Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay
The women's 4 × 400 metres relay event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 22 and 23 August at the Beijing Olympic Stadium.[1]
| Women's 4 × 400 metres relay at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Beijing National Stadium |
| Dates | 22 August 2008 (heats) 23 August 2008 (final) |
| Teams | 16 |
| Winning time | 3:18.54 |
| Medalists | |
There were only 16 NOCs competing at this event. These 16 NOCs were selected by the average of the two best marks at the qualifying period.
In 2016, it was announced that a reanalysis of samples from the 2008 Summer Olympics resulted in a doping violation by Tatyana Firova. Accordingly, the Russian team was disqualified, and the Russian team were stripped of their 4 × 400 m relay silver medals.[2] 4th placed Belarus was also disqualified due to a doping violation by anchor runner Sviatlana Vusovich. Medals of the other teams have been reallocated by the IAAF.[3] Another Russian relay team member, Tatyana Firova, also failed her drug test and was disqualified.[4]
Records
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
| World record |  Soviet Union (URS)(Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina) | 3:15.17 | Seoul, South Korea | 1 October 1988 |
| Olympic record | Soviet Union (URS) (Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina) | 3:15.17 | Seoul, South Korea | 1 October 1988 |
No new world or Olympic records were set for this event.
Qualification summary
| Pos | NOC | 2 races | 1 | 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Average | ||||
| 1 |  United States | 6:40.71 | 3:20.35 | 3:18.55 | 3:22.16 |
| 2 |  Russia | 6:43.74 | 3:21.87 | 3:20.25 | 3:23.49 |
| 3 |  Great Britain | 6:45.49 | 3:22.74 | 3:20.04 | 3:25.45 |
| 4 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belarus | 6:45.55 | 3:22.77 | 3:21.88 | 3:23.67 |
| 5 |  Jamaica | 6:45.87 | 3:22.93 | 3:19.73 | 3:26.14 |
| 6 |  Poland | 6:52.81 | 3:26.41 | 3:26.36 | 3:26.45 |
| 7 |  Cuba | 6:54.09 | 3:27.04 | 3:27.04 | 3:27.05 |
| 8 |  Mexico | 6:54.89 | 3:27.44 | 3:27.14 | 3:27.75 |
| 9 |  France | 6:55.25 | 3:27.62 | 3:26.63 | 3:28.62 |
| 10 |  Ukraine | 6:55.82 | 3:27.91 | 3:27.15 | 3:28.67 |
| 11 |  Germany | 6:56.83 | 3:28.41 | 3:27.31 | 3:29.52 |
| 12 |  Nigeria | 6:57.71 | 3:28.85 | 3:27.97 | 3:29.74 |
| 13 |  Brazil | 6:58.00 | 3:29.00 | 3:28.89 | 3:29.11 |
| 14 |  Japan | 7:00.70 | 3:30.35 | 3:30.17 | 3:30.53 |
| 15 |  India | 7:00.84 | 3:30.42 | 3:28.29 | 3:32.55 |
| 16 |  China | 7:01.89 | 3:30.95 | 3:29.75 | 3:32.14 |
| Reserves | |||||
| 17 |  Italy | 7:01.96 | 3:30.98 | 3:30.89 | 3:31.07 |
| 18 |  Canada | 7:02.71 | 3:31.35 | 3:30.34 | 3:32.37 |
| 19 |  Greece | 7:03.27 | 3:31.64 | 3:30.20 | 3:33.07 |
| 20 |  Romania | 7:05.79 | 3:32.90 | 3:30.22 | 3:35.57 |
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.
Round 1
First 3 in each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) advance to the Final.
Final
| Rank | Lane | Nation | Competitors | Results | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
4 | United States |
Mary Wineberg, Allyson Felix, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards | 3:18.54 | SB |
 |
7 | Jamaica |
Novelene Williams, Shereefa Lloyd, Rosemarie Whyte, Shericka Williams | 3:20.40 | SB |
 |
9 | Great Britain |
Christine Ohuruogu, Kelly Sotherton, Marilyn Okoro, Nicola Sanders | 3:22.68 | SB |
| 4 | 6 | Cuba |
Roxana Díaz, Zulia Calatayud, Susana Clement, Indira Terrero | 3:23.21 | NR |
| 5 | 2 | Nigeria |
Joy Amechi Eze, Folashade Abugan, Oluoma Nwoke, Ajoke Odumosu | 3:23.74 | SB |
| 6 | 3 | Germany |
Jonna Valesca Tilgner, Sorina Nwachukwu, Florence Ekpo-Umoh, Claudia Hoffmann | 3:28.45 | |
| DSQ (2nd) | 5 | Russia |
Yulia Gushchina, Lyudmila Litvinova, Tatyana Firova, Anastasiya Kapachinskaya | DSQ (3:18.82) | Doping[2] |
| DSQ (4th) | 8 | Belarus |
Anna Kozak, Iryna Khliustava, Ilona Usovich, Sviatlana Usovich | DSQ (3:21.85) | Doping[5] |
References
- "Olympic Athletics Competition Schedule". IAAF. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
- "IOC sanctions six athletes for failing anti-doping tests at Beijing 2008". International Olympic Committee. 31 Aug 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
- IAAF.org. The XXIX Olympic Games. 4 × 400 metres Relay women.
- "Doping bans for 12 Russian athletes including 2012 Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- "IOC sanctions seven athletes for failing anti-doping tests at Beijing 2008 and London2012". International Olympic Committee. 25 Nov 2016. Retrieved 2016-12-08.