Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 100 metres relay

Qual. rule: first 3 of each heat (Q) plus the 2 fastest times (q) qualified.

Rank	Lane	Nation	Competitors	Time	Notes
1	4	Ukraine	Olesya Povh, Hrystyna Stuy, Mariya Ryemyen, Elyzaveta Bryzgina	42.36	Q, SB
2	6	Jamaica	Samantha Henry-Robinson, Sherone Simpson, Schillonie Calvert, Kerron Stewart	42.37	Q, SB
3	9	Germany	Leena Günther, Anne Cibis, Tatjana Pinto, Verena Sailer	42.69	Q
4	2	Poland	Marika Popowicz, Daria Korczynska, Marta Jeschke, Ewelina Ptak	43.07
5	5	Colombia	Yomara Hinestroza, Norma González, Darlenis Obregón, Eliecith Palacios	43.21	SB
6	7	Russia	Olga Belkina, Natalia Rusakova, Elizabeta Savlinis, Aleksandra Fedoriva	43.24	SB
7	3	Belarus	Alina Talay, Katsiaryna Hanchar, Elena Danilyuk-Nevmerzhytskaya, Yuliya Balykina	43.90
N/A	8	France	Myriam Soumaré, Ayodelé Ikuesan, Lina Jacques-Sébastien, Johanna Danois	DQ	R 163.3a

• France originally finished in seventh place with a time of 43.77, but were disqualified due to a lane infringement.

The American team had an often repeated history of relay failures, so most of the pre-race discussion focused on whether it could successfully get the baton around the track. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, both the men's and women's 4 × 100 metres teams had dropped the baton, leading one reporter to call it the "nadir in US relay history".[5]

On the first leg of the final, Tianna Madison was able to hold her own against the double 100-metre gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Allyson Felix put the USA into the lead, extended by Bianca Knight around the turn. At the final handoff to individual 100-metre silver medalist Carmelita Jeter, the team enjoyed a 3-metre lead. Secure in the handoffs, Jeter sped to the finish, noticing the time and pointing at the clock before the finish line.[6][7]

Rank	Lane	Nation	Competitors	Time	Notes
	7	United States	Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter	40.82[3]	WR
	6	Jamaica	Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart	41.41[3]	NR
	5	Ukraine	Olesya Povh, Hrystyna Stuy, Mariya Ryemyen, Elyzaveta Bryzgina	42.04[3]	NR
4	2	Nigeria	Oludamola Osayomi, Gloria Asumnu, Endurance Abinuwa, Blessing Okagbare	42.64[3]	SB
5	8	Germany	Leena Günther, Anne Cibis, Tatjana Pinto, Verena Sailer	42.67[3]
6	9	Netherlands	Kadene Vassell, Dafne Schippers, Eva Lubbers, Jamile Samuel	42.70[3]
7	3	Brazil	Ana Claudia Silva, Franciela Krasucki, Evelyn dos Santos, Rosângela Santos	42.91[3]
N/A	4	Trinidad and Tobago	Michelle-Lee Ahye, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Kai Selvon, Semoy Hackett	N/A	DNF[3]

• Trinidad and Tobago failed to finish as Michelle-Lee Ahye could not pass the baton to Kelly-Ann Baptiste in time.