | Olena Rurak | Ukraine | 51.92 | SB |
| 8 | Patrizia Spuri | Italy | 51.94 | |