The men's 4 × 100 metre relay event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 21 and 22 August at the Beijing National Stadium.

There were 16 NOCs competing at this event. These 16 NOCs were selected by the average of the two best marks at the qualifying period. Australia was 14th but withdrew and the Netherlands was invited instead. The final was won by Jamaica in the new world-record time 37.10.

On 25 January 2017, the Jamaican team was stripped of the gold medal place due to Nesta Carter testing positive for the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine. The IOC requested that the IAAF modify the results, and, after CAS dismissed the appeal of the Jamaican team, the medals were redistributed accordingly. Trinidad and Tobago team was advanced to gold, Japan to silver, and Brazil to bronze.

Records Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

Qualification summary

PosNOC2 races12 Total Average 1 75.88 37.94 37.78 38.10 2 75.91 37.96 37.89 38.02 3 76.20 38.10 37.90 38.30 4 76.24 38.12 38.03 38.21 5 76.26 38.13 37.99 38.27 6 77.12 38.56 38.56 38.56 7 77.18 38.59 38.40 38.78 8 77.23 38.62 38.61 38.62 9 77.34 38.67 38.43 38.91 10 77.53 38.77 38.72 38.81 11 77.56 38.78 38.54 39.02 12 77.56 38.78 38.54 39.02 13 77.80 38.90 38.75 39.05 77.82 38.91 38.73 39.09 14 77.85 38.93 38.81 39.04 15 77.89 38.95 38.94 38.95 16 77.95 38.98 38.92 39.03Reserves 17 78.01 39.01 38.99 39.02 18 78.08 39.04 38.91 39.17 19 78.45 39.23 39.08 39.37

Results All times shown are in seconds. Q denotes automatic qualification. q denotes fastest losers. DNS denotes did not start. DNF denotes did not finish. DSQ denotes disqualified AR denotes area record. NR denotes national record. PB denotes personal best. SB denotes season's best.

Heats First 3 in each heat(Q) and the next 2 fastest(q) advance to the Final.

Heat 1 Lane Nation Competitors Time Notes 8Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Aaron Armstrong, Richard Thompson 38.26Q 4Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu, Shinji Takahira, Nobuharu Asahara 38.52Q, SB 3Maarten Heisen, Guus Hoogmoed, Patrick van Luijk, Caimin Douglas 38.87Q, SB 2José Carlos Moreira, Bruno de Barros, Vicente de Lima, Sandro Viana 39.01q 6Onyeabor Ngwogu, Obinna Metu, Chinedu Oriala, Uchenna Emedolu 9Marcin Nowak, Łukasz Chyła, Marcin Jędrusiński, Dariusz Kuć 5Hannes Dreyer, Leigh Julius, Ishmael Kumbane, Thuso Mpuang 7Rodney Martin, Travis Padgett, Darvis Patton, Tyson Gay

Heat 2

Lane Nation Competitors Time Notes 6Dwight Thomas, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter, Asafa Powell 38.31Disqualified 2Hank Palmer, Anson Henry, Jared Connaughton, Pierre Browne 38.77Q 3Tobias Unger, Till Helmke, Alexander Kosenkow, Martin Keller 38.93Q 9Wen Yongyi, Zhang Peimeng, Lu Bin, Hu Kai 39.13q 7Apinan Sukaphai, Siriroj Darasuriyong, Sompote Suqannarangsri, Sittichai Suwonprateep 39.40 4Yannick Lesourd, Martial Mbandjock, Manuel Reynaert, Samuel Coco-Viloin 39.53 5Simeon Williamson, Tyrone Edgar, Marlon Devonish, Craig Pickering 8Fabio Cerutti, Simone Collio, Emanuele Di Gregorio, Jacques Riparelli

Final

Rank Lane Nation Competitors Time Notes 4Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender, Richard Thompson, Aaron Armstrong* 38.06 7Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu, Shinji Takahira, Nobuharu Asahara 38.15 SB 3Vicente de Lima, Sandro Viana, Bruno de Barros, José Carlos Moreira 38.24 SB 4 9Tobias Unger, Till Helmke, Alexander Kosenkow, Martin Keller 38.58 5 6Hank Palmer, Anson Henry, Jared Connaughton, Pierre Browne 38.66 SB 8Maarten Heisen, Guus Hoogmoed, Patrick van Luijk, Caimin Douglas 45.81 5Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell DSQ37.10 Disqualified (doping) 2Wen Yongyi, Zhang Peimeng, Lu Bin, Hu Kai

Note: * Indicates athletes who ran in heats and also received medals.

References