BEIJING, CHINA - AUGUST 30: Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, Novlene Williams-Mills of Jamaica and Christine Day of Jamaica celebrate after winning gold in the Women's 4x400 Relay Final during day nine of the 15th IAAF World Athletics Championships Beijing 2015 at Beijing National Stadium on August 30, 2015 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Christine Day;Novlene Williams-Mills;Shericka Jackson Doha 2019 next

Rio Dream 1024x531 1 1024x531 1 1024x531 1

The 4x100m relays were among the fastest ever. Though no world records were broken, record times were set for the second to sixth places in the women’s finals and the second to fifth in the men’s event.

Jamaica recorded the best ever time for silver with 41.36 to replace the 41.41 they ran to finish runner-up in London four years ago. Great Britain & N.I. (41.77), Germany (42.10), Trinidad and Tobago (42.12) and Ukraine (42.36) recorded times which were the quickest ever for third, fourth, fifth and sixth places.

Great Britain & N.I. also ran ran the fastest non-winning preliminary round time of 41.93 in finishing second to Jamaica  (41.79) in heat one. A record three times run under 42 seconds (USA-41.77, JAM, GBR) in the heats.

In the men’s race Japan’s silver medal run of 37.60 was the fastest ever second place finish lowering the previous best of 37.90 by Brazil for silver in 2000. Canada (39.64), China (37.90) and Great Britain & N.I. (37.98) were the quickest for third, fourth and sixth places. A record six teams (USA-37.65, JAP-37.68, CHN-37.82, CAN-37.89, JAM-37.94, TTO-37.96) run under 38 seconds in the heats.

In the women’s 4x400m heats, three teams (GER-3:26.02, FRA-3:26.18 and BAH-3:26.36) ran times which would have been quick enough to qualify for the finals in all previous Olympics.

In the men’s 4x400m heats for the first time a sub 3:01(FRA-3:00.82) clocking was not fast enough to get into the top eight. In the finals, teams finishing in fourth (BEL-2:58.52), fifth (BOT-2:59.06) and sixth (CUB-5:59.53) ran the fastest times ever for those positions.

Men’s 4x100m

Best Times for Places  in the Olympics

POSITION BEST TIME PREVIOUS BEST TIME
1st 36.84-Jamaica

2012, London, England

2nd 37.60-Japan, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 37.90-Brazil, 2000, Sydney, Australia
3rd 37.64-Canada, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 38.00-Cuba, 1992, Barcelona, Spain
4th 37.90-China, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 38.08-Great Britain,1992, Barcelona, Spain

 

5th  37.98-Great Britain, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 38.17- EUN, 1992, Barcelona, Spain

Fastest ever non-qualifier for the finals

FASTEST TIME PREVIOUS FASTEST TIME
38.26 (Germany)-6h2, 38.30 (Turkey)-4h1

2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

38.31(Poland)-6h2

2012, London, England

Best Mark for Places-All Competitions

POSITION BEST TIME PREVIOUS BEST TIME
1st 36.84-Jamaica

2012, London, England

2nd 37.60-Japan, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 37.62-Trinidad and Tobago, 2009 World Championships, Berlin, Germany
3rd 37.64-Canada, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 37.83-Canada, 1993 World Championships, Stuggart, Germany
4th 37.90-China, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 37.99, Brazil, 2007, World Championships Osaka, Japan
5th 37.98-Great Britain, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 38.03, Japan, 2007, World Championships Osaka, Japan

Women’s 4x100m

Best Times for Places  in the Olympics

POSITION BEST TIME PREVIOUS BEST TIME
1st 40.82-United States

2012, London, England

2nd 41.36- Jamaica, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 41.41-Jamaica, 2012, London, England
3rd 41.77-Great Britain & NI, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 42.04-Ukraine, 2012, London, England
4th 42.10-Germany, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 42.27-Russia, Atlanta, 1996, Atlanta, USA
5th 42.12—Trinidad and Tobago,2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 42.56 Nigeria, 1996, Atlanta, USA
6th 42.36-Ukraine, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 42.70, Netherlands, 2012, London, England

Fastest ever non-qualifier for the finals

FASTEST TIME PREVIOUS FASTEST TIME
42.70-China (4h1), 42.88-Netherlands (4h2), 43.07-France

2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

43.07-Bahamas (6h1) & Poland (4h2) 2012, London, England

Best Mark for Places-All Competitions

POSITION BEST TIME PREVIOUS BEST TIME
1st 40.82-United States

2012, London, England

2nd 41.36- Jamaica, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 41.41-Jamaica, 2012, London, England
3rd 41.77-Great Britain & NI, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 41.94-Jamaica, 1993 World Championships, Stuggart, Germany
4th 42.10-Germany, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazi 42.10-Great Britain & N.I., World Championships Osaka, Japan
5th 42.12—Trinidad and Tobago,2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 42.50-Russia 1997, World Championships  Athens, Greece
6th 42.36-Ukraine, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 42.70, Netherlands, 2012, London, England

Men’s 4x400m 

Best Times for Places  in the Olympics

POSITION BEST TIME PREVIOUS BEST TIME
4th 2:58.52-Belgium, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2:58.81-Great Britain & N.I., 2008, Beijing, China
5th 2:59.06-Botswana, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2:59.37-Belgium, 2008, Beijing, China
6th 2:59.53-Cuba, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3:00.02, Australia, 2008, Beijing, China

Fastest ever non-qualifier for the Olympics finals

FASTEST TIME PREVIOUS FASTEST TIME
3:00.82 -France (5h1), 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3:01.25-South Africa (6h1), 2004, Athens, Greece

Women’s 4x400m

Fastest ever non-qualifier for the Olympics finals

FASTEST TIME PREVIOUS FASTEST TIME
3:26.02 -Germany (5h2), 3:26.18-France (5h1), 3:26.36-Bahamas (6h2)

2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

3:26.52-Belarus (5h2), 2012, London, England
Previous articleGrange: Astonishing Jamaica gave their all, every time
Next articleFive of the Most Memorable Moments at the Rio Olympics
Clayton Clarke is a freelance track and field journalist since 2005. He is a former athlete and an IAAF Level III coach (Sprints & Hurdles). He has been a writer with Track Alerts since its inception in 2009. He worked with several media houses (radio, tv, newspaper, website) in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St. Kitts Nevis and the Bahamas. The Tobago native has covered the Carifta Games since 2005, the 2010 Commonwealth Games, 2011 World Athletic Championships and numerous local and regional track and field events.. Though track and field is his passion and main interest, he has served as media liaison with numerous sporting bodies in T&T and in particular in Tobago, namely cycling, chess, football, beach soccer, taekwondo, rugby, swimming, tennis and beach volleyball.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here