| Date | 29 – 30 September 2000 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Participants | 93 from 21 countries |
Germany and Russia had won the last two World Championships, with the USA second both times. Jamaica was also a challenger, having won bronze at the 1997 Worlds. The US and not advanced any runners to the 400 final, but the team was strengthened by the addition of Marion Jones, who had won the 100 and 200. The US led from the start although Catherine Pomales-Scott pulled Jamaica even at the halfway mark. Jones ran the third for the US in 49.46 and put the US ahead for good, with anchor runner LaTasha Colander-Richardson winning by five metres. Jamaica, Russia, Nigeria, and Australia fought it out for the other medals, with only a few metres separating them, Jamaica getting silver, and Russia the bronze. In 2007 Marion Jones admitted to having used performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) at the time of the 2000 Olympics and her records and performances from that year were stricken by the IAAF. The IOC moved to remove the USA as gold medalists as well, but after a protest and a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which was announced in July 2010, the USA kept their gold medals, except for Jones.
| Date | 29 September 2000 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top two in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Team | NOC | Time (automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | NGR | 3:22.99 | 0.202 | ||
| 2 | United States | USA | 3:23.95 | 0.258 | ||
| 3 | Australia | AUS | 3:24.05 | 0.210 | ||
| 4 | Czech Republic | CZE | 3:24.40 | 0.356 | ||
| 5 | Cuba | CUB | 3:25.22 | 0.339 | ||
| 6 | Great Britain | GBR | 3:25.28 | – | ||
| 7 | Jamaica | JAM | 3:25.65 | 0.580 | ||
| 8 | Russian Federation | RUS | 3:26.05 | 0.229 | ||
| 9 | Belarus | BLR | 3:26.31 | 0.159 | ||
| 10 | Germany | GER | 3:27.02 | 0.215 | ||
| 11 | Italy | ITA | 3:27.23 | 0.261 | ||
| 12 | Canada | CAN | 3:27.36 | 0.329 | ||
| 13 | Senegal | SEN | 3:28.02 | 0.207 | ||
| 14 | Barbados | BAR | 3:30.83 | 0.489 | ||
| 15 | India | IND | 3:31.46 | 0.272 | ||
| 16 | Ireland | IRL | 3:32.24 | 0.159 | ||
| 17 | Spain | ESP | 3:32.45 | – | ||
| 18 | Puerto Rico | PUR | 3:33.30 | 0.390 | ||
| 19 | Slovenia | SLO | 3:35.00 | 0.376 | ||
| 20 | Yugoslavia | SCG | 3:37.99 | 0.294 | ||
| 21 | Uzbekistan | UZB | 3:43.96 | 0.273 | ||
| Cameroon | CMR | – | – | |||
| Colombia | COL | – | – |
| Time | 18:40 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States | USA | 3:23.95 | 0.258 | ||
| Lead-Off | 3362 | Jearl Miles-Clark | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 3353 | Monique Hennagan | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Andrea Anderson | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 3337 | LaTasha Colander-Richardson | – | – | |||
| 2 | – | Cuba | CUB | 3:25.22 | 0.339 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1488 | Zulia Calatayud | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Daysi Duportey | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Idalmis Bonne | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1497 | Daimí Pernía | – | – | |||
| 3 | – | Belarus | BLR | 3:26.31 | 0.159 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Natallia Salahub | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Alena Budnik | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Iryna Khliustava | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Hanna Kazak | – | – | |||
| 4 | – | Germany | GER | 3:27.02 | 0.215 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Shanta Ghosh | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1929 | Ulrike Urbansky | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Birgit Rockmeier | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Florence Ekpo-Umoh | – | – | |||
| 5 | – | Canada | CAN | 3:27.36 | 0.329 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1342 | Karlene Haughton | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1335 | LaDonna Antoine | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1352 | Foy Williams | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Samantha George | – | – | |||
| 6 | – | Spain | ESP | 3:32.45 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Julia Alba | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1618 | Norfalia Carabalí | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Miriam Bravo | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1630 | Mayté Martínez | – | – | |||
| 7 | – | Yugoslavia | SCG | 3:37.99 | 0.294 | ||
| Lead-Off | 3447 | Mila Savić | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Jelena Stanisavljević | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 3440 | Vukosava Đapić | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Tatjana Lojanica | – | – | |||
| – | Cameroon | CMR | – | – |
| Time | 18:49 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 3:25.28 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Helen Frost | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1827 | Donna Fraser | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1823 | Allison Curbishley | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1836 | Katharine Merry | – | – | |||
| 2 | – | Jamaica | JAM | 3:25.65 | 0.580 | ||
| Lead-Off | 2288 | Charmaine Howell | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 2295 | Catherine Pomales-Scott | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Michelle Burgher | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 2294 | Sandie Richards | – | – | |||
| 3 | – | Russian Federation | RUS | 3:26.05 | 0.229 | ||
| Lead-Off | 2977 | Yuliya Sotnikova | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Olesya Zykina | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 2933 | Svetlana Goncharenko | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 2961 | Nataliya Nazarova | – | – | |||
| 4 | – | Italy | ITA | 3:27.23 | 0.261 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Daniela Graglia | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Francesca Carbone | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Fabiola Piroddi | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Virna De Angeli | – | – | |||
| 5 | – | India | IND | 3:31.46 | 0.272 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Paramjit Kaur | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Jincy Phillip | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Rosa Kutty | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 2107 | K. M. Beenamol | – | – | |||
| 6 | – | Puerto Rico | PUR | 3:33.30 | 0.390 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Militza Castro | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Sandra Moya | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Beatriz Cruz | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Maritza Salas | – | – | |||
| – | Colombia | COL | – | – |
| Time | 18:58 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Nigeria | NGR | 3:22.99 | 0.202 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Doris Jacob | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 2638 | Bisi Afolabi | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1111 | Rosemary Okafor | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 2653 | Charity Opara | – | – | |||
| 2 | – | Australia | AUS | 3:24.05 | 0.210 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1827 | Tamsyn Lewis | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1099 | Sue Andrews | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1128 | Jana Pittman | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1824 | Nova Peris-Kneebone | – | – | |||
| 3 | – | Czech Republic | CZE | 3:24.40 | 0.356 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1530 | Jitka Burianová | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1528 | Hana Benešová | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1487 | Lenka Ficková | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1533 | Helena Fuchsová | – | – | |||
| 4 | – | Senegal | SEN | 3:28.02 | 0.207 | ||
| Lead-Off | 3000 | Aïda Diop | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 3002 | Mame Tacko Diouf | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 3001 | Aminata Diouf | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 3005 | Amy Mbacké Thiam | – | – | |||
| 5 | – | Barbados | BAR | 3:30.83 | 0.489 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Melissa Straker-Taylor | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1190 | Andrea Blackett | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Sherlene Williams | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1193 | Tanya Oxley | – | – | |||
| 6 | – | Ireland | IRL | 3:32.24 | 0.159 | ||
| Lead-Off | 2159 | Karen Shinkins | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Martina McCarthy | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Emily Maher | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Ciara Sheehy | – | – | |||
| 7 | – | Slovenia | SLO | 3:35.00 | 0.376 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Meta Mačus | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 3036 | Brigita Langerholc | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Jolanda Čeplak | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Saša Prokofjev | – | – | |||
| 8 | – | Uzbekistan | UZB | 3:43.96 | 0.273 | ||
| Lead-Off | – | Nataliya Kobina | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 2965 | Yelena Piskunova | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Zamira Amirova | – | – | |||
| Anchor | – | Nataliya Senkina | – | – |
| Date | 30 September 2000 — 21:35 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Reaction Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States | USA | 3:22.62 | 0.222 | – (–) | – (–) | 3 | |
| Lead-Off | 3362 | Jearl Miles-Clark | – | – | 50.86 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 3353 | Monique Hennagan | – | – | 51.57 (5) | 1:42.43 (2) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 3357 | Marion Jones | – | – | 49.46 (1) | 2:31.89 (1) | 4 | ||
| Anchor | 3337 | LaTasha Colander-Richardson | – | – | 50.73 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | – | Jamaica | JAM | 3:23.25 | 0.344 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 2294 | Sandie Richards | – | – | 51.14 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 2295 | Catherine Pomales-Scott | – | – | 51.18 (=3) | 1:42.32 (1) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 2287 | Deon Hemmings | – | – | 51.30 (5) | 2:33.62 (2) | |||
| Anchor | 2286 | Lorraine Graham | – | – | 49.63 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | – | Russian Federation | RUS | 3:23.46 | 0.202 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 2977 | Yuliya Sotnikova | – | – | 52.21 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 2933 | Svetlana Goncharenko | – | – | 51.18 (=3) | 1:43.39 (4) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 2948 | Olga Kotlyarova | – | – | 50.21 (2) | 2:33.60 (1) | |||
| Anchor | 2966 | Irina Privalova | – | – | 49.81 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | – | Nigeria | NGR | 3:23.80 | 0.323 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 2638 | Bisi Afolabi | – | – | 52.09 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 2653 | Charity Opara | – | – | 50.97 (2) | 1:43.06 (3) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1111 | Rosemary Okafor | – | – | 51.13 (4) | 2:34.19 (3) | |||
| Anchor | 2649 | Falilat Ogunkoya | – | – | 49.61 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | – | Australia | AUS | 3:23.81 | 0.374 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 1824 | Nova Peris-Kneebone | – | – | 51.71 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1827 | Tamsyn Lewis | – | – | 51.69 (6) | 1:43.40 (5) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1823 | Melinda Gainsford-Taylor | – | – | 51.06 (3) | 2:34.46 (4) | |||
| Anchor | 1836 | Cathy Freeman | – | – | 49.35 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 3:25.67 | 0.431 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 1824 | Tasha Danvers | – | – | 53.14 (8) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1827 | Donna Fraser | – | – | 50.30 (1) | 1:43.44 (6) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1823 | Allison Curbishley | – | – | 52.46 (7) | 2:35.90 (5) | |||
| Anchor | 1836 | Katharine Merry | – | – | 49.77 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 7 | – | Czech Republic | CZE | 3:29.17 | 0.299 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 1530 | Jitka Burianová | – | – | 51.78 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1528 | Hana Benešová | – | – | 52.23 (7) | 1:44.01 (7) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1487 | Lenka Ficková | – | – | 53.74 (8) | 2:37.75 (7) | |||
| Anchor | 1533 | Helena Fuchsová | – | – | 51.42 (7) | – (–) | |||
| 8 | – | Cuba | CUB | 3:29.47 | 0.557 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 1488 | Zulia Calatayud | – | – | 52.48 (7) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Daysi Duportey | – | – | 52.26 (8) | 1:44.74 (8) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Idalmis Bonne | – | – | 51.73 (6) | 2:36.47 (6) | |||
| Anchor | 1497 | Daimí Pernía | – | – | 53.00 (8) | – (–) |