Athletics at the 1987 Pan American Games – Women's 400 metres
# Athletics at the 1987 Pan American Games – Women's 400 metres

The women's 400 metres event at the 1987 Pan American Games was held in Indianapolis, United States on 12 and 13 August.

## Medalists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| - | - | - |
| Ana Fidelia Quirot Cuba | Jillian Richardson Canada | Denean Howard United States |

## Results

### Heats

| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Ana Fidelia Quirot | Cuba | 50.12 | Q, GR |
| 2 | 3 | Diane Dixon | United States | 51.56 | Q |
| 3 | 3 | Jillian Richardson | Canada | 51.69 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | Denean Howard | United States | 51.83 | Q |
| 5 | 2 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 52.12 | Q |
| 6 | 2 | Norfalia Carabalí | Colombia | 52.14 | q |
| 7 | 2 | Marita Payne | Canada | 52.38 | q |
| 8 | 1 | Maria Magnólia Figueiredo | Brazil | 52.49 | Q |
| 9 | 1 | Cathy Rattray-Williams | Jamaica | 52.62 | |
| 10 | 2 | Maria Bortolocci | Brazil | 54.51 | |
| 11 | 3 | Soledad Acerenza | Uruguay | 55.30 | |
| 12 | 1 | Deborah Ross | Barbados | 55.71 | |
| 13 | 1 | Olga Escalante | Colombia | 55.89 | |
| 14 | 3 | Danyel Simmons | Barbados | 56.81 | |
| 15 | 2 | Virginia Guerra | Uruguay | 58.98 | |
| | 3 | Maureen Stewart | Costa Rica | DNS | |

### Final

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time |
| - | - | - | - |
| | Ana Fidelia Quirot | Cuba | 50.27 |
| | Jillian Richardson | Canada | 50.35 |
| | Denean Howard | United States | 50.72 |
| 4 | Diane Dixon | United States | 50.79 |
| 5 | Maria Magnólia Figueiredo | Brazil | 51.93 |
| 6 | Norfalia Carabalí | Colombia | 52.13 |
| 7 | Marita Payne | Canada | 52.14 |
| 8 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 52.89 |
