The women's 4 × 400 metres relay event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 22 and 23 August at the Beijing Olympic Stadium.

There were only 16 NOCs competing at this event. These 16 NOCs were selected by the average of the two best marks at the qualifying period.

In 2016, it was announced that a reanalysis of samples from the 2008 Summer Olympics resulted in a doping violation by Tatyana Firova. Accordingly, the Russian team was disqualified, and the Russian team were stripped of their 4 × 400 m relay silver medals. 4th placed Belarus was also disqualified due to a doping violation by anchor runner Sviatlana Usovich. Medals of the other teams have been reallocated by the IAAF.IAAF.org. The XXIX Olympic Games. 4 × 400 metres Relay women.

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

No new world or Olympic records were set for this event.

Qualification summary

PosNOC2 races12 Total Average 1 6:40.71 3:20.35 3:18.55 3:22.16 2 6:43.74 3:21.87 3:20.25 3:23.49 3 6:45.49 3:22.74 3:20.04 3:25.45 4 6:45.55 3:22.77 3:21.88 3:23.67 5 6:45.87 3:22.93 3:19.73 3:26.14 6 6:52.81 3:26.41 3:26.36 3:26.45 7 6:54.09 3:27.04 3:27.04 3:27.05 8 6:54.89 3:27.44 3:27.14 3:27.75 9 6:55.25 3:27.62 3:26.63 3:28.62 10 6:55.82 3:27.91 3:27.15 3:28.67 11 6:56.83 3:28.41 3:27.31 3:29.52 12 6:57.71 3:28.85 3:27.97 3:29.74 13 6:58.00 3:29.00 3:28.89 3:29.11 14 7:00.70 3:30.35 3:30.17 3:30.53 15 7:00.84 3:30.42 3:28.29 3:32.55 16 7:01.89 3:30.95 3:29.75 3:32.14Reserves 17 7:01.96 3:30.98 3:30.89 3:31.07 18 7:02.71 3:31.35 3:30.34 3:32.37 19 7:03.27 3:31.64 3:30.20 3:33.07 20 7:05.79 3:32.90 3:30.22 3:35.57

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. DQ denotes disqualified AR denotes area record. NR denotes national record. PB denotes personal best. SB denotes season's best.

Round 1 First 3 in each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) advance to the Final.

Heat Lane Nation Competitors Results Notes 2 7Mary Wineberg, Monique Henderson, Natasha Hastings, Sanya Richards 3:22.45 Q, SB 2 3Novelene Williams, Shereefa Lloyd, Bobby-Gaye Wilkins, Shericka Williams 3:22.60 Q, SB 2 6Yulyana Yushchanka, Iryna Khliustava, Ilona Usovich, Sviatlana Usovich 3:22.78 DQ (Q, SB) 1 3Elena Migunova, Tatyana Veshkurova, Lyudmila Litvinova, Tatiana Firova 3:23.71 DQ (Q, SB) 2 2Folashade Abugan, Joy Amechi Eze, Oluoma Nwoke, Ajoke Odumosu 3:24.10 q, SB 1 7Roxana Díaz, Zulia Calatayud, Susana Clement, Indira Terrero 3:25.46 Q, SB 1 5Nicola Sanders, Kelly Sotherton, Marilyn Okoro, Christine Ohuruogu 3:25.48 Q, SB 1 6Jonna Valesca Tilgner, Sorina Nwachukwu, Florence Ekpo-Umoh, Claudia Hoffmann 3:25.55 q, SB 2 4Phara Anacharsis, Thelia Sigere, Solen Desert, Virginie Michanol 3:26.61 SB 1 8Oksana Shcherbak, Tetyana Petlyuk, Kseniya Karandyuk, Nataliya Pyhyda 3:27.44 1 2Monika Bejnar, Jolanta Wojcik, Anna Jesień, Grażyna Prokopek 3:28.23 1 4Satti Geetha, Manjeet Kaur, Chithra Kulathummuriyil Soman, Mandeep Kaur 3:28.83 2 9Maria Laura Almirao, Josiane Tito, Emmily Pinheiro, Lucimar Teodoro 3:30.10 2 5Ruth Grajeda, Gabriela Medina, Nallely Vela, Zudikey Rodriguez 3:30.36 1 9Satomi Kubokura, Asami Tanno, Mayu Kida, Sayaka Aoki 3:30.52 SB 2 8Han Ling, Chen Jingwen, Wang Jinping, Tang Xiaoyin 3:30.77

Final

Rank Lane Nation Competitors Results Notes 4Mary Wineberg, Allyson Felix, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards 3:18.54 SB 7Shericka Williams, Shereefa Lloyd, Rosemarie Whyte, Novelene Williams 3:20.40 SB 9Christine Ohuruogu, Kelly Sotherton, Marilyn Okoro, Nicola Sanders 3:22.68 SB 4 6Roxana Díaz, Zulia Calatayud, Susana Clement, Indira Terrero 3:23.21NR 5 2Joy Amechi Eze, Folashade Abugan, Oluoma Nwoke, Ajoke Odumosu3:23.74 SB 6 3Jonna Valesca Tilgner, Sorina Nwachukwu, Florence Ekpo-Umoh, Claudia Hoffmann 3:28.45 (2nd) 5Yulia Gushchina, Lyudmila Litvinova, Tatyana Firova, Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (3:18.82)Doping (4th) 8Anna Kozak, Iryna Khliustava, Ilona Usovich, Sviatlana Usovich (3:21.85) Doping

References

Heat 1 Results Heat 2 Results