| | Event type

4 × 400 metres Relay, Women

Date	5 – 7 August 2021
Status	Olympic
Location	Japan National Stadium, Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Participants	73 from 16 countries

The United States had not lost this event since 1992, but on paper, looking at the 400 metre runners, Jamaica seemed to have the better of it for Tokyo. The only problem with that argument was that the USA would run only one of their 400 metre entrants, that being Tokyo bronze medalist Allyson Felix. To strengthen their squad, they brought in 400 metre hurdle gold and silver medalists Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad, and also added 800 gold medalist Athing Mu. Game over.

Jamaica and the USA were drawn in heat two and even with their second team, none of whom would run in the final, the USA qualified ahead of Jamaica by over a second, with Great Britain well back in third. The three auto-qualifiers from heat one were Poland, Cuba, and Belgium, with the Netherlands and Canada time qualifying from the faster heat two to fill out the final.

McLaughlin led off for the Americans in the final, and handed off to Felix with a slight lead over Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek. Felix ran 49.4 for her leg, extending the lead to 5 metres at the exchange, as Muhammad took over and turned the race into a rout, running a 48.94 leg to gave Mu about a 15-metre lead for the anchor. Mu then posted the fastest leg of the final, running 48.32, as the USA won by almost four seconds over Poland, with Jamaica close behind for the bronze.

The USA relay gold medalists represented the first time ever at the Olympics or a World Championship that a relay squad contained four individual gold medalists. Both McLaughlin and Mu won their second gold medals of the Tokyo Olympics, while Allyson Felix extended her many Olympic records. She left Tokyo with 11 medals, the most ever by a woman in Olympic athletics, and 7 gold medals, also the most ever.

Pos	Competitors	NOC	R1	Final
1	United States	USA	3:20.86 (1 h2)	3:16.85 (1)	Gold
	Sydney McLaughlin • Allyson Felix • Dalilah Muhammad • Athing Mu • Kaylin Whitney • Wadeline Jonathas • Kendall Ellis • Lynna Irby • Quanera Hayes (DNS)
2	Poland	POL	3:23.10 (1 h1)	3:20.53 (2)	Silver
	Natalia Kaczmarek • Iga Baumgart-Witan • Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik • Justyna Święty-Ersetic • Anna Kiełbasińska
3	Jamaica	JAM	3:21.95 (2 h2)	3:21.24 (3)	Bronze
	Roneisha McGregor • Janieve Russell • Shericka Jackson • Candice McLeod • Junelle Bromfield • Stacey-Ann Williams • Tovea Jenkins (DNS) • Stephenie McPherson (DNS)
4	Canada	CAN	3:24.05 (5 h2)	3:21.84 (4)
	Alicia Brown • Maddy Price • Kyra Constantine • Sage Watson • Lauren Gale (DNS) • Natassha McDonald (DNS)
5	Great Britain	GBR	3:23.99 (3 h2)	3:22.59 (5)
	Ama Pipi • Jodie Williams • Emily Diamond • Nicole Yeargin • Zoey Clark • Laviai Nielsen • Hannah Williams (DNS)
6	Netherlands	NED	3:24.01 (4 h2)	3:23.74 (6)
	Lieke Klaver • Lisanne de Witte • Laura de Witte • Femke Bol • Andrea Bouma (DNS) • Hanneke Oosterwegel (DNS) • Anne van de Wiel (DNS)
7	Belgium	BEL	3:24.08 (3 h1)	3:23.96 (7)
	Naomi van den Broeck • Imke Vervaet • Paulien Couckuyt • Camille Laus • Cynthia Bolingo (DNS)
8	Cuba	CUB	3:24.04 (2 h1)	3:26.92 (8)
	Zurian Hechavarría • Rose Almanza • Sahily Diago • Lisneidy Veitía • Roxana Gómez (DNS)
4 h1 r1/2	Germany	GER	3:24.77 (4 h1)	–
	Corinna Schwab • Carolina Krafzik • Laura Müller • Ruth Spelmeyer-Preuß • Nadine Gonska (DNS)
5 h1 r1/2	France	FRA	3:25.07 (5 h1)	–
	Sokhna Lacoste • Amandine Brossier • Brigitte Ntiamoah • Floria Gueï • Diana Iscaye (DNS)
6 h1 r1/2	Switzerland	SUI	3:25.90 (6 h1)	–
	Lea Sprunger • Silke Lemmens • Rachel Pellaud • Yasmin Giger • Annina Fahr (DNS) • Sarah King (DNS)
6 h2 r1/2	Ukraine	UKR	3:24.50 (6 h2)	–
	Kateryna Klymiuk • Alina Lohvynenko • Viktoriya Tkachuk • Hanna Ryzhkova • Anastasiya Bryzhina (DNS) • Yana Kachur (DNS) • Tetiana Melnyk (DNS) • Nataliya Pyrozhenko-Chornomaz (DNS)
7 h1 r1/2	Australia	AUS	3:30.61 (7 h1)	–
	Bendere Oboya • Kendra Hubbard • Ellie Beer • Annie Rubie-Renshaw • Angeline Blackburn (DNS)
7 h2 r1/2	Italy	ITA	3:27.74 (7 h2)	–
	Maria Benedicta Chigbolu • Alice Mangione • Petra Nardelli • Rebecca Borga • Ayomide Folorunso (DNS) • Raphaela Lukudo (DNS) • Anna Polinari (DNS)
8 h2 r1/2	Belarus	BLR	3:33.00 (8 h2)	–
	Aliaksandra Khilmanovich • Yuliya Bliznets • Elvira Herman • Asteria Limai • Hanna Mikhailava (DNS) • Krystsina Muliarchyk (DNS)
AC h1 r1/2	The Bahamas	BAH	DNF (DNF h1)	–
	Doneisha Anderson • Megan Moss • Brianne Bethel • Anthonique Strachan • Lacarthea Cooper (DNS)

Round One

Date	6 August 2021 — 19:25
Format	Top 3 in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final.

Pos	Team	NOC	Time (automatic)	Reaction Time
1	United States	USA	3:20.86	0.177	Q
2	Jamaica	JAM	3:21.95	0.177	Q
3	Poland	POL	3:23.10	0.161	Q
4	Great Britain	GBR	3:23.99	0.169	Q
5	Netherlands	NED	3:24.01	0.220	q
6	Cuba	CUB	3:24.04	0.194	Q
7	Canada	CAN	3:24.05	0.162	q
8	Belgium	BEL	3:24.08	0.139	Q
9	Ukraine	UKR	3:24.50	0.173
10	Germany	GER	3:24.77	0.168
11	France	FRA	3:25.07	0.279
12	Switzerland	SUI	3:25.90	0.153
13	Italy	ITA	3:27.74	0.150
14	Australia	AUS	3:30.61	0.197
15	Belarus	BLR	3:33.00	0.214
DNF	The Bahamas	BAH	DNF	0.297

Heat #1

Time	19:25

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time	Split	Exchange
1	Poland	POL	3:23.10	0.161	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Anna Kiełbasińska		–	–	51.0 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Iga Baumgart-Witan		–	–	50.2 (1)	1:41.25 (1)
3rd Leg	Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik		–	–	50.43 (1)	2:31.68 (1)
Anchor	Justyna Święty-Ersetic		–	–	51.42 (4)	– (–)
2	Cuba	CUB	3:24.04	0.194	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Zurian Hechavarría		–	–	51.7 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Rose Almanza		–	–	50.8 (4)	1:42.57 (5)
3rd Leg	Sahily Diago		–	–	51.34 (5)	2:33.91 (5)
Anchor	Lisneidy Veitía		–	–	50.13 (1)	– (–)
3	Belgium	BEL	3:24.08	0.139	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Naomi van den Broeck		–	–	51.6 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Imke Vervaet		–	–	50.7 (3)	1:42.39 (4)
3rd Leg	Paulien Couckuyt		–	–	51.08 (4)	2:33.47 (3)
Anchor	Camille Laus		–	–	50.61 (2)	– (–)
4	Germany	GER	3:24.77	0.168	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Corinna Schwab		–	–	51.1 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Carolina Krafzik		–	–	50.8 (4)	1:41.97 (3)
3rd Leg	Laura Müller		–	–	50.96 (2)	2:32.93 (2)
Anchor	Ruth Spelmeyer-Preuß		–	–	51.84 (5)	– (–)
5	France	FRA	3:25.07	0.279	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Sokhna Lacoste		–	–	51.1 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Amandine Brossier		–	–	50.6 (2)	1:41.84 (2)
3rd Leg	Brigitte Ntiamoah		–	–	52.18 (7)	2:34.02 (6)
Anchor	Floria Gueï		–	–	51.05 (3)	– (–)
6	Switzerland	SUI	3:25.90	0.153	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Lea Sprunger		–	–	51.2 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Silke Lemmens		–	–	51.3 (6)	1:42.60 (6)
3rd Leg	Rachel Pellaud		–	–	51.07 (3)	2:33.67 (4)
Anchor	Yasmin Giger		–	–	52.23 (6)	– (–)
7	Australia	AUS	3:30.61	0.197	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Bendere Oboya		–	–	52.3 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Kendra Hubbard		–	–	53.8 (8)	1:46.13 (8)
3rd Leg	Ellie Beer		–	–	51.85 (6)	2:37.98 (7)
Anchor	Annie Rubie-Renshaw		–	–	52.63 (7)	– (–)
DNF	The Bahamas	BAH	DNF	0.297	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Doneisha Anderson		–	–	52.6 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Megan Moss		–	–	53.3 (7)	1:46.01 (7)
3rd Leg	Brianne Bethel		–	–	54.33 (8)	2:40.34 (8)
Anchor	Anthonique Strachan		–	–	– (–)	– (–)

Heat #2

Time	19:37

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time	Split	Exchange
1	United States	USA	3:20.86	0.177	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Kaylin Whitney		–	–	50.7 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Wadeline Jonathas		–	–	49.6 (1)	1:40.46 (1)
3rd Leg	Kendall Ellis		–	–	50.06 (2)	2:30.52 (2)
Anchor	Lynna Irby		–	–	50.34 (3)	– (–)
2	Jamaica	JAM	3:21.95	0.177	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Junelle Bromfield		–	–	51.0 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Roneisha McGregor		–	–	49.8 (2)	1:40.86 (2)
3rd Leg	Janieve Russell		–	–	49.52 (1)	2:30.38 (1)
Anchor	Stacey-Ann Williams		–	–	51.57 (6)	– (–)
3	Great Britain	GBR	3:23.99	0.169	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Emily Diamond		–	–	51.5 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Zoey Clark		–	–	50.9 (5)	1:42.48 (4)
3rd Leg	Laviai Nielsen		–	–	50.92 (4)	2:33.40 (4)
Anchor	Nicole Yeargin		–	–	50.59 (4)	– (–)
4	Netherlands	NED	3:24.01	0.220	– (–)	– (–)	q
Lead-Off	Lieke Klaver		–	–	51.2 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Lisanne de Witte		–	–	51.8 (8)	1:43.02 (6)
3rd Leg	Laura de Witte		–	–	51.85 (6)	2:34.87 (6)
Anchor	Femke Bol		–	–	49.14 (1)	– (–)
5	Canada	CAN	3:24.05	0.162	– (–)	– (–)	q
Lead-Off	Alicia Brown		–	–	51.8 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Sage Watson		–	–	50.5 (3)	1:42.35 (3)
3rd Leg	Maddy Price		–	–	50.80 (3)	2:33.15 (3)
Anchor	Kyra Constantine		–	–	50.90 (5)	– (–)
6	Ukraine	UKR	3:24.50	0.173	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Kateryna Klymiuk		–	–	52.0 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Alina Lohvynenko		–	–	51.0 (6)	1:43.14 (7)
3rd Leg	Viktoriya Tkachuk		–	–	51.05 (5)	2:34.19 (5)
Anchor	Hanna Ryzhkova		–	–	50.31 (2)	– (–)
7	Italy	ITA	3:27.74	0.150	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Maria Benedicta Chigbolu		–	–	52.0 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Alice Mangione		–	–	50.7 (4)	1:42.76 (5)
3rd Leg	Petra Nardelli		–	–	52.13 (7)	2:34.89 (7)
Anchor	Rebecca Borga		–	–	52.85 (7)	– (–)
8	Belarus	BLR	3:33.00	0.214	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Aliaksandra Khilmanovich		–	–	52.4 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Yuliya Bliznets		–	–	51.6 (7)	1:44.10 (8)
3rd Leg	Elvira Herman		–	–	55.34 (8)	2:39.44 (8)
Anchor	Asteria Limai		–	–	53.56 (8)	– (–)

Final Round

Date	7 August 2021 — 21:30

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time	Split	Exchange
1	United States	USA	3:16.85	0.145	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Sydney McLaughlin		–	–	50.2 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Allyson Felix		–	–	49.3 (1)	1:39.59 (1)
3rd Leg	Dalilah Muhammad		–	–	48.94 (1)	2:28.53 (1)
Anchor	Athing Mu		–	–	48.32 (1)	– (–)
2	Poland	POL	3:20.53	0.183	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Natalia Kaczmarek		–	–	50.2 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Iga Baumgart-Witan		–	–	49.9 (4)	1:40.20 (2)
3rd Leg	Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik		–	–	49.89 (2)	2:30.09 (2)
Anchor	Justyna Święty-Ersetic		–	–	50.44 (4)	– (–)
3	Jamaica	JAM	3:21.24	0.192	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Roneisha McGregor		–	–	50.6 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Janieve Russell		–	–	50.0 (5)	1:40.71 (3)
3rd Leg	Shericka Jackson		–	–	50.18 (4)	2:30.89 (4)
Anchor	Candice McLeod		–	–	50.35 (3)	– (–)
4	Canada	CAN	3:21.84	0.179	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Alicia Brown		–	–	50.9 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Maddy Price		–	–	49.9 (3)	1:40.90 (4)
3rd Leg	Kyra Constantine		–	–	49.98 (3)	2:30.88 (3)
Anchor	Sage Watson		–	–	50.96 (7)	– (–)
5	Great Britain	GBR	3:22.59	0.163	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Ama Pipi		–	–	52.3 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Jodie Williams		–	–	49.4 (2)	1:41.74 (5)
3rd Leg	Emily Diamond		–	–	50.41 (5)	2:32.15 (5)
Anchor	Nicole Yeargin		–	–	50.44 (4)	– (–)
6	Netherlands	NED	3:23.74	0.207	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Lieke Klaver		–	–	50.6 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Lisanne de Witte		–	–	51.9 (8)	1:42.60 (7)
3rd Leg	Laura de Witte		–	–	52.17 (7)	2:34.77 (7)
Anchor	Femke Bol		–	–	48.97 (2)	– (–)
7	Belgium	BEL	3:23.96	0.173	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Naomi van den Broeck		–	–	51.9 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Imke Vervaet		–	–	50.0 (6)	1:42.03 (6)
3rd Leg	Paulien Couckuyt		–	–	51.04 (6)	2:33.07 (6)
Anchor	Camille Laus		–	–	50.89 (6)	– (–)
8	Cuba	CUB	3:26.92	0.219	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Zurian Hechavarría		–	–	51.5 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Rose Almanza		–	–	51.3 (7)	1:42.89 (8)
3rd Leg	Sahily Diago		–	–	52.27 (8)	2:35.16 (8)
Anchor	Lisneidy Veitía		–	–	51.76 (8)	– (–)