| Competition | 1986 World Aquatics Championships | 
|---|---|
| Venue | Madrid | 
| Held | — | 
| Status | Medal | 
| Competitors | 22 | 
| Countries | 17 | 
| Pos | Athlete(s) | Country | Preliminary Round | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Kathleen Nord | 4:47.94 (1 h1) | 4:43.75 (1 FA) | |||
| 🥈 | Michelle Griglione | 4:47.96 (2 h1) | 4:44.07 (2 FA) | |||
| 🥉 | Noëmi Lung | 4:49.14 (3 h1) | 4:45.44 (3 FA) | |||
| 4 | Cornelia Sirch | 4:53.06 (5 h1) | 4:49.42 (4 FA) | |||
| 5 | Sonia Blagova | 4:50.42 (4 h1) | 4:50.23 (5 FA) | |||
| 6 | Suzie Landells | 4:54.64 (7 h1) | 4:51.66 (6 FA) | |||
| 7 | Roberta Felotti | 4:54.48 (6 h1) | 4:53.21 (7 FA) | |||
| 8 | Christine Magnier | 4:54.84 (8 h1) | 4:54.61 (8 FA) | |||
| 9 | Tanya Williams | 5:01.44 (12 h1) | 4:54.98 (1 FB) | |||
| 10 | Kathrine Bomstad | 4:55.97 (9 h1) | 4:55.62 (2 FB) | |||
| 11 | Sara Frisby | 5:06.05 (17 h1) | 5:01.63 (3 FB) | |||
| 12 | Beda Leirvaag | 5:01.77 (13 h1) | 5:02.36 (4 FB) | |||
| 13 | Marianne Muis | 5:00.22 (11 h1) | 5:02.50 (5 FB) | |||
| 14 | Nadia Krüger | 5:04.20 (16 h1) | 5:05.32 (6 FB) | |||
| 15 | Claudia Sprengel | 5:10.31 (18 h1) | 5:10.72 (7 FB) | |||
| 16 | Maria Santalo | 5:12.74 (19 h1) | 5:11.24 (8 FB) | |||
| 17 | Birgit Lohberg-Schulz | 4:59.14 (10 h1) | — | |||
| 18 | Donna McGinnis | 5:02.42 (14 h1) | — | |||
| 19 | Anette Philipsson | 5:03.59 (15 h1) | — | |||
| 20 | Sonia Astola | 5:16.44 (20 h1) | — | |||
| 21 | Valentina Aracil | 5:21.21 (21 h1) | — | |||
| 22 | Mayra Kikuchi | 5:25.35 (22 h1) | — | 
| Pos | Athlete(s) | Country | Mark | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kathleen Nord | 4:47.94 | ||
| 2 | Michelle Griglione | 4:47.96 | ||
| 3 | Noëmi Lung | 4:49.14 | ||
| 4 | Sonia Blagova | 4:50.42 | ||
| 5 | Cornelia Sirch | 4:53.06 | ||
| 6 | Roberta Felotti | 4:54.48 | ||
| 7 | Suzie Landells | 4:54.64 | ||
| 8 | Christine Magnier | 4:54.84 | ||
| 9 | Kathrine Bomstad | 4:55.97 | ||
| 10 | Birgit Lohberg-Schulz | 4:59.14 | ||
| 11 | Marianne Muis | 5:00.22 | ||
| 12 | Tanya Williams | 5:01.44 | ||
| 13 | Beda Leirvaag | 5:01.77 | ||
| 14 | Donna McGinnis | 5:02.42 | ||
| 15 | Anette Philipsson | 5:03.59 | ||
| 16 | Nadia Krüger | 5:04.20 | ||
| 17 | Sara Frisby | 5:06.05 | ||
| 18 | Claudia Sprengel | 5:10.31 | ||
| 19 | Maria Santalo | 5:12.74 | ||
| 20 | Sonia Astola | 5:16.44 | ||
| 21 | Valentina Aracil | 5:21.21 | ||
| 22 | Mayra Kikuchi | 5:25.35 | 
| Pos | Athlete(s) | Country | Mark | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kathleen Nord | 4:43.75 | ||
| 2 | Michelle Griglione | 4:44.07 | ||
| 3 | Noëmi Lung | 4:45.44 | ||
| 4 | Cornelia Sirch | 4:49.42 | ||
| 5 | Sonia Blagova | 4:50.23 | ||
| 6 | Suzie Landells | 4:51.66 | ||
| 7 | Roberta Felotti | 4:53.21 | ||
| 8 | Christine Magnier | 4:54.61 | 
| Pos | Athlete(s) | Country | Mark | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tanya Williams | 4:54.98 | ||
| 2 | Kathrine Bomstad | 4:55.62 | ||
| 3 | Sara Frisby | 5:01.63 | ||
| 4 | Beda Leirvaag | 5:02.36 | ||
| 5 | Marianne Muis | 5:02.50 | ||
| 6 | Nadia Krüger | 5:05.32 | ||
| 7 | Claudia Sprengel | 5:10.72 | ||
| 8 | Maria Santalo | 5:11.24 |