Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay

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Women's 4 × 400 metres relay
at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad
Olympic Athletics.svg
Olympic Athletics
Venue Japan National Stadium
Dates5 August 2021 (round 1)
7 August 2021 (final)
Competitors73 from 16 nations
Winning time3:16.85
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Sydney McLaughlin
Allyson Felix
Dalilah Muhammad
Athing Mu
Kaylin Whitney*
Wadeline Jonathas*
Kendall Ellis*
Lynna Irby*
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Natalia Kaczmarek
Iga Baumgart-Witan
Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik
Justyna Święty-Ersetic
Anna Kiełbasińska*
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
Bronze medal icon.svg

Roneisha McGregor
Janieve Russell
Shericka Jackson
Candice McLeod
Junelle Bromfield*
Stacey-Ann Williams*


*Indicates the athlete only competed in the preliminary heats.
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica
  2016
2024  
Official Video Highlights TV-icon-2.svg
Official Video Highlights

The women's 4 × 400 metres relay event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 5 and 7 August 2021 at the Japan National Stadium. [1] There were 16 competing relay teams, with each team having at least 5 members from which 4 were selected in each round. [2]

Summary

This was the first year a team could run eight runners in the semis and finals. Essentially a deep team could run fresh runners in the semi and final. USA took advantage, doing exactly that, running the #3 through 6 finishers in the US Olympic Trials 400 m in the semi-final round. Kaylin Whitney, Wadeline Jonathas, Kendall Ellis and Lynna Irby combined to produce the fastest time in the semi-final round, more than a second faster than Jamaica, who also held two runners in reserve. Great Britain was the only other team to dare holding two in reserve, also qualifying with the fourth fastest time. The last five teams, two qualifying exclusively on time, were within .09 of each other.

For the final, USA brought in the big guns, all four were individual Olympic Gold Medalists but none had won the Olympic 400 m, only Allyson Felix had even entered it. Leading off on her 22nd birthday, newly crowned Olympic 400 hurdles champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin made up the 3 turn stagger distance on Belgium's Naomi Van Den Broeck in the first 200 metres. Through the second turn. only Jamaica's Roneisha McGregor seemed to be tracking McLaughlin. McGregor struggled the final 100, Poland's fresh Natalia Kaczmarek passing her to exchange second. McLaughlin's split out of the blocks, 50.21. Already the most decorated female track athlete in Olympic history, Felix took USA through to a 5-metre lead at the break line with veterans Iga Baumgart-Witan (POL) and Janieve Russell (JAM) battling down the backstretch in hot pursuit with only Canada on the end of the group separating from the other teams. Through the turn Baumgart-Witan separated from Russell and closed down to within 3 metres of Felix. Then reality set in, Baumgart-Witan would get no closer as Felix opened up the gap on the final straightaway passing to 2016 400 hurdle champion and previous world record holder, Dalilah Muhammad 6 metres ahead. Felix' split 49.38. Behind them, Canada 's from Madeline Price to Kyra Constantine got the jump on Jamaica's pass from Russell to 100 bronze medalist Shericka Jackson to take over third. Seeming to accelerate then accelerate some more, Muhammad opened up two more metres on Poland's Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik halfway through the lap and adding two more before passing to 800 metre gold medalist Athing Mu. Muhammad's split 48.94. Five metres behind Poland, Jackson was able to edge slightly ahead of Constantine at the final handoff. Through the anchor lap, Mu efficiently put the hammer down, widening the gap with every stride. By the time Mu crossed the finish line, she was 26 metres ahead of Poland's Justyna Święty-Ersetic, Mu splitting a phenomenal 48.32. Behind Święty-Ersetic, Canada's Sage Watson managed to get ahead of Jamaica's fresh Candice McLeod, until McLeod came back in the final 100 to take bronze. It was Watson's second consecutive Olympics to anchor her team to fourth place.

This was USA's seventh consecutive Olympic gold, their 3:16.85 the fifth fastest time in history. Poland's 3:20.53 became their new National record. For Felix, it became her eleventh and final Olympic medal. [3]

Background

This was the 13th appearance of the event, having appeared at every Olympics since 1972.

Qualification

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could qualify a relay team of 5 athletes in one of three ways. A total of 16 NOCs qualified. [2] [4]

The qualifying period was originally from 1 May 2019 to 29 June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the period was suspended from 6 April 2020 to 30 November 2020, with the end date extended to 29 June 2021. The qualifying time standards could be obtained in various meets during the given period that have the approval of the IAAF. Both indoor and outdoor meets are eligible. The most recent Area Championships may be counted in the ranking, even if not during the qualifying period. [2] [5]

Competition format

The event continued to use the two-round format introduced in 2012. [6]

Records

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

World recordFlag of the Soviet Union.svg  Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina  (URS)3:15.17 Seoul, South Korea 1 October 1988
Olympic recordFlag of the Soviet Union.svg  Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina  (URS)3:15.17 Seoul, South Korea 1 October 1988
AreaTime (s)AthleteNation
Africa ( records )3:21.04Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria
Asia ( records )3:24.28Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China
Europe ( records )3:15.17 WR Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union
North, Central America
and Caribbean
( records )
3:15.51Flag of the United States.svg United States
Oceania ( records )3:23.81Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
South America ( records )3:26.68Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil

Schedule

All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

The women's 4 × 400 metres relay took place over two separate days. [1]

DateTimeRound
Thursday, 5 August 202119:00Round 1
Saturday, 7 August 202121:30Final

Results

Heats

Qualification Rules: First 3 in each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) advance to the Final

Heat 1

RankLaneNationCompetitorsReactionTimeNotes
13Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Anna Kiełbasińska, Iga Baumgart-Witan, Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik, Justyna Święty-Ersetic 0.1613:23.10 Q, SB
28Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba Zurian Hechavarría, Rose Mary Almanza, Sahily Diago, Lisneidy Veitía 0.1943:24.04 Q, SB
34Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Naomi Van Den Broeck, Imke Vervaet, Paulien Couckuyt, Camille Laus 0.1393:24.08 Q, NR
45Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Corinna Schwab, Carolina Krafzik, Laura Müller, Ruth Spelmeyer 0.1683:24.77 SB
59Flag of France.svg  France Sokhna Lacoste, Amandine Brossier, Brigitte Ntiamoah, Floria Gueï 0.2793:25.07 SB
66Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Léa Sprunger, Silke Lemmens, Rachel Pellaud, Yasmin Giger 0.1533:25.90 NR
77Flag of Australia.svg  Australia Bendere Oboya, Kendra Hubbard, Ellie Beer, Anneliese Rubie-Renshaw 0.1973:30.61 SB
2Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas Doneisha Anderson, Megan Moss, Brianne Bethel, Anthonique Strachan 0.297 DNF

Heat 2

RankLaneNationCompetitorsReactionTimeNotes
18Flag of the United States.svg  United States Kaylin Whitney, Wadeline Jonathas, Kendall Ellis, Lynna Irby 0.1773:20.86 Q, SB
29Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica Junelle Bromfield, Roneisha McGregor, Janieve Russell, Stacey-Ann Williams 0.1773:21.95 Q, SB
33Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain Emily Diamond, Zoey Clark, Laviai Nielsen, Nicole Yeargin 0.1693:23.99 Q, SB
47Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Lieke Klaver, Lisanne de Witte, Laura de Witte, Femke Bol 0.2203:24.01 q, NR
56Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Alicia Brown, Sage Watson, Madeline Price, Kyra Constantine 0.1623:24.05 q, SB
65Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Kateryna Klymiuk, Alina Lohvynenko, Viktoriya Tkachuk, Anna Ryzhykova 0.1733:24.50 SB
74Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Maria Benedicta Chigbolu, Alice Mangione, Petra Nardelli, Rebecca Borga 0.1503:27.74 SB
82Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus Aliaksandra Khilmanovich, Yuliya Bliznets, Elvira Herman, Asteria Limai 0.2143:33.00

Final

RankLaneNationCompetitorsReactionTimeNotes
Gold medal icon.svg7Flag of the United States.svg  United States Sydney McLaughlin, Allyson Felix, Dalilah Muhammad, Athing Mu 0.1453:16.85 SB
Silver medal icon.svg4Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Natalia Kaczmarek, Iga Baumgart-Witan, Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik, Justyna Święty-Ersetic 0.1833:20.53 NR
Bronze medal icon.svg5Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica Roneisha McGregor, Janieve Russell, Shericka Jackson, Candice McLeod 0.1923:21.24 SB
43Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Alicia Brown, Madeline Price, Kyra Constantine, Sage Watson 0.1793:21.84 SB
59Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain Ama Pipi, Jodie Williams, Emily Diamond, Nicole Yeargin 0.1633:22.59 SB
62Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Lieke Klaver, Lisanne de Witte, Laura de Witte, Femke Bol 0.2073:23.74 NR
78Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Naomi Van Den Broeck, Imke Vervaet, Paulien Couckuyt, Camille Laus 0.1733:23.96 NR
86Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba Zurian Hechavarría, Rose Mary Almanza, Sahily Diago, Lisneidy Veitía 0.2193:26.92

References

  1. 1 2 "Athletics Competition Schedule". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Qualification System – Games of the XXXI Olympiad – Athletics" (PDF). IAAF . Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  3. "USA women's 4 × 400 m splits, Mu and Muhammad posted sub-49 seconds | World-Track". 7 August 2021.
  4. "IAAF to follow other sports with world ranking system for athletes". BBC Sport. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  5. "Olympic qualification period suspended until 1 December 2020". World Athletics. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  6. "Athletics Explanatory Guide" (PDF). Tokyo 2020. August 2019.