# 1991 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 400 metres

These are the official results of the Women's 400 metres event at the 1991 IAAF World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. There were a total of 37 participating athletes, with five qualifying heats and the final held on Tuesday 27 August 1991.

## Medalists

| Gold | Marie-José Pérec France (FRA) |
| Silver | Grit Breuer Germany (GER) |
| Bronze | Sandra Myers Spain (ESP) |

## Schedule

* All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
* Heats
* 24.08.1991 – 16:00h
* Quarterfinals
* 25.08.1991 – 18:20h
* Semifinals
* 26.08.1991 – 17:55h
* Final
* 27.08.1991 – 19:30h

## Final

| RANK | FINAL | TIME |
| | Marie-José Pérec (FRA) | 49.13 |
| | Grit Breuer (GER) | 49.42 |
| | Sandra Myers (ESP) | 49.78 |
| 4. | Olga Bryzgina (URS) | 49.82 |
| 5. | Jearl Miles (USA) | 50.50 |
| 6. | Ximena Restrepo (COL) | 50.79 |
| 7. | Lillie Leatherwood (USA) | 51.53 |
| 8. | Diane Dixon (USA) | 51.73 |

## Semifinals

* Held on Monday 1991-08-26
| RANK | HEAT 1 | TIME |
| 1. | Marie-José Pérec (FRA) | 49.94 |
| 2. | Grit Breuer (GER) | 50.14 |
| 3. | Olga Bryzgina (URS) | 50.26 |
| 4. | Diane Dixon (USA) | 50.75 |
| 5. | Lorraine Hanson (GBR) | 50.93 |
| 6. | Norfalia Carabalí (COL) | 52.40 |
| 7. | Renee Poetschka (AUS) | 52.76 |
| 8. | Julia Merino (ESP) | 53.41 |
| RANK | HEAT 2 | TIME |
| 1. | Sandra Myers (ESP) | 50.64 |
| 2. | Lillie Leatherwood (USA) | 50.68 |
| 3. | Jearl Miles Clark (USA) | 50.79 |
| 4. | Ximena Restrepo (COL) | 50.82 |
| 5. | Lyudmila Dzhigalova (URS) | 50.85 |
| 6. | Fatima Yusuf (NGR) | 50.91 |
| 7. | Linda Keough (GBR) | 50.98 |
| 8. | Solvi Olsen-Meinseth (NOR) | 53.63 |

## Quarterfinals

* Held on Sunday 1991-08-25
| RANK | HEAT 1 | TIME |
| 1. | Jearl Miles Clark (USA) | 51.88 |
| 2. | Sandra Myers (ESP) | 52.01 |
| 3. | Grit Breuer (GER) | 52.16 |
| 4. | Fatima Yusuf (NGR) | 52.46 |
| 5. | Solvi Olsen-Meinseth (NOR) | 52.95 |
| 6. | Aïssatou Tandian (SEN) | 53.06 |
| 7. | Cheryl Allen (CAN) | 53.21 |
| – | Aelita Yurchenko (URS) | DNF |
| RANK | HEAT 2 | TIME |
| 1. | Lyudmila Dzhigalova (URS) | 50.76 |
| 2. | Diane Dixon (USA) | 50.84 |
| 3. | Linda Keough (GBR) | 51.13 |
| 4. | Renee Poetschka (AUS) | 51.65 |
| 5. | Julia Merino (ESP) | 51.82 |
| 6. | Norfalia Carabalí (COL) | 52.38 |
| 7. | Judit Forgacs (HUN) | 53.79 |
| – | Charity Opara (NGR) | DQ |
| RANK | HEAT 3 | TIME |
| 1. | Marie-José Pérec (FRA) | 50.61 |
| 2. | Ximena Restrepo (COL) | 50.66 |
| 3. | Lillie Leatherwood (USA) | 50.75 |
| 4. | Olga Bryzgina (URS) | 50.79 |
| 5. | Lorraine Hanson (GBR) | 51.02 |
| 6. | Karin Janke (GER) | 53.08 |
| 7. | Nancy McLeon (CUB) | 53.72 |
| – | Martha Grossenbacher (SUI) | DNS |

## Qualifying heats

* Held on Saturday 1991-08-24
| RANK | HEAT 1 | TIME |
| 1. | Marie-José Pérec (FRA) | 51.00 |
| 2. | Olga Bryzgina (URS) | 51.36 |
| 3. | Linda Keough (GBR) | 51.51 |
| 4. | Solvi Olsen-Meinseth (NOR) | 52.84 |
| 5. | Cheryl Allen (CAN) | 53.17 |
| 6. | Huang Yanhong (CHN) | 54.51 |
| 7. | Lasnet Nkouka (CGO) | 57.85 |
| RANK | HEAT 2 | TIME |
| 1. | Sandra Myers (ESP) | 52.70 |
| 2. | Fatima Yusuf (NGR) | 52.81 |
| 3. | Nancy McLeon (CUB) | 52.87 |
| 4. | Norfalia Carabalí (COL) | 53.31 |
| 5. | Aïssatou Tandian (SEN) | 53.65 |
| 6. | Vaciseva Tavaga (FIJ) | 58.82 |
| 7. | Obieng Juliana Nzang (GEQ) | 1:04.13 |
| RANK | HEAT 3 | TIME |
| 1. | Jearl Miles Clark (USA) | 51.88 |
| 2. | Lorraine Hanson (GBR) | 52.08 |
| 3. | Ximena Restrepo (COL) | 52.41 |
| 4. | Karin Janke (GER) | 53.73 |
| 5. | Reawadee Srithoa (THA) | 54.94 |
| 6. | Zeinabou Jean-Wali (NIG) | 1:05.03 |
| – | Sharmaine Williams (TCA) | DQ |
| – | Suzie Tanefo (CMR) | DNS |
| RANK | HEAT 4 | TIME |
| 1. | Diane Dixon (USA) | 52.43 |
| 2. | Grit Breuer (GER) | 52.56 |
| 3. | Aelita Yurchenko (URS) | 52.65 |
| 4. | Renee Poetschka (AUS) | 52.65 |
| 5. | Julia Merino (ESP) | 53.04 |
| 6. | Orit Kolodni (ISR) | 54.26 |
| 7. | Claudia Acerenza (URU) | 55.82 |
| 8. | Graciela von Schmeling (PAR) | 57.37 |
| RANK | HEAT 5 | TIME |
| 1. | Charity Opara (NGR) | 51.07 |
| 2. | Lyudmila Dzhigalova (URS) | 51.45 |
| 3. | Lillie Leatherwood (USA) | 53.04 |
| 4. | Judit Forgacs (HUN) | 53.24 |
| 5. | Martha Grossenbacher (SUI) | 53.77 |
| 6. | Shermaine Ross (GRN) | 55.90 |
| 7. | Mary-Estelle Kapalu (VAN) | 56.47 |