| | Event type

4 × 400 metres Relay, Men

Date	7 – 8 September 1960
Status	Olympic
Location	Stadio Olimpico, Roma
Participants	76 from 19 countries
Olympic Record	3:03.9 WR / Arthur Wint • Les Laing • Herb McKenley • George Rhoden JAM / 27 July 1952 / Details

Led by 400 metre gold medalist Otis Davis and 400 hurdle gold medalist Glenn Davis, the US was favored in this event. Jack Yerman led off for the US and took the lead with 46.29. After three legs, the US led by about eight metres over Germany, when Otis Davis took the baton. Germany’s anchor was Carl Kaufmann, who had narrowly lost the 400 gold to Davis. With a comfortable lead, Davis was slightly outrun by Kaufmann, who actually closed in the first 200 metres, but the outcome was never in doubt, the US breaking the world record in 3:02.2 and winning by half a second.

Pos	Number	Competitors	NOC	R1	SF	Final
1	–	United States	USA	3:10.4 (1 h4)	3:08.4 (1 h2)	3:02.2 (1)	Gold	WR
		Jack Yerman • Earl Young • Glenn Davis • Otis Davis • Ted Woods (DNS) • Jerry Siebert (DNS)
2	–	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:10.4 (1 h1)	3:07.4 (2 h1)	3:02.7 (2)	Silver
		Jochen Reske • Manfred Kinder • Jo Kaiser • Carl Kaufmann • Rolf Klimbt (DNS) • Karl Storm (DNS)
3	–	West Indies Federation	WIF	3:09.1 (1 h2)	3:09.2 (2 h2)	3:04.0 (3)	Bronze
		Mal Spence • Jim Wedderburn • Keith Gardner • George Kerr • Mel Spence (DNS) • Cliff Bertrand (DNS)
4	–	South Africa	RSA	3:16.1 (2 h3)	3:06.4 (1 h1)	3:05.0 (4)
		Edward Jefferys • Edgar Davis • Gordon Day • Malcolm Spence • Gert Potgieter (DNS)
5	–	Great Britain	GBR	3:20.3 (3 h3)	3:07.5 (3 h1)	3:08.3 (5)
		Malcolm Yardley • Barry Jackson • John Wrighton • Robbie Brightwell • Tom Farrell (DNS) • John Metcalf (DNS)
6	–	Switzerland	SUI	3:10.7 (1 h3)	3:09.7 (3 h2)	3:09.4 (6)
		René Weber • Ernst Zaugg • Hansruedi Bruder • Christian Wägli • Bruno Urben (DNS) • Bruno Galliker (DNS)
4 h1 r2/3	–	Italy	ITA	3:09.8 (3 h2)	3:07.7 (4 h1)	–
		Giuseppe Bommarito • Mario Fraschini • Nerio Fossati • Renato Panciera • Adriano Loddo (DNS) • Vincenzo Lombardo (DNS)
4 h2 r2/3	–	Poland	POL	3:09.5 (2 h2)	3:10.8 (4 h2)	–
		Edward Bożek • Stanisław Swatowski • Bogusław Gierajewski • Jerzy Kowalski • Ireneusz Kluczek (DNS) • Zbigniew Makomaski (DNS)
5 h1 r2/3	–	Canada	CAN	3:10.5 (2 h1)	3:08.2 (5 h1)	–
		Ergas Leps • Joe Mullins • Sig Ohlemann • Terry Tobacco • Harry Jerome (DNS) • George Shepherd (DNS)
5 h2 r2/3	–	Ghana	GHA	3:10.5 (2 h4)	3:10.9 (5 h2)	–
		William Quaye • James Addy • Frederick Owusu • John Asare-Antwi • Ebenezer Quartey (DNS)
6 h1 r2/3	–	Yugoslavia	YUG	3:10.6 (3 h1)	3:10.2 (6 h1)	–
		Srđan Savić • Ðani Kovač • Miloje Grujić • Viktor Šnajder
6 h2 r2/3	–	Sweden	SWE	3:10.7 (3 h4)	3:10.9 (6 h2)	–
		Hans-Olof Johansson • Per-Owe Trollsås • Lennart Jonsson • Alf Petersson • Stig Fallberg (DNS) • Ronny Sunesson (DNS)
4 h1 r1/3	–	Finland	FIN	3:11.7 (4 h1)	–	–
		Pentti Rekola • Börje Strand • Voitto Hellstén • Jussi Rintamäki • Olavi Salonen (DNS) • Pertti Ålander (DNS)
4 h2 r1/3	–	Belgium	BEL	3:15.1 (4 h2)	–	–
		Marcel Lambrechts • Jos Lambrechts • Louis De Clerck • Roger Moens • Jean-Pierre Barra (DNS) • Leo Mariën (DNS)
4 h4 r1/3	–	Czechoslovakia	TCH	3:11.2 (4 h4)	–	–
		Zdeněk Váňa • Jan Šlégr • Jaroslav Jirásek • Josef Trousil • Vilém Mandlík (DNS)
5 h1 r1/3	–	Puerto Rico	PUR	3:13.9 (5 h1)	–	–
		Ovidio de Jesús • José Luis Villalongo • Ramón Vega • Germán Guenard • Josué Delgado (DNS) • Iván Rodríguez (DNS)
5 h2 r1/3	–	Luxembourg	LUX	3:21.7 (5 h2)	–	–
		Roger Bofferding • Felix Heuertz • Norbert Haupert • Ramon Humbert
5 h4 r1/3	–	Soviet Union	URS	3:12.1 (5 h4)	–	–
		Konstantin Grachov • Boris Kriunov • Vladimir Polyanichev • Arnold Matsulevich • Valery Bulyshev (DNS) • Abram Kryvosheiev (DNS)
AC h3 r1/3	–	Greece	GRE	– (DNF h3)	–	–
		Leonidas Kormalis • Konstantinos Moragiemos • Evangelos Depastas • Vasilios Sillis • Nikolaos Georgopoulos (DNS) • Dimitrios Skourtis (DNS)
DNS	–	Uganda	UGA	–	–	–
		Gadi Ado • Sam Amukun • Aggrey Awori • Jorem Ochana • Jean Baptiste Okello

Round One

Date	7 September 1960 — 10:30
Format	Top 3 in each heat advanced to the semi-finals.

Pos	Team	NOC	Time (hand)	Time (automatic)
1	West Indies Federation	WIF	3:09.1	3:09.28	Q
2	Poland	POL	3:09.5	3:09.67	Q
3	Italy	ITA	3:09.8	3:10.00	Q
=4	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:10.4	3:10.58	Q
=4	United States	USA	3:10.4	3:10.58	Q
6	Canada	CAN	3:10.5	3:10.65	Q
7	Ghana	GHA	3:10.5	3:10.66	Q
8	Yugoslavia	YUG	3:10.6	3:10.75	Q
9	Switzerland	SUI	3:10.7	3:10.79	Q
10	Sweden	SWE	3:10.7	3:10.91	Q
11	Czechoslovakia	TCH	3:11.2	3:11.33
12	Finland	FIN	3:11.7	3:11.90
13	Soviet Union	URS	3:12.1	3:12.31
14	Puerto Rico	PUR	3:13.9	3:13.91
15	Belgium	BEL	3:15.1	3:15.26
16	South Africa	RSA	3:16.1	3:16.32	Q
17	Great Britain	GBR	3:20.3	3:20.47	Q
18	Luxembourg	LUX	3:21.7	3:21.87
DNF	Greece	GRE	–	–

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	5	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:10.4	3:10.58	Q
Lead-Off	268	Jochen Reske		–	–
2nd Leg	266	Manfred Kinder		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Jo Kaiser		–	–
Anchor	267	Carl Kaufmann		–	–
2	3	Canada	CAN	3:10.5	3:10.65	Q
Lead-Off	138	Ergas Leps		–	–
2nd Leg	137	Joe Mullins		–	–
3rd Leg	139	Sig Ohlemann		–	–
Anchor	136	Terry Tobacco		–	–
3	2	Yugoslavia	YUG	3:10.6	3:10.75	Q
Lead-Off	–	Srđan Savić		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Ðani Kovač		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Miloje Grujić		–	–
Anchor	–	Viktor Šnajder		–	–
4	4	Finland	FIN	3:11.7	3:11.90
Lead-Off	494	Pentti Rekola		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Börje Strand		–	–
3rd Leg	495	Voitto Hellstén		–	–
Anchor	501	Jussi Rintamäki		–	–
5	1	Puerto Rico	PUR	3:13.9	3:13.91
Lead-Off	–	Ovidio de Jesús		–	–
2nd Leg	–	José Luis Villalongo		–	–
3rd Leg	246	Ramón Vega		–	–
Anchor	247	Germán Guenard		–	–

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	1	West Indies Federation	WIF	3:09.1	3:09.28	Q
Lead-Off	101	Mal Spence		–	–
2nd Leg	102	Jim Wedderburn		–	–
3rd Leg	99	Keith Gardner		–	–
Anchor	100	George Kerr		–	–
2	4	Poland	POL	3:09.5	3:09.67	Q
Lead-Off	–	Edward Bożek		–	–
2nd Leg	518	Stanisław Swatowski		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Bogusław Gierajewski		–	–
Anchor	519	Jerzy Kowalski		–	–
3	2	Italy	ITA	3:09.8	3:10.00	Q
Lead-Off	599	Giuseppe Bommarito		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Mario Fraschini		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Nerio Fossati		–	–
Anchor	–	Renato Panciera		–	–
4	3	Belgium	BEL	3:15.1	3:15.26
Lead-Off	241	Marcel Lambrechts		–	–
2nd Leg	236	Jos Lambrechts		–	–
3rd Leg	235	Louis De Clerck		–	–
Anchor	237	Roger Moens		–	–
5	5	Luxembourg	LUX	3:21.7	3:21.87
Lead-Off	54	Roger Bofferding		–	–
2nd Leg	55	Felix Heuertz		–	–
3rd Leg	56	Norbert Haupert		–	–
Anchor	–	Ramon Humbert		–	–

Heat #3

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	5	Switzerland	SUI	3:10.7	3:10.79	Q
Lead-Off	221	René Weber		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Ernst Zaugg		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Hansruedi Bruder		–	–
Anchor	222	Christian Wägli		–	–
2	2	South Africa	RSA	3:16.1	3:16.32	Q
Lead-Off	108	Edward Jefferys		–	–
2nd Leg	112	Edgar Davis		–	–
3rd Leg	110	Gordon Day		–	–
Anchor	109	Malcolm Spence		–	–
3	1	Great Britain	GBR	3:20.3	3:20.47	Q
Lead-Off	627	Malcolm Yardley		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Barry Jackson		–	–
3rd Leg	626	John Wrighton		–	–
Anchor	625	Robbie Brightwell		–	–
DNF	4	Greece	GRE	–	–
Lead-Off	–	Leonidas Kormalis		–	–
2nd Leg	328	Konstantinos Moragiemos		–	–
3rd Leg	329	Evangelos Depastas		–	–
Anchor	327	Vasilios Sillis		–	–

Heat #4

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	3	United States	USA	3:10.4	3:10.58	Q
Lead-Off	402	Jack Yerman		–	–
2nd Leg	401	Earl Young		–	–
3rd Leg	417	Glenn Davis		–	–
Anchor	400	Otis Davis		–	–
2	1	Ghana	GHA	3:10.5	3:10.66	Q
Lead-Off	–	William Quaye		–	–
2nd Leg	–	James Addy		–	–
3rd Leg	131	Frederick Owusu		–	–
Anchor	130	John Asare-Antwi		–	–
3	2	Sweden	SWE	3:10.7	3:10.91	Q
Lead-Off	–	Hans-Olof Johansson		–	–
2nd Leg	348	Per-Owe Trollsås		–	–
3rd Leg	344	Lennart Jonsson		–	–
Anchor	345	Alf Petersson		–	–
4	4	Czechoslovakia	TCH	3:11.2	3:11.33
Lead-Off	147	Zdeněk Váňa		–	–
2nd Leg	149	Jan Šlégr		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Jaroslav Jirásek		–	–
Anchor	148	Josef Trousil		–	–
5	5	Soviet Union	URS	3:12.1	3:12.31
Lead-Off	551	Konstantin Grachov		–	–
2nd Leg	565	Boris Kriunov		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Vladimir Polyanichev		–	–
Anchor	567	Arnold Matsulevich		–	–

Semi-Finals

Date	7 September 1960 — 17:10
Format	Top 3 in each heat advanced to the final round.

Pos	Team	NOC	Time (hand)	Time (automatic)
1	South Africa	RSA	3:06.4	3:06.53	Q
2	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:07.4	3:07.60	Q
3	Great Britain	GBR	3:07.5	3:07.67	Q
4	Italy	ITA	3:07.7	3:07.83
5	Canada	CAN	3:08.2	3:08.37
6	United States	USA	3:08.4	3:08.57	Q
7	West Indies Federation	WIF	3:09.2	3:09.34	Q
8	Switzerland	SUI	3:09.7	3:09.77	Q
9	Yugoslavia	YUG	3:10.2	3:10.34
10	Poland	POL	3:10.8	3:10.88
11	Ghana	GHA	3:10.9	3:11.03
12	Sweden	SWE	3:10.9	3:11.05

Heat #1

Pos	Number	Competitors	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	–	South Africa	RSA	3:06.4	3:06.53	Q
Lead-Off	108	Edward Jefferys		–	–
2nd Leg	112	Edgar Davis		–	–
3rd Leg	110	Gordon Day		–	–
Anchor	109	Malcolm Spence		–	–
2	–	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:07.4	3:07.60	Q
Lead-Off	268	Jochen Reske		–	–
2nd Leg	266	Manfred Kinder		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Jo Kaiser		–	–
Anchor	267	Carl Kaufmann		–	–
3	–	Great Britain	GBR	3:07.5	3:07.67	Q
Lead-Off	627	Malcolm Yardley		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Barry Jackson		–	–
3rd Leg	626	John Wrighton		–	–
Anchor	625	Robbie Brightwell		–	–
4	–	Italy	ITA	3:07.7	3:07.83
Lead-Off	599	Giuseppe Bommarito		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Mario Fraschini		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Nerio Fossati		–	–
Anchor	–	Renato Panciera		–	–
5	–	Canada	CAN	3:08.2	3:08.37
Lead-Off	138	Ergas Leps		–	–
2nd Leg	137	Joe Mullins		–	–
3rd Leg	139	Sig Ohlemann		–	–
Anchor	136	Terry Tobacco		–	–
6	–	Yugoslavia	YUG	3:10.2	3:10.34
Lead-Off	–	Srđan Savić		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Ðani Kovač		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Miloje Grujić		–	–
Anchor	–	Viktor Šnajder		–	–

Heat #2

Pos	Number	Competitors	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)
1	–	United States	USA	3:08.4	3:08.57	Q
Lead-Off	402	Jack Yerman		–	–
2nd Leg	401	Earl Young		–	–
3rd Leg	417	Glenn Davis		–	–
Anchor	400	Otis Davis		–	–
2	–	West Indies Federation	WIF	3:09.2	3:09.34	Q
Lead-Off	101	Mal Spence		–	–
2nd Leg	102	Jim Wedderburn		–	–
3rd Leg	99	Keith Gardner		–	–
Anchor	100	George Kerr		–	–
3	–	Switzerland	SUI	3:09.7	3:09.77	Q
Lead-Off	221	René Weber		–	–
2nd Leg	–	Ernst Zaugg		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Hansruedi Bruder		–	–
Anchor	222	Christian Wägli		–	–
4	–	Poland	POL	3:10.8	3:10.88
Lead-Off	–	Edward Bożek		–	–
2nd Leg	518	Stanisław Swatowski		–	–
3rd Leg	–	Bogusław Gierajewski		–	–
Anchor	519	Jerzy Kowalski		–	–
5	–	Ghana	GHA	3:10.9	3:11.03
Lead-Off	–	William Quaye		–	–
2nd Leg	–	James Addy		–	–
3rd Leg	131	Frederick Owusu		–	–
Anchor	130	John Asare-Antwi		–	–
6	–	Sweden	SWE	3:10.9	3:11.05
Lead-Off	–	Hans-Olof Johansson		–	–
2nd Leg	348	Per-Owe Trollsås		–	–
3rd Leg	344	Lennart Jonsson		–	–
Anchor	345	Alf Petersson		–	–

Final Round

Date	8 September 1960 — 16:30

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time (Hand)	Time (Automatic)	Split	Exchange
1	4	United States	USA	3:02.2	3:02.37	– (–)	– (–)	WR
Lead-Off	402	Jack Yerman		–	–	46.29 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	401	Earl Young		–	–	45.52 (2)	1:31.81 (1)
3rd Leg	417	Glenn Davis		–	–	45.31 (1)	2:17.12 (1)
Anchor	400	Otis Davis		–	–	45.25 (2)	– (–)
2	2	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:02.7	3:02.84	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	268	Jochen Reske		–	–	47.11 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	266	Manfred Kinder		–	–	45.04 (1)	1:32.15 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Jo Kaiser		–	–	45.83 (3)	2:17.98 (2)
Anchor	267	Carl Kaufmann		–	–	44.86 (1)	– (–)
3	6	West Indies Federation	WIF	3:04.0	3:04.13	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	101	Mal Spence		–	–	46.58 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	102	Jim Wedderburn		–	–	46.41 (4)	1:32.99 (4)
3rd Leg	99	Keith Gardner		–	–	45.70 (2)	2:18.7 (3)
Anchor	100	George Kerr		–	–	45.64 (3)	– (–)
4	1	South Africa	RSA	3:05.0	3:05.18	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	108	Edward Jefferys		–	–	47.08 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	112	Edgar Davis		–	–	45.82 (3)	1:32.90 (3)
3rd Leg	110	Gordon Day		–	–	46.39 (4)	2:19.29 (4)
Anchor	109	Malcolm Spence		–	–	45.89 (4)	– (–)
5	5	Great Britain	GBR	3:08.3	3:08.47	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	627	Malcolm Yardley		–	–	47.26 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Barry Jackson		–	–	46.89 (5)	1:34.15 (5)
3rd Leg	626	John Wrighton		–	–	47.63 (6)	2:21.78 (5)
Anchor	625	Robbie Brightwell		–	–	46.68 (5)	– (–)
6	3	Switzerland	SUI	3:09.4	3:09.55	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	221	René Weber		–	–	47.62 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ernst Zaugg		–	–	47.82 (6)	1:35.44 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Hansruedi Bruder		–	–	46.87 (5)	2:22.31 (6)
Anchor	222	Christian Wägli		–	–	47.24 (6)	– (–)