The 4 × 400 metres relay races at the 2000 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics program were held on 29 and 30 September. The winning margin was 0.10 seconds which as of 2023 remains the narrowest winning margin in this event at the Olympics since the introduction of fully automatic timing. The top two teams in each of the initial five heats automatically qualified for the semi-final. The next six fastest teams from across the heats also qualified. The top three teams in each of the semi-finals automatically qualified for the final. The next two fastest team from the semi-finals also qualified.
The United States, with Alvin Harrison, Antonio Pettigrew, Calvin Harrison and Michael Johnson, originally won the gold medal. On 18 July 2004, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruled that Jerome Young was ineligible to compete in Sydney and annulled all his past results, including those achieved as part of relay teams. Young had competed for the USA team in the heats and semi-final of this event. Therefore, the United States team was stripped of the gold medal and Nigeria, Jamaica, and the Bahamas were moved up one position each. On 22 July 2005, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned this decision and restored the original finish order of the race based on a ruling that a team should not be disqualified because of a doping offense by an athlete who did not compete in the finals.
In June 2008, Antonio Pettigrew "admitted in U.S. court that he breached the rules" by using banned performance-enhancing substances, and agreed to return his gold medal. Michael Johnson announced that he would return his own gold medal, won as part of the relay team with Pettigrew. Johnson stated that he felt "cheated, betrayed and let down" by what Pettigrew had done at the Games. On 12 July 2012, the IOC confirmed the medal reallocation.
Records These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 2000 Summer Olympics.
World record 2:54.20 Jerome Young Antonio Pettigrew Tyree Washington Michael JohnsonUniondale (USA)22 July 1998 Olympic record 2:55.74 Andrew Valmon Quincy Watts Michael Johnson Steve LewisBarcelona (ESP)8 August 1992
Medalists Gold: Silver: Bronze: Clement ChukwuJude MonyeSunday BadaEnefiok Udo-ObongNduka Awazie*Fidelis Gadzama* Christopher WilliamsMichael BlackwoodGregory HaughtonDanny McFarlaneSanjay Ayre*Michael McDonald* Avard Moncur Troy McIntosh Carl Oliver Chris Brown Timothy Munnings* * Athletes who participated in the heats only and received medals.
The IOC formally withdrew the US gold medals on 2 August 2008.
Results
Heats Heat 1 of 5 Date: Friday 29 September 2000 Place Nation Athletes Lane Reaction Time Qual. Record Heat Overall 1 6 Michael McDonald, Michael Blackwood, Sanjay Ayre, Danny McFarlane 2 0.202 s 3:03.85 Q 2 10 Jared Deacon, Daniel Caines, Jamie Baulch, Iwan Thomas 6 0.218 s 3:04.35 Q SB 3 11 Emmanuel Front, Marc Foucan, Pierre-Marie Hilaire, Bruno Wavelet 8 0.416 s 3:04.45 q SB 4 16 Laurent Clerc, Alain Rohr, Nicolas Bäriswyl, André Bucher 4 3:06.01 5 20 Eduardo Iván Rodríguez, David Canal, Iñigo Monreal, Antonio Andrés 5 0.178 s 3:06.87 SB 6 26 Zétény Dombi, Zsolt Szeglet, Attila Kilvinger, Tibor Bédi 7 0.354 s 3:08.77 7 29 Boštjan Horvat, Jože Vrtačič, Sergej Šalamon, Matija Šestak 3 0.284 s 3:10.07
Heat 2 of 5 Date: Friday 29 September 2000 Place Nation Athletes Lane Reaction Time Qual. Record Heat Overall 1 17 Manura Kuranage Perera, Rohan Pradeep Kumara, Ranga Wimalawansa, Sugath Tillakeratne 7 0.203 s 3:06.25 Q 2 19 Ezra Sambu, Samson Yego, Joseph Mwengi Mutua, Julius Chepkwony 2 0.262 s 3:06.77 Q 3 23 Paul McKee, Tomas Coman, Robert Daly, Paul Opperman 6 0.170 s 3:07.42 4 25 Lijo David Thottan, Jata Shankar, Purukottam Ramachandran, Paramjit Singh 5 0.255 s 3:08.38 Malik-Khaled Louahla, Kamel Talhaoui, Samir-Adel Louahla, Adem Hecini 4 0.497 s DQ Ibrahim Ismail Muftah, Mubarak Al-Nubi, Salaheddine Safi Bakar, Ahmed Al-Imam 3 0.295 s DQ
Heat 3 of 5 Date: Friday 29 September 2000 Place Nation Athletes Lane Reaction Time Qual. Record Heat Overall 1 5 Jerome Young, Angelo Taylor, Calvin Harrison, Alvin Harrison 4 0.163 s 3:03.52 Q 2 7 Alwyn Myburgh, Hendrick Mokganyetsi, Werner Botha, Arnaud Malherbe 7 0.223 s 3:04.08 Q SB 3 8 Casey Vincent, Blair Young, Michael Hazel, Patrick Dwyer 8 0.220 s 3:04.13 q SB 4 14 Oleksandr Kaydash, Roman Voronko, Yevgeniy Zyukov, Gennadiy Gorbenko 5 0.568 s 3:05.41 q SB 5 18 Georgios Oikonomidis, Anastasios Gousis, Stilianos Dimotsios, Periklis Iakovakis 6 0.259 s 3:06.50 6 28 Hamed Hamadan Al-Bishi, Hamdan Obah Al-Bishi, Mohammed Albeshi, Hadi Soua'an Al-Somaily 2 0.302 s 3:09.57 7 30 Jirachai Linglom, Senee Kongtong, Chalermpol Noohlong, Narong Nilploy 3 0.296 s 3:11.65
Heat 4 of 5 Date: Friday 29 September 2000 Place Nation Athletes Lane Reaction Time Qual. Record Heat Overall 1 12 Shunji Karube, Jun Osakada, Kenji Tabata, Takahiko Yamamura 5 0.559 s 3:05.21 Q 2 13 Dmitriy Bogdanov, Andrey Semyonov, Ruslan Mashchenko, Dmitriy Golovastov 2 0.203 s 3:05.37 Q SB 3 15 Crispen Mutakanyi, Tawanda Chiwira, Phillip Mukomana, Ken Harnden 7 0.227 s 3:05.60 4 21 Daniel Adomako, Nathaniel Martey, Abu Duah, Daniel Mensah Kwei 6 0.582 s 3:07.07 5 24 Damion Barry, Simon Pierre, Neil De Silva, Ato Modibo 8 0.171 s 3:07.51 6 27 Radoslav Holúbek, Marcel Lopuchovsky, Marián Vanderka, Štefan Balošák 3 0.303 s 3:09.54 Musayed Al-Azimi, Bader Abdul Rahman Al-Fulaij, Mishal Sayed Al-Harbi, Fawzi Al-Shammari 4 0.557 s DQ
Heat 5 of 5 Date: Friday 29 September 2000 Place Nation Athletes Lane Reaction Time Qual. Record Heat Overall 1 1 Nduka Awazie, Clement Chukwu, Fidelis Gadzama, Enefiok Udo-Obong 5 0.562 s 3:01.20 Q 2 2 Filip Walotka, Piotr Długosielski, Jacek Bocian, Robert Maćkowiak 8 0.502 s 3:01.30 Q SB 3 3 Timothy Munnings, Troy McIntosh, Carl Oliver, Chris Brown 3 0.258 s 3:01.50 q SB 4 4 Oumar Loum, Ousmane Niang, Youssoupha Sarr, Ibou Faye 2 0.266 s 3:02.67 q SB 5 9 California Molefe, Lulu Basinyi, Johnson Kubisa, Agrippa Matshameko 4 0.562 s 3:04.19 q NR 6 22 Branislav Stojanović, Slaviša Vraneš, Marko Janković, Siniša Peša 6 0.551 s 3:07.41 Elvis Peršić, Nino Habun, Frano Bakarić, Darko Juričić 7 0.420 s DQ Round 1- Overall
Round 1 Overall ResultsPlace NationAthletesHeatLanePlaceReactionTimeQual.Record 1 Nduka Awazie, Clement Chukwu, Fidelis Gadzama, Enefiok Udo-Obong 5 5 1 0.562 s 3:01.20 Q 2 Filip Walotka, Piotr Długosielski, Jacek Bocian, Robert Maćkowiak 5 8 2 0.502 s 3:01.30 Q SB 3 Timothy Munnings, Troy McIntosh, Carl Oliver, Chris Brown 5 3 3 0.258 s 3:01.50 q SB 4 Oumar Loum, Ousmane Niang, Youssoupha Sarr, Ibou Faye 5 2 4 0.266 s 3:02.67 q SB 5 Jerome Young, Angelo Taylor, Calvin Harrison, Alvin Harrison 3 4 1 0.163 s 3:03.52 Q 6 Michael McDonald, Michael Blackwood, Sanjay Ayre, Danny McFarlane 1 2 1 0.202 s 3:04.85 Q 7 Alwyn Myburgh, Hendrick Mokganyetsi, Werner Botha, Arnaud Malherbe 3 7 2 0.223 s 3:04.08 Q SB 8 Casey Vincent, Blair Young, Michael Hazel, Patrick Dwyer 3 8 3 0.220 s 3:04.13 q SB 9 California Molefe, Lulu Basinyi, Johnson Kubisa, Agrippa Matshameko 5 4 5 0.562 s 3:04.19 q NR 10 Jared Deacon, Daniel Caines, Jamie Baulch, Iwan Thomas 1 6 2 0.218 s 3:04.35 Q SB 11 Emmanuel Front, Marc Foucan, Pierre-Marie Hilaire, Bruno Wavelet 1 8 3 0.416 s 3:04.45 q SB 12 Shunji Karube, Jun Osakada, Kenji Tabata, Takahiko Yamamura 4 5 1 0.559 s 3:05.21 Q 13 Dmitriy Bogdanov, Andrey Semyonov, Ruslan Mashchenko, Dmitriy Golovastov 4 2 2 0.203 s 3:05.37 Q SB 14 Oleksandr Kaydash, Roman Voronkov, Yevgeniy Zyukov, Gennadiy Gorbenko 3 5 4 0.568 s 3:05.41 q SB 15 Crispen Mutakanyi, Tawanda Chiwira, Phillip Mukomana, Ken Harnden 4 7 3 0.227 s 3:05.60 16 Laurent Clerc, Alain Rohr, Nicolas Baeriswyl, André Bucher 1 4 4 3:06.01 17 Manura Lanka Perera, Rohan Pradeep Kumara, Ranga Wimalawansa, Sugath Tillakeratne 2 7 1 0.203 s 3:06.25 Q 18 Georgios Oikonomidis, Anastasios Gousis, Stilianos Dimotsios, Periklis Iakovakis 3 6 5 0.259 s 3:06.50 19 Ezra Sambu, Samson Yego, Joseph Mwengi Mutua, Julius Chepkwony 2 2 2 0.262 s 3:06.77 Q 20 Eduardo Iván Rodríguez, David Canal, Iñigo Monreal, Antonio Andrés 1 5 5 0.178 s 3:06.87 SB 21 Daniel Adomako, Nathaniel Martey, Abu Duah, Daniel Mensah Kwei 4 6 4 0.582 s 3:07.07 22 Branislav Stojanovic, Slavisa Vranes, Marko Jankovic, Siniša Peša 5 6 6 0.551 s 3:07.41 23 Paul McKee, Tomas Coman, Robert Daly, Paul Opperman 2 6 3 0.170 s 3:07.42 24 Damion Barry, Simon Pierre, Neil De Silva, Ato Modibo 4 8 5 0.171 s 3:07.51 25 Lijo David Thottan, Jata Shankar, Purukottam Ramachandran, Paramjit Singh 2 5 4 0.255 s 3:08.38 26 Zétény Dombi, Zsolt Szeglet, Attila Kilvinger, Tibor Bédi 1 7 6 0.354 s 3:08.77 27 Radoslav Holúbek, Marcel Lopuchovsky, Marián Vanderka, Štefan Balošák 4 3 6 0.303 s 3:09.54 28 Hamed Hamadan Al-Bishi, Hamdan Obah Al-Bishi, Mohammed Albeshi, Hadi Soua'an Al-Somaily 3 2 6 0.302 s 3:09.57 29 Boštjan Horvat, Joze Vrtačič, Sergej Salamon, Matija Šestak 1 3 7 0.284 s 3:10.07 30 Jirachai Linglom, Senee Kongtong, Chalermpol Noohlong, Narong Nilploy 3 3 7 0.296 s 3:11.65 Malik-Khaled Louahla, Kamel Talhaoui, Samir-Adel Louahla, Adem Hecini 2 4 0.497 s DQ Elvis Persic, Nino Habun, Frano Bakaric, Darko Juricic 5 7 0.420 s DQ Musad Al Azimi, Bader Al Fulaij, Mishal Al Harbi, Fawzi Al Shammari 4 4 0.557 s DQ Ibrahim Ismail Muftah, Mubarak Al-Nubi, Salaheddine Safi Bakar, Ahmed Al-Imam 2 3 0.295 s DQ
Semi-finals
Heat 1 of 2 Date: Friday 29 September 2000 Place Nation Athletes Lane Reaction Time Qual. Record Heat Overall 1 1 Jerome Young, Angelo Taylor, Calvin Harrison, Alvin Harrison 3 0.242 s 2:58.78 Q 2 2 Sanjay Ayre, Gregory Haughton, Danny McFarlane, Michael Blackwood 4 0.551 s 2:58.84 Q SB 3 3 Avard Moncur, Troy McIntosh, Carl Oliver, Chris Brown 1 0.249 s 2:59.02 Q NR 4 4 Emmanuel Front, Marc Foucan, Ibrahima Wade, Marc Raquil 8 0.249 s 3:00.64 q SB 5 5 Piotr Rysiukiewicz, Piotr Haczek, Piotr Długosielski, Robert Maćkowiak 5 0.494 s 3:00.66 q SB 6 7 Alwyn Myburgh, Hezekiél Sepeng, Llewellyn Herbert, Arnaud Malherbe 6 0.172 s 3:01.25 SB 7 14 California Molefe, Lulu Basinyi, Johnson Kubisa, Glody Dube) 2 0.345 s 3:05.28 Ezra Sambu, Samson Yego, Joseph Mwengi Mutua, Julius Chepkwony 7 0.413 s DQ
Heat 2 of 2 Date: Friday 29 September 2000 Place Nation Athletes Lane Reaction Time Qual. Record Heat Overall 1 6 Clement Chukwu, Jude Monye, Enefiok Udo-Obong, Sunday Bada 3 0.297 s 3:01.06 Q 2 8 Jared Deacon, Daniel Caines, Iwan Thomas, Jamie Baulch 5 0.490 s 3:01.35 Q SB 3 9 Casey Vincent, Blair Young, Patrick Dwyer, Michael Hazel 2 0.198 s 3:01.91 Q SB 4 10 Andrey Semyonov, Dmitriy Bogdanov, Ruslan Mashchenko, Dmitriy Golovastov 1 0.219 s 3:02.28 SB 5 11 Oleksandr Kaydash, Roman Voronkov, Yevgeniy Zyukov, Gennadiy Gorbenko 8 0.244 s 3:02.68 NR 6 12 Rohan Pradeep Kumara, Ratna Kumar, Ranga Wimalawansa, Sugath Tillakeratne 6 0.507 s 3:02.89 7 13 Oumar Loum, Ousmane Niang, Youssoupha Sarr, Ibou Faye) 7 0.175 s 3:02.94 8 15 Shunji Karube, Jun Osakada, Kenji Tabata, Takahiko Yamamura 4 0.520 s 3:13.63