The winner of each heat and the fastest number two continued to the final.[1][2] There were four heats, so a total of five swimmers continued to the final.[3]
The Dutch Loes Brandt lost her heat from the French Harflinger and B. Petit.[3][4] The British Doris Hart was the fastest during the heats with a time of 3:39.[5][4] Other swimmers who continued to the final included Belgian Elisa van den Bogaert the Swedish Hjördis Töpel.
The French B. Petit was listed on the start list in heat 3,[3] but in the results Peinkova from Czechoslovakia is named.[6]
After the start the Belgian Van den Bogaert took the lead. After around 170 meters she was overtaken by the British Doris Hart. In a report of the final, the style how the English swam is described as a "beautiful style" and that "her breaststroke was flawless".[8] The British Doris Hart won the race ahead of the Belgian Elisa van den Bogaert and Swedish Hjördis Töpel. With a time of 3:35, Hart was faster than during the heats.[9][10]
All the four swimmers beated the French national record.[11]
