Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 100 metres relay
Rank Lane Nation Competitors Time Notes
1 4 Russia Larisa Kruglova , Irina Khabarova , Yuliya Tabakova , Olga Fyodorova 42.12 Q , SB
2 1 Jamaica Aleen Bailey , Beverly McDonald , Sherone Simpson , Tayna Lawrence 42.20 Q , SB
3 8 France Christine Arron , Sylviane Félix , Muriel Hurtis , Véronique Mang 42.98 Q
4 2 Nigeria Endurance Ojokolo , Oludamola Osayomi , Mercy Nku , Gloria Kemasuode 43.00 q , SB
5 5 Belarus Aksana Drahun , Alena Neumiarzhitskaya , Natallia Safronnikava , Yulia Nestsiarenka 43.06 q
6 3 Cuba Misleydis Lazo , Ana López , Roxana Díaz , Virgen Benavides 43.60
6 Netherlands Annemarie Kramer , Pascal van Assendelft , Jacqueline Poelman , Joan van den Akker DNF
7 Trinidad and Tobago Ayanna Hutchinson , Wanda Hutson , Fana Ashby , Kelly-Ann Baptiste DNF
Results -- Round 1
The women's 4×100 metres relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics program was held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 26 to 27. The sixteen teams competed in a two-heat qualifying round in which the first three teams from each heat, together with the next two fastest teams, were given a place in the final race. The final started off quickly with an early lead from Jamaica, before the U.S. team, led by Angela Williams, made a tactical move to pass their Jamaican rivals towards the exchange zone. Marion Jones ran the second leg confidently to put the Americans a more decent lead, until she finally approached the 100 metres silver medalist Lauryn Williams to do the handoff. By the time Williams was about to move off her mark on the third leg, Jones lunged out of breath with baton and desperately tried to catch her at the exchange zone that never happened, costing the Americans' chances for the Olympic medal. As the race continued without the U.S. team, the Jamaicans, anchored by 200 metres champion Veronica Campbell, scorched their way down the home stretch to an effortless victory in 41.73 seconds. They were soon followed by Russia taking the silver, and the French quartet rounding out the medal podium with the bronze.