| | Event type

4 × 400 metres Relay, Women

Date	2 – 3 August 1996
Status	Olympic
Location	Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Participants	59 from 14 countries

The United States had won the 1993 and 1995 World Championships, Russia placing second both times. The final saw Nigeria take the lead on the opening lead and Fatima Yusuf opened up on the second leg to give them an eight-metre lead on the US at the halfway point. Kim Graham ran 49.49 on the third leg for the US to close that gap and give the baton to Jearl Miles with a slight lead on Nigeria. Miles opened the lead on the backstretch, but Nigeria’s anchor runner, 400 bronze medalist Falilat Ogunkoya, closed on the final turn and entered the homestretch right on Miles back. But she could never get to her shoulder and though both runners were almost stumbling in the final 30 metres, Miles held on to give the US the gold medal, Nigeria winning an unexpected silver.

Pos	Competitors	NOC	R1	Final
1	United States	USA	3:22.71 (1 h1)	3:20.91 (1)	Gold
	Rochelle Stevens • Maicel Malone • Kim Graham • Jearl Miles • Linetta Wilson
2	Nigeria	NGR	3:23.24 (2 h1)	3:21.04 (2)	Silver
	Bisi Afolabi • Fatima Yusuf • Charity Opara • Falilat Ogunkoya
3	Germany	GER	3:24.08 (1 h2)	3:21.14 (3)	Bronze
	Uta Rohländer • Linda Kisabaka • Anja Rücker • Grit Breuer
4	Jamaica	JAM	3:25.33 (4 h2)	3:21.69 (4)
	Merlene Frazer • Sandie Richards • Juliet Campbell • Deon Hemmings • Tracey Ann Barnes • Inez Turner
5	Russian Federation	RUS	3:24.86 (3 h2)	3:22.22 (5)
	Tatyana Chebykina • Svetlana Goncharenko • Yekaterina Kulikova • Olga Kotlyarova
6	Cuba	CUB	3:24.23 (2 h2)	3:25.85 (6)
	Idalmis Bonne • Daysi Duportey • Surella Morales • Ana Fidelia Quirós
7	Czech Republic	CZE	3:26.82 (5 h2)	3:26.99 (7)
	Naděžda Koštovalová • Ludmila Formanová • Helena Fuchsová • Hana Benešová
8	France	FRA	3:28.07 (3 h1)	3:28.46 (8)
	Francine Landre • Viviane Dorsile • Évelyne Élien • Elsa Devassoigne
4 h1 r1/2	Great Britain	GBR	3:28.13 (4 h1)	–
	Phylis Smith • Allison Curbishley • Donna Fraser • Georgina Oladapo
5 h1 r1/2	Ukraine	UKR	3:28.16 (5 h1)	–
	Viktoriya Fomenko • Liudmyla Koshchei • Yana Manuylova • Olha Moroz
6 h1 r1/2	Antigua and Barbuda	ANT	3:44.98 (6 h1)	–
	Dine Potter • Sonia Williams • Charmaine Thomas • Heather Samuel
6 h2 r1/2	Australia	AUS	3:33.78 (6 h2)	–
	Lee Naylor • Kylie Hanigan • Melinda Gainsford-Taylor • Renée Poetschka
7 h2 r1/2	Saint Kitts and Nevis	SKN	3:35.12 (7 h2)	–
	Bernadeth Prentice • Diane Francis • Valma Bass • Tamara Wigley
AC h1 r1/2	India	IND	– (DQ h1)	–
	K. M. Beenamol • Rosa Kutty • Jyotirmoyee Sikdar • Shiny Wilson
DNS	United States Virgin Islands	ISV	– (DNS h1)	–

Round One

Date	2 August 1996
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	3:22.71	0.297	Q
2	Nigeria	NGR	3:23.24	0.321	Q
3	Germany	GER	3:24.08	0.328	Q
4	Cuba	CUB	3:24.23	0.298	Q
5	Russian Federation	RUS	3:24.86	0.275	Q
6	Jamaica	JAM	3:25.33	0.356	q
7	Czech Republic	CZE	3:26.82	0.472	q
8	France	FRA	3:28.07	0.513	Q
9	Great Britain	GBR	3:28.13	0.287
10	Ukraine	UKR	3:28.16	0.266
11	Australia	AUS	3:33.78	0.282
12	Saint Kitts and Nevis	SKN	3:35.12	0.441
13	Antigua and Barbuda	ANT	3:44.98	0.268
DQ	India	IND	–	[0.386]
DNS	United States Virgin Islands	ISV	–	–

Heat #1

Time	20:30

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time	Split	Exchange
1	United States	USA	3:22.71	0.297	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Rochelle Stevens		–	–	51.53 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Linetta Wilson		–	–	51.22 (2)	1:42.75 (2)
3rd Leg	Kim Graham		–	–	49.99 (1)	2:32.74 (1)
Anchor	Maicel Malone		–	–	49.97 (2)	– (–)
2	Nigeria	NGR	3:23.24	0.321	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Bisi Afolabi		–	–	51.09 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Fatima Yusuf		–	–	50.29 (1)	1:41.38 (1)
3rd Leg	Charity Opara		–	–	52.06 (4)	2:33.44 (2)
Anchor	Falilat Ogunkoya		–	–	49.80 (1)	– (–)
3	France	FRA	3:28.07	0.513	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Francine Landre		–	–	51.80 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Viviane Dorsile		–	–	52.90 (5)	1:44.70 (5)
3rd Leg	Évelyne Élien		–	–	51.45 (2)	2:36.15 (4)
Anchor	Elsa Devassoigne		–	–	51.92 (4)	– (–)
4	Great Britain	GBR	3:28.13	0.287	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Phylis Smith		–	–	51.47 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Allison Curbishley		–	–	52.16 (4)	1:43.63 (3)
3rd Leg	Donna Fraser		–	–	51.98 (3)	2:35.61 (3)
Anchor	Georgina Oladapo		–	–	52.52 (5)	– (–)
5	Ukraine	UKR	3:28.16	0.266	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Viktoriya Fomenko		–	–	53.23 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Liudmyla Koshchei		–	–	51.36 (3)	1:44.59 (4)
3rd Leg	Yana Manuylova		–	–	52.67 (5)	2:37.26 (5)
Anchor	Olha Moroz		–	–	50.90 (3)	– (–)
6	Antigua and Barbuda	ANT	3:44.98	0.268	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Dine Potter		–	–	56.44 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Sonia Williams		–	–	56.99 (7)	1:53.43 (6)
3rd Leg	Charmaine Thomas		–	–	56.45 (7)	2:49.88 (6)
Anchor	Heather Samuel		–	–	55.10 (6)	– (–)
DQ	India	IND	–	[0.386]	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	K. M. Beenamol		–	–	[54.79] ([6])	– (–)
2nd Leg	Rosa Kutty		–	–	[53.64] ([6])	[1:48.43] ([6])
3rd Leg	Jyotirmoyee Sikdar		–	–	[54.86] ([6])	[2:43.29] ([6])
Anchor	Shiny Wilson		–	–	– (–)	– (–)
DNS	United States Virgin Islands	ISV	–	–	– (–)	– (–)

Heat #2

Time	20:40

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time	Split	Exchange
1	Germany	GER	3:24.08	0.328	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Uta Rohländer		–	–	51.73 (=1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Linda Kisabaka		–	–	51.16 (3)	1:42.89 (3)
3rd Leg	Anja Rücker		–	–	51.08 (3)	2:33.97 (2)
Anchor	Grit Breuer		–	–	50.11 (2)	– (–)
2	Cuba	CUB	3:24.23	0.298	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Idalmis Bonne		–	–	51.91 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Daysi Duportey		–	–	50.92 (2)	1:42.83 (2)
3rd Leg	Surella Morales		–	–	51.31 (4)	2:34.14 (3)
Anchor	Ana Fidelia Quirós		–	–	50.09 (1)	– (–)
3	Russian Federation	RUS	3:24.86	0.275	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-Off	Tatyana Chebykina		–	–	51.73 (=1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Olga Kotlyarova		–	–	50.63 (1)	1:42.36 (1)
3rd Leg	Yekaterina Kulikova		–	–	51.50 (5)	2:33.86 (1)
Anchor	Svetlana Goncharenko		–	–	51.00 (5)	– (–)
4	Jamaica	JAM	3:25.33	0.356	– (–)	– (–)	q
Lead-Off	Juliet Campbell		–	–	52.07 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Tracey Ann Barnes		–	–	51.43 (5)	1:43.50 (4)
3rd Leg	Merlene Frazer		–	–	50.88 (2)	2:34.38 (4)
Anchor	Inez Turner		–	–	50.95 (4)	– (–)
5	Czech Republic	CZE	3:26.82	0.472	– (–)	– (–)	q
Lead-Off	Naděžda Koštovalová		–	–	53.70 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Ludmila Formanová		–	–	51.70 (6)	1:45.40 (6)
3rd Leg	Helena Fuchsová		–	–	50.58 (1)	2:35.98 (6)
Anchor	Hana Benešová		–	–	50.84 (3)	– (–)
6	Australia	AUS	3:33.78	0.282	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Lee Naylor		–	–	52.62 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Kylie Hanigan		–	–	51.21 (4)	1:43.83 (5)
3rd Leg	Melinda Gainsford-Taylor		–	–	51.88 (6)	2:35.71 (5)
Anchor	Renée Poetschka		–	–	58.07 (7)	– (–)
7	Saint Kitts and Nevis	SKN	3:35.12	0.441	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Bernadeth Prentice		–	–	54.22 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Diane Francis		–	–	52.03 (7)	1:46.25 (7)
3rd Leg	Valma Bass		–	–	55.88 (7)	2:42.13 (7)
Anchor	Tamara Wigley		–	–	52.99 (6)	– (–)

Final Round

Date	3 August 1996 — 21:15

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time (Automatic)	Reaction Time	Split	Exchange
1	United States	USA	3:20.91	0.343	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Rochelle Stevens		–	–	51.68 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Maicel Malone		–	–	50.27 (3)	1:41.95 (3)
3rd Leg	Kim Graham		–	–	49.49 (1)	2:31.44 (1)
Anchor	Jearl Miles		–	–	49.47 (4)	– (–)
2	Nigeria	NGR	3:21.04	0.353	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Bisi Afolabi		–	–	51.13 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Fatima Yusuf		–	–	49.72 (1)	1:40.85 (1)
3rd Leg	Charity Opara		–	–	51.29 (6)	2:32.14 (2)
Anchor	Falilat Ogunkoya		–	–	48.90 (2)	– (–)
3	Germany	GER	3:21.14	0.169	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Uta Rohländer		–	–	51.72 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Linda Kisabaka		–	–	50.43 (=4)	1:42.15 (=5)
3rd Leg	Anja Rücker		–	–	50.36 (3)	2:32.51 (4)
Anchor	Grit Breuer		–	–	48.63 (1)	– (–)
4	Jamaica	JAM	3:21.69	0.446	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Merlene Frazer		–	–	51.42 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Sandie Richards		–	–	50.72 (6)	1:42.14 (4)
3rd Leg	Juliet Campbell		–	–	50.21 (2)	2:32.35 (3)
Anchor	Deon Hemmings		–	–	49.34 (3)	– (–)
5	Russian Federation	RUS	3:22.22	0.301	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Tatyana Chebykina		–	–	51.35 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Svetlana Goncharenko		–	–	50.43 (=4)	1:41.78 (2)
3rd Leg	Yekaterina Kulikova		–	–	50.86 (5)	2:32.64 (5)
Anchor	Olga Kotlyarova		–	–	49.58 (5)	– (–)
6	Cuba	CUB	3:25.85	0.326	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Idalmis Bonne		–	–	51.94 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Daysi Duportey		–	–	50.21 (2)	1:42.15 (=5)
3rd Leg	Surella Morales		–	–	53.98 (8)	2:36.13 (6)
Anchor	Ana Fidelia Quirós		–	–	49.72 (6)	– (–)
7	Czech Republic	CZE	3:26.99	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Naděžda Koštovalová		–	–	54.13 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Ludmila Formanová		–	–	51.46 (7)	1:45.59 (8)
3rd Leg	Helena Fuchsová		–	–	50.79 (4)	2:36.38 (7)
Anchor	Hana Benešová		–	–	50.61 (7)	– (–)
8	France	FRA	3:28.46	0.249	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-Off	Francine Landre		–	–	51.81 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	Viviane Dorsile		–	–	51.69 (8)	1:43.50 (7)
3rd Leg	Évelyne Élien		–	–	53.16 (7)	2:36.66 (8)
Anchor	Elsa Devassoigne		–	–	51.80 (8)	– (–)