| | Event type

4 x 400 metres Relay, Men

Date	26 – 27 July 1952
Status	Olympic
Location	Helsingin Olympiastadion, Helsinki
Participants	72 from 18 countries

As in 1952, the final was considered a two-team race between Jamaica and the United States. Ollie Matson, later an NFL running back, gave the US a slim lead on the opening leg over Jamaica’s 1948 400 metre champion, Arthur Wint. On the second leg, Gene Cole extended the US lead with a 45.5 leg. When Herb McKenley received the baton for his third leg, he was over 10 metres in arrears. Racing against 400 hurdles gold medalist Charlie Moore, McKenley ran the fastest 400 leg yet recorded, 44.6 – the first time any runner had bettered 45 seconds for 400 metres. As they neared the bell lap, McKenley gave Jamaica a narrow lead. The anchor was contested between Jamaica’s George Rhoden and the USA’s Mal Whitfield, who had won the 400 and 800 metre gold medals, respectively. Whitfield ran on Rhoden’s shoulder for the entire last lap, but could never quit pull even or pass him. Jamaica won the gold medal in the greatest 4x400 relay to that time, breaking the world record, with the United States also bettering the old mark, by over four seconds.

Pos	Nr	Team	NOC	R1	Final
1	–	Jamaica	JAM	3:12.1 (1 h1)	3:03.9 (1)	Gold	WR
		Arthur Wint • Les Laing • Herb McKenley • George Rhoden • Byron LaBeach (DNS)
2	–	United States	USA	3:11.5 (1 h2)	3:04.0 (2)	Silver
		Ollie Matson • Gene Cole • Charlie Moore • Mal Whitfield • Thane Baker (DNS) • John Barnes (DNS) • J. W. Mashburn (DNS) • Reggie Pearman (DNS)
3	–	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:10.5 (1 h3)	3:06.6 (3)	Bronze
		Hans Geister • Günther Steines • Heinz Ulzheimer • Karl-Friedrich Haas • Leo Lickes (DNS) • Urban Cleve (DNS) • Günter Dohrow (DNS) • Peter Kraus (DNS)
4	–	Canada	CAN	3:11.2 (2 h3)	3:09.3 (4)
		Doug Clement • Jack Hutchins • Jack Carroll • James Lavery • Jack Burney (DNS) • Bob Hutchison (DNS) • John Ross (DNS) • Pete Sutton (DNS)
5	–	Great Britain	GBR	3:12.5 (2 h2)	3:10.0 (5)
		Les Lewis • Alan Dick • Terry Higgins • Nick Stacey • Frank Evans (DNS) • David Gracie (DNS) • Angus Scott (DNS) • Albert Webster (DNS)
6	–	France	FRA	3:12.6 (2 h1)	3:10.1 (6)
		Jean-Pierre Goudeau • Robert Bart • Jacques Degats • Jean-Paul Martin du Gard • Étienne Bally (DNS) • Yves Camus (DNS) • Patrick El Mabrouk (DNS) • Jean Thureau (DNS)
3 h1 r1/2	–	Sweden	SWE	3:13.4 (3 h1)	–
		Gösta Brännström • Tage Ekfeldt • Rune Larsson • Lars-Erik Wolfbrandt • Bo Åhlen (DNS) • Hans Ring (DNS) • Lars Ylander (DNS)
3 h2 r1/2	–	Hungary	HUN	3:13.8 (3 h2)	–
		Ferenc Bánhalmi • Lajos Szentgáli • Egon Solymossy • Zoltán Adamik • Péter Karádi (DNS) • Antal Lippay (DNS)
3 h3 r1/2	–	Soviet Union	URS	3:12.5 (3 h3)	–
		Ardalion Ignatyev • Gennady Slepnyov • Edmunds Pīlāgs • Yury Lituyev • Grigory Ilyin (DNS) • Heino Potter (DNS) • Revas Trapaydze (DNS) • Anatoly Yulin (DNS)
4 h1 r1/2	–	Belgium	BEL	3:15.8 (4 h1)	–
		Albert Lowagie • Antoine Uytterhoeven • Roger Moens • Fernand Linssen • Oscar Soetewey (DNS)
4 h2 r1/2	–	Italy	ITA	3:15.2 (4 h2)	–
		Baldassare Porto • Gianni Rocca • Luigi Grossi • Armando Filiput • Vincenzo Lombardo (DNS) • Antonio Siddi (DNS)
4 h3 r1/2	–	South Africa	RSA	3:14.8 (4 h3)	–
		Louis van Biljon • Ron Wilke • John Anderton • Bill Chivell • Schalk Booysen (DNS)
5 h1 r1/2	–	Luxembourg	LUX	3:16.2 (5 h1)	–
		Roby Schaeffer • Jean Hamilius • Fred Hammer • Gérard Rasquin • Josy Barthel (DNS) • Johnny Fonck (DNS)
5 h2 r1/2	–	Switzerland	SUI	3:15.4 (5 h2)	–
		Hans Ernst Schneider • Sepp Steger • Paul Stalder • Ernst von Gunten • Willy Eichenberger (DNS) • Karl Schmid (DNS) • Hans Schwarz (DNS)
5 h3 r1/2	–	Australia	AUS	3:15.8 (5 h3)	–
		Ray Weinberg • Morris Curotta • Ken Doubleday • Edwin Carr, Jr. • John Landy (DNS) • Don MacMillan (DNS) • John Treloar (DNS)
6 h1 r1/2	–	Finland	FIN	3:16.4 (6 h1)	–
		Pauli Tavisalo • Ossi Mildh • Ragnar Graeffe • Rolf Back • Arvo Hilli (DNS) • Jaakko Suikkari (DNS)
6 h2 r1/2	–	Pakistan	PAK	3:23.2 (6 h2)	–
		Abdul Rehman • Muhammad Shafi • Moshin Mirza Khan • Aurang Zeb • Muhammad Fazil (DNS)
7 h1 r1/2	–	Japan	JPN	3:20.3 (7 h1)	–
		Junkichi Matoba • Eitaro Okano • Hiroshi Yamamoto • Yoshitaka Muroya • Tomio Hosoda (DNS) • Masaji Tajima (DNS)
DNS	–	Greece	GRE	–	–
		Ioannis Kampadelis • Fotios Kosmas • Vasilios Mavroidis • Stefanos Petrakis • Vasilios Sillis
DNS	–	Puerto Rico	PUR	–	–
		Francisco Castro • Amadeo Francis • Frank Rivera • Héctor Román
DNS	–	Thailand	THA	–	–
		Pongummart Ummarttayakul • Boonpak Kwancharoen • Boonterm Pakpuang • Arun Sankosik • Kamtorn Sanidwong • Sompop Svadanandana • Adul Wanasatith
DNS	–	Turkey	TUR	–	–
		Doğan Acarbay • Emin Doybak • Kemal Horulu • Ekrem Koçak • Cahit Önel

Round One (26 July 1952 — 17:00)

Top two in each heat advanced to the final.

Heat One

Pos	Nr	Team	NOC	Time (H)	Time (A)	Split (Pos)
1	–	Jamaica	JAM	3:12.1	3:12.13		Q
	295	Herb McKenley		47.5	–	47.5 (1)
	294	Les Laing		48.6	–	1:36.1 (1)
	297	Arthur Wint		47.6	–	2:23.7 (1)
	296	George Rhoden		48.4	–	3:12.1 (1)
2	–	France	FRA	3:12.6	3:12.72		Q
	601	Jean-Pierre Goudeau		48.6	–	48.6 (2)
	615	Robert Bart		48.0	–	1:36.6 (2)
	602	Jacques Degats		48.6	–	2:25.2 (3)
	–	Jean-Paul Martin du Gard		47.4	–	3:12.6 (3)
3	–	Sweden	SWE	3:13.4	3:13.55
	670	Gösta Brännström		48.7	–	48.7 (3)
	672	Tage Ekfeldt		48.7	–	1:37.4 (3)
	685	Rune Larsson		47.6	–	2:25.0 (2)
	671	Lars-Erik Wolfbrandt		47.4	–	3:12.4 (2)
4	–	Belgium	BEL	3:15.8	3:16.05
	37	Albert Lowagie		50.0	–	50.0 (6)
	35	Antoine Uytterhoeven		50.0	–	1:40.0 (6)
	36	Roger Moens		47.0	–	2:27.0 (4)
	34	Fernand Linssen		48.8	–	3:15.8 (4)
5	–	Luxembourg	LUX	3:16.2	3:16.38
	408	Roby Schaeffer		50.1	–	50.1 (7)
	407	Jean Hamilius		49.5	–	1:39.6 (5)
	403	Fred Hammer		48.5	–	2:28.1 (5)
	404	Gérard Rasquin		48.5	–	3:16.6 (6)
6	–	Finland	FIN	3:16.4	3:16.67
	773	Pauli Tavisalo		49.7	–	49.7 (5)
	776	Ossi Mildh		49.7	–	1:39.4 (4)
	795	Ragnar Graeffe		48.9	–	2:28.3 (6)
	775	Rolf Back		48.1	–	3:16.4 (5)
7	–	Japan	JPN	3:20.3	3:20.55
	302	Junkichi Matoba		49.5	–	49.5 (4)
	303	Eitaro Okano		52.0	–	1:41.5 (7)
	305	Hiroshi Yamamoto		50.0	–	2:31.5 (7)
	304	Yoshitaka Muroya		48.8	–	3:20.3 (7)

Heat Two

Pos	Nr	Team	NOC	Time (H)	Time (A)	Split (Pos)
1	–	United States	USA	3:11.5	3:11.67		Q
	987	Ollie Matson		48.1	–	48.1 (1)
	988	Gene Cole		47.3	–	1:35.4 (1)
	1006	Charlie Moore		46.6	–	2:22.0 (1)
	996	Mal Whitfield		47.5	–	3:09.5 (1)
2	–	Great Britain	GBR	3:12.5	3:12.67		Q
	173	Les Lewis		48.6	–	48.6 (2)
	171	Alan Dick		48.4	–	1:37.0 (2)
	172	Terry Higgins		47.2	–	2:24.2 (2)
	170	Nick Stacey		48.3	–	3:12.5 (2)
3	–	Hungary	HUN	3:13.8	3:13.96
	933	Ferenc Bánhalmi		49.7	–	49.7 (4)
	–	Lajos Szentgáli		48.3	–	1:38.0 (5)
	934	Egon Solymossy		48.3	–	2:26.3 (=3)
	935	Zoltán Adamik		47.5	–	3:13.8 (3)
4	–	Italy	ITA	3:15.2	3:15.23
	–	Baldassare Porto		49.3	–	49.3 (3)
	247	Gianni Rocca		48.0	–	1:37.3 (3)
	244	Luigi Grossi		49.0	–	2:26.3 (=3)
	252	Armando Filiput		48.9	–	3:15.2 (4)
5	–	Switzerland	SUI	3:15.4	3:15.36
	846	Hans Ernst Schneider		49.8	–	49.8 (5)
	847	Sepp Steger		48.0	–	1:37.8 (4)
	–	Paul Stalder		49.3	–	2:27.1 (5)
	845	Ernst von Gunten		48.3	–	3:15.4 (5)
6	–	Pakistan	PAK	3:23.2	–
	526	Abdul Rehman		50.0	–	50.0 (6)
	533	Muhammad Shafi		52.0	–	1:42.0 (6)
	532	Moshin Mirza Khan		51.0	–	2:33.0 (6)
	527	Aurang Zeb		50.2	–	3:23.2 (6)

Heat Three

Pos	Nr	Team	NOC	Time (H)	Time (A)	Split (Pos)
1	–	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:10.5	3:10.57		Q
	736	Günther Steines		48.9	–	48.9 (3)
	732	Hans Geister		47.2	–	1:36.1 (1)
	734	Heinz Ulzheimer		47.3	–	2:23.4 (1)
	733	Karl-Friedrich Haas		46.8	–	3:10.2 (1)
2	–	Canada	CAN	3:11.2	3:11.49		Q
	347	Doug Clement		49.2	–	49.2 (4)
	351	Jack Hutchins		48.4	–	1:37.6 (3)
	349	Jack Carroll		46.6	–	2:24.2 (2)
	348	James Lavery		47.4	–	3:11.6 (2)
3	–	Soviet Union	URS	3:12.5	3:12.65
	416	Ardalion Ignatyev		47.9	–	47.9 (1)
	–	Gennady Slepnyov		49.0	–	1:36.9 (2)
	418	Edmunds Pīlāgs		48.3	–	2:25.2 (3)
	417	Yury Lituyev		47.3	–	3:12.5 (3)
4	–	South Africa	RSA	3:14.8	3:15.09
	107	Louis van Biljon		48.4	–	48.4 (2)
	112	Ron Wilke		49.7	–	1:38.1 (4)
	106	John Anderton		48.9	–	2:27.0 (4)
	–	Bill Chivell		48.2	–	3:15.2 (4)
5	–	Australia	AUS	3:15.8	3:16.00
	19	Ray Weinberg		51.3	–	51.3 (5)
	17	Morris Curotta		47.8	–	1:39.1 (5)
	26	Ken Doubleday		50.0	–	2:29.1 (5)
	20	Edwin Carr, Jr.		47.4	–	3:16.5 (5)

Final (27 July 1952 — 17:20)

Pos	Nr	Team	NOC	Time (H)	Time (A)	Split (Pos)
1	–	Jamaica	JAM	3:03.9	3:04.04		WR
	297	Arthur Wint		46.8	–	46.8 (2)
	294	Les Laing		47.0	–	1:33.8 (2)
	295	Herb McKenley		44.6	–	2:18.4 (1)
	296	George Rhoden		45.5	–	3:03.9 (1)
2	–	United States	USA	3:04.0	3:04.21
	987	Ollie Matson		46.7	–	46.7 (1)
	988	Gene Cole		45.5	–	1:32.2 (1)
	1006	Charlie Moore		46.3	–	2:18.5 (2)
	996	Mal Whitfield		45.5	–	3:04.0 (2)
3	–	Unified Team of Germany	GER	3:06.6	3:06.78
	732	Hans Geister		47.0	–	47.0 (3)
	736	Günther Steines		47.3	–	1:34.3 (3)
	734	Heinz Ulzheimer		46.5	–	2:20.8 (3)
	733	Karl-Friedrich Haas		45.8	–	3:06.6 (3)
4	–	Canada	CAN	3:09.3	3:09.37
	347	Doug Clement		49.0	–	49.0 (6)
	351	Jack Hutchins		47.0	–	1:36.0 (=5)
	349	Jack Carroll		46.0	–	2:22.0 (4)
	348	James Lavery		47.3	–	3:09.3 (4)
5	–	Great Britain	GBR	3:10.0	3:10.23
	173	Les Lewis		47.9	–	47.9 (4)
	171	Alan Dick		47.4	–	1:35.3 (4)
	172	Terry Higgins		47.4	–	2:22.7 (5)
	170	Nick Stacey		47.3	–	3:10.0 (5)
6	–	France	FRA	3:10.1	3:10.33
	601	Jean-Pierre Goudeau		48.5	–	48.5 (5)
	615	Robert Bart		47.5	–	1:36.0 (=5)
	602	Jacques Degats		47.3	–	2:23.3 (6)
	–	Jean-Paul Martin du Gard		46.8	–	3:10.1 (6)