Medalists
| Gold |
Silver |
Bronze |
 United States (USA)
LaShawn Merritt
Angelo Taylor
David Neville
Jeremy Wariner
Kerron Clement*
Reggie Witherspoon* |
 Bahamas (BAH)
Andretti Bain
Michael Mathieu
Andrae Williams
Chris Brown
Avard Moncur*
Ramon Miller* |
 Russia (RUS)
Maksim Dyldin
Vladislav Frolov
Anton Kokorin
Denis Alekseyev |
* Runners who participated in the heats only and received medals.
Records
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
| World Record |
United States
Andrew Valmon
Quincy Watts
Butch Reynolds
Michael Johnson |
2:54.29 |
Stuttgart, Germany |
22 August 1993 |
| Olympic Record |
United States (USA)
Andrew Valmon
Quincy Watts
Michael Johnson
Steve Lewis |
2:55.74 |
Barcelona, Spain |
8 August 1992 |
The following Olympic record was set during this competition.
Qualification summary
| Pos |
NOC |
2 races |
1 |
2 |
| Total |
Average |
| 1 |
United States |
5:54.74 |
2:57.37 |
2:55.56 |
2:59.18 |
| 2 |
Bahamas |
5:59.55 |
2:59.78 |
2:59.18 |
3:00.37 |
| 3 |
Jamaica |
6:01.20 |
3:00.60 |
3:00.44 |
3:00.76 |
| 4 |
Poland |
6:01.75 |
3:00.87 |
3:00.05 |
3:01.70 |
| 5 |
Russia |
6:02.69 |
3:01.34 |
3:01.07 |
3:01.62 |
| 6 |
Great Britain |
6:03.14 |
3:01.57 |
3:01.22 |
3:01.92 |
| 7 |
Germany |
6:03.98 |
3:01.99 |
3:01.77 |
3:02.21 |
| 8 |
Australia |
6:04.05 |
3:02.03 |
3:01.52 |
3:02.53 |
| 9 |
Belgium |
6:04.64 |
3:02.32 |
3:02.13 |
3:02.51 |
| 10 |
Dominican Republic |
6:04.97 |
3:02.48 |
3:02.48 |
3:02.49 |
| 11 |
Japan |
6:05.20 |
3:02.60 |
3:02.44 |
3:02.76 |
| 12 |
Cuba |
6:05.32 |
3:02.66 |
3:02.10 |
3:03.22 |
| 13 |
France |
6:05.98 |
3:02.99 |
3:02.33 |
3:03.65 |
| 14 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
6:06.52 |
3:03.26 |
3:02.92 |
3:03.60 |
| 15 |
Greece |
6:07.86 |
3:03.93 |
3:02.21 |
3:05.65 |
| 16 |
South Africa |
6:08.24 |
3:04.12 |
3:03.58 |
3:04.66 |
| Reserves |
| 17 |
Italy |
6:08.77 |
3:04.38 |
3:03.66 |
3:05.11 |
| 18 |
Botswana |
6:09.12 |
3:04.56 |
3:03.16 |
3:05.96 |
| 19 |
Ireland |
6:09.14 |
3:04.57 |
3:04.43 |
3:04.71 |
| 20 |
Brazil |
6:09.51 |
3:04.76 |
3:04.36 |
3:05.15 |
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 |
5 |
Great Britain |
Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, Michael Bingham, Martyn Rooney |
2:59.33 |
Q (SB) |
| 2 |
3 |
Bahamas |
Michael Mathieu, Avard Moncur, Ramon Miller, Andrae Williams |
2:59.88 |
Q (SB) |
| 1 |
3 |
United States |
David Neville, Kerron Clement, Reggie Witherspoon, Angelo Taylor |
2:59.98 |
Q |
| 2 |
7 |
Jamaica |
Michael Blackwood, Alodin Fothergill, Sanjay Ayre, Ricardo Chambers |
3:00.09 |
Q (SB) |
| 1 |
9 |
Russia |
Maksim Dyldin, Vladislav Frolov, Anton Kokorin, Denis Alexeev |
3:00.14 |
Q (NR) |
| 1 |
6 |
Belgium |
Cédric Van Branteghem, Jonathan Borlée, Arnaud Ghislain, Kevin Borlée |
3:00.67 |
Q (NR) |
| 1 |
8 |
Australia |
Joel Milburn, Mark Ormrod, John Steffensen, Clinton Hill |
3:00.68 |
q (SB) |
| 1 |
7 |
Poland |
Marek Plawgo, Piotr Klimczak, Piotr Kedzia, Rafal Wieruszewski |
3:00.74 |
q (SB) |
| 1 |
5 |
South Africa |
Pieter Smith, Ofentse Mogawane, Alwyn Myburgh, L.J. van Zyl |
3:01.26 |
(SB) |
| 1 |
4 |
Cuba |
Yunier Perez, Yunior Diaz, Williams Collazo, Omar Cisneros |
3:02.24 |
|
| 1 |
2 |
France |
Teddy Venel, Ydrissa Mbarke, Brice Panel, Richard Maunier |
3:03.19 |
|
| 2 |
6 |
Germany |
Simon Kirch, Kamghe Gaba, Ruwen Faller, Bastian Swillims |
3:03.49 |
|
| 2 |
2 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
Ato Modibo, Jovon Toppin, Cowin Mills, Stan Waithe |
3:04.12 |
(=SB) |
| 2 |
4 |
Japan |
Mitsuhiro Abiko, Dai Tamesue, Yoshihiro Horigome, Kenji Narisako |
3:04.18 |
(SB) |
| 2 |
9 |
Greece |
Stylianos Dimotsios, Dimitrios Gravalos, Pantelis Melachroinoudis, Konstantinos Anastasiou |
3:04.30 |
(SB) |
| 2 |
8 |
Dominican Republic |
Carlos Yohelin Santa, Arismendy Peguero, Pedro Mejia, Yoel Tapia |
3:04.31 |
(SB) |
Final
| Rank |
Lane |
Nation |
Competitors |
Results |
Notes |
| |
7 |
United States |
LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville, Jeremy Wariner |
2:55.39 |
(OR) |
| |
5 |
Bahamas |
Andretti Bain, Michael Mathieu, Andrae Williams, Chris Brown |
2:58.03 |
(SB) |
| |
4 |
Russia |
Maksim Dyldin, Vladislav Frolov, Anton Kokorin, Denis Alexeev |
2:58.06 |
(NR) |
| 4 |
6 |
Great Britain |
Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, Michael Bingham, Martyn Rooney |
2:58.81 |
(SB) |
| 5 |
8 |
Belgium |
Kevin Borlée, Jonathan Borlée, Cédric Van Branteghem, Arnaud Ghislain |
2:59.37 |
(NR) |
| 6 |
2 |
Australia |
Sean Wroe, John Steffensen, Clinton Hill, Joel Milburn |
3:00.02 |
(SB) |
| 7 |
3 |
Poland |
Rafal Wieruszewski, Piotr Klimczak, Piotr Kedzia, Marek Plawgo |
3:00.32 |
(SB) |
| 8 |
9 |
amaica |
Michael Blackwood, Ricardo Chambers, Sanjay Ayre, Lanceford Spence |
3:01.45 |
|
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