The women's single sculls (W1x) rowing competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics took place at Lake Casitas in Ventura County, California, United States.

[4] Sanda Toma, the winner of the 1980 Olympic event and 1981 world champion, had since retired.

[2][5] World championship medallists competing in this event were Beryl Mitchell from Great Britain, who had come second in 1981,[5] and Valeria Răcilă of Romania and Stephanie Foster of New Zealand, who had won silver and bronze in 1982, respectively.

Another competitor to be regarded as one of the favourites was María Fernanda de la Fuente of Mexico, who had come second in the 1983 Pan American Games.

[9] The Italian rower, Antonella Corazza, did not compete in the repechage, but replaced Paola Grizzetti in the quadruple sculls team instead (in both the repechage on 1 August, and the final on 4 August).