| 2020 | Shaunae Miller-Uibo (48sec 36) | Marileidy Paulino (49sec 20) | Allyson Felix (49sec 46) |
| 2016 | Shaunae Miller (49sec 44) | Allyson Felix (49sec 51) | Shericka Jackson (49sec 85) |
| 2012 | Sanya Richards-Ross (49sec 55) | Christine Ohuruogu (49sec 70) | DeeDee Trotter (49sec 72) |
| 2008 | Christine Ohuruogu (49sec 62) | Shericka Williams (49sec 69) | Sanya Richards (49sec 93) |
| 2004 | Tonique Williams-Darling (49sec 41) | Ana Guevara (49sec 56) | Natalya Antyukh (49sec 89) |
| 2000 | Cathy Freeman (49sec 11) | Lorraine Graham (49sec 58) | Katharine Merry (49sec 72) |
| 1996 | Marie-José Pérec (48sec 25) | Cathy Freeman (48sec 63) | Falilat Ogunkoya (49sec 10) |
| 1992 | Marie-José Pérec (48sec 83) | Olga Bryzgina (49sec 5) | Ximena Restrepo (49sec 64) |
| 1988 | Olga Bryzgina (48sec 65) | Petra Müller (49sec 45) | Olga Nazarova (49sec 90) |
| 1984 | Valerie Brisco-Hooks (48sec 83) | Chandra Cheeseborough (49sec 5) | Kathy Smallwood-Cook (49sec 43) |
| 1980 | Marita Koch (48sec 88) | Jarmila Kratochvílová (49sec 46) | Christina Lathan (49sec 66) |
| 1976 | Irena Szewińska (49sec 29) | Christina Brehmer (50sec 51) | Ellen Streidt (50sec 55) |
| 1972 | Monika Zehrt (51sec 8) | Rita Wilden (51sec 21) | Kathy Hammond (51sec 64) |
| 1968 | Colette Besson (52sec 0) | Lillian Board (52sec 1) | Natalya Pechonkina (52sec 2) |
| 1964 | Betty Cuthbert (52sec 0) | Ann Packer (52sec 2) | Judy Amoore (52sec 4) |