The Men's 4x400 metre relay event at the 2008 Summer Olympics took place on 22 and 23 August at the Beijing National Stadium.[1] There were 16 NOCs competing at this event. These 16 NOCs were selected by the average of the two best marks at the qualifying period. The final was won by the United States in the new Olympic record time 2:55.39. [edit] Medalists * Runners who participated in the heats only and received medals. [edit] Records Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows. The following Olympic record was set during this competition. [edit] Qualification summary | Pos | NOC | 2 races | 1 | 2 | | Total | Average | | 1 |  United States | 5:54.74 | 2:57.37 | 2:55.56 | 2:59.18 | | 2 |  Bahamas | 5:59.55 | 2:59.78 | 2:59.18 | 3:00.37 | | 3 |  Jamaica | 6:01.20 | 3:00.60 | 3:00.44 | 3:00.76 | | 4 |  Poland | 6:01.75 | 3:00.87 | 3:00.05 | 3:01.70 | | 5 |  Russia | 6:02.69 | 3:01.34 | 3:01.07 | 3:01.62 | | 6 |  Great Britain | 6:03.14 | 3:01.57 | 3:01.22 | 3:01.92 | | 7 |  Germany | 6:03.98 | 3:01.99 | 3:01.77 | 3:02.21 | | 8 |  Australia | 6:04.05 | 3:02.03 | 3:01.52 | 3:02.53 | | 9 |  Belgium | 6:04.64 | 3:02.32 | 3:02.13 | 3:02.51 | | 10 |  Dominican Republic | 6:04.97 | 3:02.48 | 3:02.48 | 3:02.49 | | 11 |  Japan | 6:05.20 | 3:02.60 | 3:02.44 | 3:02.76 | | 12 |  Cuba | 6:05.32 | 3:02.66 | 3:02.10 | 3:03.22 | | 13 |  France | 6:05.98 | 3:02.99 | 3:02.33 | 3:03.65 | | 14 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 6:06.52 | 3:03.26 | 3:02.92 | 3:03.60 | | 15 |  Greece | 6:07.86 | 3:03.93 | 3:02.21 | 3:05.65 | | 16 |  South Africa | 6:08.24 | 3:04.12 | 3:03.58 | 3:04.66 | | Reserves | | 17 |  Italy | 6:08.77 | 3:04.38 | 3:03.66 | 3:05.11 | | 18 |  Botswana | 6:09.12 | 3:04.56 | 3:03.16 | 3:05.96 | | 19 |  Ireland | 6:09.14 | 3:04.57 | 3:04.43 | 3:04.71 | | 20 |  Brazil | 6:09.51 | 3:04.76 | 3:04.36 | 3:05.15 | [edit] Results All times shown are in seconds. - Q denotes automatic qualification.
- q denotes fastest losers.
- DNS denotes did not start.
- DNF denotes did not finish.
- DQ denotes disqualified
- AR denotes area record.
- NR denotes national record.
- PB denotes personal best.
- SB denotes season's best.
[edit] Round 1 First 3 in each heat(Q) and the next 2 fastest(q) advance to the Final. | Heat | Lane | Nation | Competitors | Time | Notes | | 2 | 5 | Great Britain | Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, Michael Bingham, Martyn Rooney | 2:59.33 | Q, SB | | 2 | 3 | Bahamas | Michael Mathieu, Avard Moncur, Ramon Miller, Andrae Williams | 2:59.88 | Q, SB | | 1 | 3 | United States | David Neville, Kerron Clement, Reggie Witherspoon, Angelo Taylor | 2:59.98 | Q | | 2 | 7 | Jamaica | Michael Blackwood, Alodin Fothergill, Sanjay Ayre, Ricardo Chambers | 3:00.09 | Q, SB | | 1 | 9 | Russia | Maksim Dyldin, Vladislav Frolov, Anton Kokorin, Denis Alexeev | 3:00.14 | Q, NR | | 1 | 6 | Belgium | Cédric Van Branteghem, Jonathan Borlée, Arnaud Ghislain, Kevin Borlée | 3:00.67 | Q, NR | | 1 | 8 | Australia | Joel Milburn, Mark Ormrod, John Steffensen, Clinton Hill | 3:00.68 | q, SB | | 1 | 7 | Poland | Marek Plawgo, Piotr Klimczak, Piotr Kędzia, Rafał Wieruszewski | 3:00.74 | q, SB | | 1 | 5 | South Africa | Pieter Smith, Ofentse Mogawane, Alwyn Myburgh, L.J. van Zyl | 3:01.26 | SB | | 1 | 4 | Cuba | Yunier Perez, Yunior Diaz, Williams Collazo, Omar Cisneros | 3:02.24 | | | 1 | 2 | France | Teddy Venel, Ydrissa Mbarke, Brice Panel, Richard Maunier | 3:03.19 | | | 2 | 6 | Germany | Simon Kirch, Kamghe Gaba, Ruwen Faller, Bastian Swillims | 3:03.49 | | | 2 | 2 | Trinidad and Tobago | Ato Modibo, Jovon Toppin, Cowin Mills, Stann Waithe | 3:04.12 | =SB | | 2 | 4 | Japan | Mitsuhiro Abiko, Dai Tamesue, Yoshihiro Horigome, Kenji Narisako | 3:04.18 | SB | | 2 | 9 | Greece | Stylianos Dimotsios, Dimitrios Gravalos, Pantelis Melachroinoudis, Konstantinos Anastasiou | 3:04.30 | SB | | 2 | 8 | Dominican Republic | Carlos Yohelin Santa, Arismendy Peguero, Pedro Mejia, Yoel Tapia | 3:04.31 | SB | | Rank | Lane | Nation | Competitors | Time | Notes | 1  | 7 | United States | LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville, Jeremy Wariner | 2:55.39 | OR | 2  | 5 | Bahamas | Andretti Bain, Michael Mathieu, Andrae Williams, Chris Brown | 2:58.03 | SB | 3  | 4 | Russia | Maksim Dyldin, Vladislav Frolov, Anton Kokorin, Denis Alexeev | 2:58.06 | NR | | 4 | 6 | Great Britain | Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, Michael Bingham, Martyn Rooney | 2:58.81 | SB | | 5 | 8 | Belgium | Kevin Borlée, Jonathan Borlée, Cédric Van Branteghem, Arnaud Ghislain | 2:59.37 | NR | | 6 | 2 | Australia | Sean Wroe, John Steffensen, Clinton Hill, Joel Milburn | 3:00.02 | SB | | 7 | 3 | Poland | Rafał Wieruszewski, Piotr Klimczak, Piotr Kędzia, Marek Plawgo | 3:00.32 | SB | | 8 | 9 | Jamaica | Michael Blackwood, Ricardo Chambers, Sanjay Ayre, Lanceford Spence | 3:01.45 | | [edit] References |
