Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games – Women's 400 metres
# Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games – Women's 400 metres

The women's 400 metres event at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games was held on 22 and 23 July at the Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the first time that the metric distance was contested at the Games replacing the 440 yards event.

## Medalists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| - | - | - |
| Marilyn Neufville Jamaica | Sandra Brown Australia | Judith Ayaa Uganda |

## Results

### Heats

Qualification: First 4 in each semifinal (Q) qualify directly for the final.

| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Marilyn Neufville | Jamaica | 53.0 | Q |
| 2 | 1 | Jannette Champion | England | 54.9 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | Avril Beattie | Scotland | 55.1 | Q |
| 4 | 1 | Maeve Kyle | Northern Ireland | 55.3 | Q |
| 5 | 1 | Cecilia Smith | Canada | 55.5 | |
| 6 | 1 | Heather McKay | Canada | 59.1 | |
| 1 | 2 | Judith Ayaa | Uganda | 52.8 | Q |
| 2 | 2 | Sandra Brown | Australia | 53.8 | Q |
| 3 | 2 | Avril Bowring | England | 54.1 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | Barbara Lyall | Scotland | 54.1 | Q |
| 5 | 2 | Maureen Taylor | England | 54.3 | |
| 6 | 2 | Joyce Sadowick | Canada | 55.2 | |
| 7 | 2 | Beverly Franklyn | Jamaica | 57.2 | |
| | 2 | Alice Annum | Ghana | DNS | |

### Final

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Marilyn Neufville | Jamaica | 51.02 | WR |
| | Sandra Brown | Australia | 53.66 | |
| | Judith Ayaa | Uganda | 53.77 | |
| 4 | Jannette Champion | England | 54.2 | |
| 5 | Barbara Lyall | Scotland | 54.7 | |
| 6 | Avril Bowring | England | 54.7 | |
| 7 | Avril Beattie | Scotland | 54.8 | |
| 8 | Maeve Kyle | Northern Ireland | 55.7 | |
