| | Event type

4 x 200 metres Freestyle Relay, Men

Date	12 – 13 August 2008
Status	Olympic
Location	Beijing Guojia Youyong Zhongxin, Beijing Aolinpike Gongyuan, Beijing
Participants	73 from 16 countries

Realistically the question was not which team would win this race but what would be the winning margin of the American team and how much time would they shave off the world record? Michael Phelps started the record chase by posting the second fastest time in history on the opening leg of the final and then cheered on teammates Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens, and Peter Vanderkaay as the American smashed through the seven-minute barrier and finished in 6:58.56, fully five seconds inside the record set at the 2007 World Championships, and winning by over five seconds. Behind the US team, Canada, Australia and Russia took turns in second place before the Russians pulled away in the closing stages. Australia held on the bronze ahead of the fast finishing Italian team. Of the four Americans who raced and won the 2004 Olympic final only Klete Keller did not swim in the final this time around although he did compete in the heats.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	Final
1	United States	USA	7:04.66 (1 h2)	6:58.56 (1)	Gold
	Michael Phelps • Ryan Lochte • Ricky Berens • Peter Vanderkaay • Dave Walters • Erik Vendt • Klete Keller
2	Russian Federation	RUS	7:07.86 (2 h1)	7:03.70 (2)	Silver
	Nikita Lobintsev • Yevgeny Lagunov • Dan Izotov • Aleksandr Sukhorukov • Mikhail Polishchuk
3	Australia	AUS	7:08.41 (3 h2)	7:04.98 (3)	Bronze
	Patrick Murphy • Grant Hackett • Grant Brits • Nick Ffrost • Kirk Palmer • Leith Brodie
4	Italy	ITA	7:07.84 (1 h1)	7:05.35 (4)
	Marco Belotti • Emiliano Brembilla • Massi Rosolino • Filippo Magnini • Nicola Cassio
5	Canada	CAN	7:08.04 (3 h1)	7:05.77 (5)
	Colin Russell • Brian Johns • Brent Hayden • Andrew Hurd • Rick Say • Adam Sioui
6	Great Britain	GBR	7:07.89 (2 h2)	7:05.92 (6)
	David Carry • Andrew Hunter • Robbie Renwick • Ross Davenport
7	Japan	JPN	7:09.12 (4 h1)	7:10.31 (7)
	Yoshihiro Okumura • Sho Uchida • Yasunori Mononobe • Hisato Matsumoto
8	South Africa	RSA	7:10.91 (4 h2)	7:13.02 (8)
	Jean Basson • Darian Townsend • Jan Venter • Sebastien Rousseau
9	Austria	AUT	7:11.45 (5 h2)	–
	Dominik Koll • David Brandl • Florian Janistyn • Markus Rogan
10	People's Republic of China	CHN	7:13.57 (5 h1)	–
	Zhang Lin • Zhang Enjian • Sun Yang • Shi Haoran
11	France	FRA	7:13.57 (6 h1)	–
	Clément Lefert • Sébastien Bodet • Matthieu Madelaine • Amaury Leveaux
12	Germany	GER	7:13.92 (7 h1)	–
	Paul Biedermann • Benjamin Starke • Christian Kubusch • Stefan Herbst
13	Hungary	HUN	7:14.14 (6 h2)	–
	Gergő Kis • Tamás Kerékjártó • Dominik Kozma • Norbert Kovács
14	Poland	POL	7:18.09 (7 h2)	–
	Łukasz Gąsior • Łukasz Wójt • Michał Rokicki • Przemysław Stańczyk
15	Greece	GRE	7:18.26 (8 h2)	–
	Andreas Zisimos • Nikos Xylouris • Giannis Giannoulis • Vasilis Demetis
16	Brazil	BRA	7:19.54 (8 h1)	–
	Nicolas Oliveira • Rodrigo Castro • Phillip Morrison • Lucas Salatta

Round One (12 August 2008)

Fastest eight teams advanced to final

Heat One (19:55)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	Italy	ITA				7:07.84			Q
		Nicola Cassio		25.73	52.97	1:20.79	1:48.76	0.84	1:48.76 (7)
		Marco Belotti		24.14	51.23	1:18.26	1:45.82	0.31	3:34.58 (2)
		Emiliano Brembilla		25.23	52.01	1:19.18	1:46.46	0.37	5:21.04 (1)
		Massi Rosolino		25.16	51.96	1:19.25	1:46.80	0.47	7:07.84 (1)
2	6	Russian Federation	RUS				7:07.86			Q
		Mikhail Polishchuk		25.23	52.53	1:20.74	1:48.54	0.77	1:48.54 (6)
		Dan Izotov		24.96	52.37	1:19.83	1:47.24	0.33	3:35.78 (5)
		Nikita Lobintsev		24.36	51.59	1:19.12	1:46.84	0.41	5:22.62 (4)
		Aleksandr Sukhorukov		24.60	51.37	1:18.38	1:45.24	0.26	7:07.86 (2)
3	5	Canada	CAN				7:08.04			Q
		Brian Johns		25.39	52.62	1:20.45	1:47.44	0.81	1:47.44 (3)
		Rick Say		24.25	51.37	1:19.58	1:47.24	0.09	3:34.68 (3)
		Adam Sioui		24.19	51.12	1:19.06	1:47.05	0.27	5:21.73 (3)
		Andrew Hurd		24.97	51.83	1:19.25	1:46.31	0.35	7:08.04 (3)
4	7	Japan	JPN				7:09.12			Q
		Yoshihiro Okumura		25.69	52.90	1:20.13	1:47.19	0.76	1:47.19 (2)
		Sho Uchida		24.99	52.23	1:19.55	1:46.59	0.16	3:33.78 (1)
		Yasunori Mononobe		24.69	52.23	1:20.04	1:47.29	0.05	5:21.07 (2)
		Hisato Matsumoto		24.43	51.37	1:19.04	1:48.05	0.17	7:09.12 (4)
5	2	People's Republic of China	CHN				7:13.57
		Zhang Lin		25.20	52.28	1:19.56	1:46.13	0.73	1:46.13 (1)
		Zhang Enjian		25.00	52.83	1:20.83	1:49.31	0.18	3:35.44 (4)
		Sun Yang		25.36	53.35	1:21.57	1:48.73	0.08	5:24.17 (5)
		Shi Haoran		25.71	53.15	1:21.30	1:49.40	0.43	7:13.57 (5)
6	8	France	FRA				7:13.57
		Clément Lefert		25.55	52.53	1:20.11	1:48.34	0.83	1:48.34 (5)
		Sébastien Bodet		24.54	51.75	1:19.70	1:49.47	0.11	3:37.81 (8)
		Matthieu Madelaine		24.51	51.85	1:20.47	1:49.87	0.10	5:27.68 (8)
		Amaury Leveaux		24.22	50.96	1:18.65	1:45.89	0.00	7:13.57 (5)
7	1	Germany	GER				7:13.92
		Paul Biedermann		25.45	52.82	1:20.23	1:47.48	0.88	1:47.48 (4)
		Benjamin Starke		24.30	51.94	1:20.21	1:48.51	0.16	3:35.99 (6)
		Christian Kubusch		25.72	53.50	1:21.87	1:49.28	0.27	5:25.27 (6)
		Stefan Herbst		24.64	52.16	1:20.73	1:48.65	0.37	7:13.92 (7)
8	3	Brazil	BRA				7:19.54
		Nicolas Oliveira		25.42	52.99	1:21.18	1:49.49	0.75	1:49.49 (8)
		Rodrigo Castro		24.75	51.69	1:19.54	1:48.31	0.32	3:37.80 (7)
		Phillip Morrison		25.13	52.64	1:20.77	1:49.35	0.35	5:27.15 (7)
		Lucas Salatta		24.85	52.98	1:22.28	1:52.39	0.16	7:19.54 (8)

Heat Two (20:05)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	United States	USA				7:04.66			QOR
		Dave Walters		24.73	51.18	1:18.63	1:46.57	0.77	1:46.57 (3)
		Ricky Berens		24.40	51.47	1:18.64	1:45.47	0.42	3:32.04 (1)
		Erik Vendt		25.38	53.05	1:20.73	1:47.11	0.41	5:19.15 (1)
		Klete Keller		24.74	51.28	1:18.22	1:45.51	0.38	7:04.66 (1)
2	3	Great Britain	GBR				7:07.89			Q
		David Carry		25.36	52.06	1:19.39	1:46.47	0.79	1:46.47 (2)
		Andrew Hunter		24.63	51.73	1:19.59	1:46.88	0.41	3:33.35 (3)
		Ross Davenport		24.87	52.22	1:20.05	1:47.15	0.37	5:20.50 (3)
		Robbie Renwick		24.40	51.64	1:19.58	1:47.39	0.31	7:07.89 (2)
3	5	Australia	AUS				7:08.41			Q
		Nick Ffrost		25.51	52.71	1:20.27	1:47.47	0.66	1:47.47 (5)
		Grant Brits		24.10	51.40	1:19.14	1:46.84	0.10	3:34.31 (5)
		Kirk Palmer		24.52	51.55	1:19.61	1:47.02	0.41	5:21.33 (4)
		Leith Brodie		24.49	51.89	1:19.48	1:47.08	0.28	7:08.41 (3)
4	2	South Africa	RSA				7:10.91			Q
		Jean Basson		25.29	52.03	1:18.97	1:45.99	0.69	1:45.99 (1)
		Darian Townsend		23.85	50.59	1:17.92	1:46.14	0.25	3:32.13 (2)
		Jan Venter		25.43	53.48	1:21.28	1:48.32	-0.02	5:20.45 (2)
		Sebastien Rousseau		25.02	52.66	1:21.41	1:50.46	0.38	7:10.91 (4)
5	6	Austria	AUT				7:11.45
		Dominik Koll		25.45	52.39	1:19.85	1:47.72	0.80	1:47.72 (6)
		David Brandl		24.94	51.84	1:19.29	1:46.45	0.51	3:34.17 (4)
		Florian Janistyn		25.21	52.35	1:21.01	1:50.48	0.15	5:24.65 (5)
		Markus Rogan		24.33	51.47	1:19.04	1:46.80	0.02	7:11.45 (5)
6	1	Hungary	HUN				7:14.14
		Gergő Kis		25.93	53.04	1:20.06	1:47.39	0.80	1:47.39 (4)
		Tamás Kerékjártó		25.05	52.37	1:20.70	1:49.09	0.30	3:36.48 (6)
		Dominik Kozma		24.67	52.20	1:20.45	1:49.26	0.08	5:25.74 (6)
		Norbert Kovács		25.01	52.46	1:20.53	1:48.40	0.38	7:14.14 (6)
7	7	Poland	POL				7:18.09
		Łukasz Gąsior		25.30	52.95	1:21.33	1:49.43	0.75	1:49.43 (8)
		Łukasz Wójt		24.66	52.33	1:19.99	1:48.54	0.13	3:37.97 (7)
		Michał Rokicki		26.47	54.38	1:23.07	1:51.14	0.24	5:29.11 (8)
		Przemysław Stańczyk		25.42	53.07	1:20.80	1:48.98	0.11	7:18.09 (7)
8	8	Greece	GRE				7:18.26
		Andreas Zisimos		25.40	52.99	1:20.89	1:49.05	0.77	1:49.05 (7)
		Nikos Xylouris		25.25	52.91	1:21.00	1:49.53	0.30	3:38.58 (8)
		Giannis Giannoulis		25.49	53.03	1:20.75	1:48.96	0.39	5:27.54 (7)
		Vasilis Demetis		25.24	53.64	1:22.49	1:50.72	0.17	7:18.26 (8)

Final (13 August 2008 — 11:22)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	United States	USA				6:58.56			WR
		Michael Phelps		24.25	50.48	1:17.09	1:43.31	0.72	1:43.31 (1)
		Ryan Lochte		23.70	50.28	1:17.33	1:44.28	0.34	3:27.59 (1)
		Ricky Berens		24.53	51.70	1:19.29	1:46.29	0.41	5:13.88 (1)
		Peter Vanderkaay		24.13	50.95	1:18.28	1:44.68	0.36	6:58.56 (1)
2	3	Russian Federation	RUS				7:03.70
		Nikita Lobintsev		24.90	51.59	1:18.97	1:46.64	0.81	1:46.64 (4)
		Yevgeny Lagunov		23.09	49.60	1:17.93	1:46.56	0.24	3:33.20 (3)
		Dan Izotov		23.83	50.61	1:18.27	1:45.85	0.20	5:19.05 (4)
		Aleksandr Sukhorukov		24.35	50.83	1:17.71	1:44.65	0.24	7:03.70 (2)
3	7	Australia	AUS				7:04.98
		Patrick Murphy		25.10	51.74	1:18.91	1:45.95	0.79	1:45.95 (2)
		Grant Hackett		24.52	51.45	1:18.75	1:45.87	0.28	3:31.82 (2)
		Grant Brits		24.09	51.51	1:19.41	1:47.13	0.12	5:18.95 (3)
		Nick Ffrost		24.47	51.85	1:19.22	1:46.03	0.10	7:04.98 (3)
4	5	Italy	ITA				7:05.35
		Marco Belotti		25.18	52.65	1:20.07	1:47.37	0.76	1:47.37 (8)
		Emiliano Brembilla		25.90	53.20	1:20.60	1:47.33	0.47	3:34.70 (8)
		Massi Rosolino		24.99	52.09	1:19.43	1:46.53	0.29	5:21.23 (6)
		Filippo Magnini		23.07	50.40	1:17.78	1:44.12	0.09	7:05.35 (4)
5	2	Canada	CAN				7:05.77
		Colin Russell		24.88	51.74	1:19.23	1:46.89	0.74	1:46.89 (7)
		Brian Johns		24.56	51.84	1:19.95	1:47.61	0.09	3:34.50 (7)
		Brent Hayden		23.34	49.87	1:17.23	1:44.42	0.21	5:18.92 (2)
		Andrew Hurd		24.96	52.09	1:19.58	1:46.85	0.26	7:05.77 (5)
6	6	Great Britain	GBR				7:05.92
		David Carry		25.32	52.21	1:19.67	1:46.78	0.76	1:46.78 (6)
		Andrew Hunter		24.76	52.04	1:19.74	1:46.73	0.19	3:33.51 (4)
		Robbie Renwick		23.87	50.74	1:18.03	1:46.16	0.31	5:19.67 (5)
		Ross Davenport		24.13	50.97	1:18.63	1:46.25	0.22	7:05.92 (6)
7	1	Japan	JPN				7:10.31
		Yoshihiro Okumura		25.61	52.48	1:19.51	1:46.61	0.71	1:46.61 (3)
		Sho Uchida		25.14	52.44	1:20.23	1:47.36	0.32	3:33.97 (6)
		Yasunori Mononobe		24.84	52.42	1:20.54	1:47.72	0.14	5:21.69 (7)
		Hisato Matsumoto		24.83	52.34	1:20.42	1:48.62	0.08	7:10.31 (7)
8	8	South Africa	RSA				7:13.02
		Jean Basson		25.18	51.74	1:18.75	1:46.67	0.71	1:46.67 (5)
		Darian Townsend		24.10	51.20	1:18.61	1:47.24	0.21	3:33.91 (5)
		Jan Venter		25.28	53.25	1:21.74	1:49.56	0.25	5:23.47 (8)
		Sebastien Rousseau		25.37	53.57	1:21.56	1:49.55	0.27	7:13.02 (8)