The women's 1500 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entry list of 28 competitors, with two qualifying heats (28) before the final (12) took place on Saturday October 1, 1988. From the gun in the final, Paula Ivan wanted the lead. Mary Slaney and Ivan's teammate Doina Melinte didn't want to let her get away. The field behind her looked bunched but the 1:02.52 first lap showed she was serious. This was world record pace, rare for a championship race that usually breaks down into a strategic battle. After the first lap, a small gap began to open. Melinte was the last to maintain contact, perhaps having seen this strategy previously in domestic competition. The second lap was completed in 1:03.26, a ten-metre gap had opened, with Tetyana Samolenko edging past Melinte in chase. 2:52.66 at the bell and a fifteen-metre gap, Ivan began a last lap kick, trying to run the 60 second last lap to get the world record. Because of the acceleration, the third lap was the fastest of them all at 1:02.46. The battle was for the medals behind Ivan, Andrea Hahmann passing Samolenko, who had Christina Cahill on her shoulder with Lynn Williams in chase. Melinte faded back to Slaney but behind all of them, Laimutė Baikauskaitė was charging. Onto the home stretch the chase pack was tightening, some 30 metres behind Ivan. Baikauskaitė moved into lane 3 to find some running room. Ivan wasn't able to find a 60-second lap, 61.5 was enough to set the Olympic record out of sight with a dominant gold medal performance. Hahmann faded and Samolenko was leading down the stretch with Cahill in close pursuit. Making up ten metres on the final straight, Baikauskaitė passed Cahill and Hahmann in the final 15 metres and leaned past Samolenko at the line to take the silver. (en)
Der 1500-Meter-Lauf der Frauen bei den Olympischen Spielen 1988 in Seoul wurde am 29. September und 1. Oktober 1988 in zwei Runden im Olympiastadion Seoul ausgetragen. 28 Athletinnen nahmen teil. Olympiasiegerin wurde die Rumänin Paula Ivan. Sie gewann vor den beiden sowjetischen Athletinnen Laimutė Baikauskaitė und Tetjana Samolenko. Für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland nahm Vera Michallek, frühere Vera Steiert, teil, die in der Vorrunde ausschied.Die DDR wurde durch Andrea Hahmann vertreten. Sie erreichte das Finale und wurde Sechste.Die Schweizerin Cornelia Bürki scheiterte in der Vorrunde.Läuferinnen aus Österreich und Liechtenstein nahmen nicht teil. (de)
L'épreuve du 1 500 mètres féminin aux Jeux olympiques de 1988 s'est déroulée du 29 septembre au 1er octobre 1988 au Stade olympique de Séoul, en Corée du Sud. Elle est remportée par la Roumaine Paula Ivan qui établit un nouveau record olympique en 3 min 53 s 96. (fr)
I 1500 metri piani hanno fatto parte del programma femminile di atletica leggera ai Giochi della XXIV Olimpiade. La competizione si è svolta nei giorni 29 settembre-1º ottobre 1988 allo Stadio olimpico di Seul. (it)
1 500 meter för damer vid olympiska sommarspelen 1988 i Seoul avgjordes 1 oktober. (sv)