| | Event type

4 x 100 metres Medley Relay, Men

Date	26 October 1968
Status	Olympic
Location	Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez, Ciudad de México
Participants	80 from 18 countries

This was the final swimming event of the 1968 Olympics. The USA had won it in 1960 and 1964 and was again the clear favorite. On the opening leg, East Germany’s Roland Matthes put his team ahead with a world record of 58.0 for the 100 backstroke, with Charlie Hickcox of the US over two seconds behind. On the breaststroke leg, 100 gold medalist Don McKenzie picked up a little ground on East German Egon Henninger but the Americans were still a full two seconds back. That changed on the butterfly as Doug Russell stormed by Horst-Günter Gregor and gave Ken Walsh a 1.6 second lead for the anchor leg. Walsh opened further to bring the US home in the world record time of 3:54.9 with East Germany second and the Soviet Union winning bronze.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	Final
1	United States	USA	4:03.4 (1 h2)	3:54.9 (1)	Gold
	Charlie Hickcox • Don McKenzie • Doug Russell • Ken Walsh • Ronnie Mills • Chet Jastremski • Carl Robie • Don Schollander
2	East Germany	GDR	4:04.1 (2 h2)	3:57.5 (2)	Silver
	Roland Matthes • Egon Henninger • Horst-Günter Gregor • Frank Wiegand
3	Soviet Union	URS	4:04.8 (2 h1)	4:00.7 (3)	Bronze
	Yury Gromak • Vladimir Kosinsky • Vladimir Nemshilov • Leonid Ilyichov • Viktor Mazanov • Nikolay Pankin • Yury Suzdaltsev • Sergey Gusev
4	Australia	AUS	4:04.8 (1 h3)	4:00.8 (4)
	Karl Byrom • Ian O'Brien • Robert Cusack • Mike Wenden
5	Japan	JPN	4:04.3 (1 h1)	4:01.8 (5)
	Kishio Tanaka • Nobutaka Taguchi • Satoshi Maruya • Kunihiro Iwasaki
6	West Germany	FRG	4:04.7 (3 h2)	4:05.4 (6)
	Reinhard Blechert • Gregor Betz • Lutz Stoklasa • Wolfgang Kremer
7	Canada	CAN	4:06.0 (3 h1)	4:07.3 (7)
	Jim Shaw • Bill Mahony • Tom Arusoo • Sandy Gilchrist
8	Spain	ESP	4:06.8 (2 h3)	4:08.8 (8)
	Santiago Esteva • José Durán • Arturo Lang-Lenton • José Antonio Chicoy
9	Great Britain	GBR	4:07.7 (3 h3)	–
	Neil Jackson • Roger Roberts • Martyn Woodroffe • Bobby McGregor
10	Argentina	ARG	4:08.4 (4 h1)	–
	Leonardo Barenboim • Alberto Forelli • Luis Nicolao • Carlos van der Maath
11	Hungary	HUN	4:08.8 (5 h1)	–
	László Cseh, Sr. • Sándor Szabó • István Szentirmay • Gábor Kucsera
12	Mexico	MEX	4:10.0 (4 h3)	–
	José Joaquín Santibáñez • Felipe Muñoz • Mario Santibáñez • Rafaél Cal
13	Italy	ITA	4:10.3 (5 h3)	–
	Franco Del Campo • Massimo Sacchi • Antonio Attanasio • Pietro Boscaini
14	Brazil	BRA	4:11.1 (6 h1)	–
	César Filardi • José Sylvio Fiolo • Nikita • José Roberto Aranha
15	Sweden	SWE	4:12.2 (4 h2)	–
	Hans Tegeback • Thomas Johnsson • Bo Westergren • Lester Eriksson
16	Philippines	PHI	4:15.7 (5 h2)	–
	Tony Asamali • Amman Jalmaani • Leroy Goff • Roosevelt Abdulgafur
17	Switzerland	SUI	4:20.6 (6 h2)	–
	Gerald Evard • Nicolas Gilliard • Ayis Capéronis • Pano Capéronis
18	Puerto Rico	PUR	4:27.6 (7 h2)	–
	Francisco Ramis • José Ferraioli • Gary Goodner • Jorge González

Round One (26 October 1968 — 10:00)

Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Heat One

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	Time	Exchange (Pos)
1	2	Japan	JPN		4:04.3		Q
		Kishio Tanaka		–	1:03.2	1:03.2 (1)
		Nobutaka Taguchi		–	1:08.6	2:11.8 (1)
		Satoshi Maruya		–	58.1	3:09.9 (1)
		Kunihiro Iwasaki		–	54.4	4:04.3 (1)
2	5	Soviet Union	URS		4:04.8		Q
		Viktor Mazanov		–	1:03.0	1:03.0 (2)
		Nikolay Pankin		–	1:08.3	2:11.3 (2)
		Yury Suzdaltsev		–	59.4	3:10.7 (2)
		Sergey Gusev		–	54.1	4:04.8 (2)
3	4	Canada	CAN		4:06.0		Q
		Jim Shaw		–	1:01.6	1:01.6 (3)
		Bill Mahony		–	1:09.8	2:11.4 (3)
		Tom Arusoo		–	1:00.3	3:11.7 (3)
		Sandy Gilchrist		–	54.3	4:06.0 (3)
4	7	Argentina	ARG		4:08.4
		Leonardo Barenboim		–	1:03.8	1:03.8 (4)
		Alberto Forelli		–	1:10.3	2:14.1 (4)
		Luis Nicolao		–	58.3	3:12.4 (4)
		Carlos van der Maath		–	56.0	4:08.4 (4)
5	3	Hungary	HUN		4:08.8
		László Cseh, Sr.		–	1:02.6	1:02.6 (5)
		Sándor Szabó		–	1:10.4	2:13.0 (5)
		István Szentirmay		–	1:01.5	3:14.5 (5)
		Gábor Kucsera		–	54.3	4:08.8 (5)
6	6	Brazil	BRA		4:11.1
		César Filardi		–	1:06.7	1:06.7 (6)
		José Sylvio Fiolo		–	1:07.0	2:13.7 (6)
		Nikita		–	1:01.5	3:15.2 (6)
		José Roberto Aranha		–	55.9	4:11.1 (6)

Heat Two

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	Time	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	United States	USA		4:03.4		Q
		Ronnie Mills		–	1:01.9	1:01.9 (1)
		Chet Jastremski		–	1:09.3	2:11.2 (1)
		Carl Robie		–	59.1	3:10.3 (1)
		Don Schollander		–	53.1	4:03.4 (1)
2	6	East Germany	GDR		4:04.1		Q
		Roland Matthes		–	1:02.1	1:02.1 (2)
		Egon Henninger		–	1:08.7	2:10.8 (2)
		Horst-Günter Gregor		–	59.2	3:10.0 (2)
		Frank Wiegand		–	54.1	4:04.1 (2)
3	5	West Germany	FRG		4:04.7		Q
		Reinhard Blechert		–	1:03.5	1:03.5 (3)
		Gregor Betz		–	1:08.5	2:12.0 (3)
		Lutz Stoklasa		–	58.9	3:10.9 (3)
		Wolfgang Kremer		–	53.8	4:04.7 (3)
4	3	Sweden	SWE		4:12.2
		Hans Tegeback		–	1:06.7	1:06.7 (4)
		Thomas Johnsson		–	1:11.9	2:18.6 (4)
		Bo Westergren		–	59.5	3:18.1 (4)
		Lester Eriksson		–	54.1	4:12.2 (4)
5	1	Philippines	PHI		4:15.7
		Tony Asamali		–	1:08.1	1:08.1 (5)
		Amman Jalmaani		–	1:09.7	2:17.8 (5)
		Leroy Goff		–	1:01.7	3:19.5 (5)
		Roosevelt Abdulgafur		–	56.2	4:15.7 (5)
6	7	Switzerland	SUI		4:20.6
		Gerald Evard		–	1:05.9	1:05.9 (6)
		Nicolas Gilliard		–	1:16.6	2:22.5 (6)
		Ayis Capéronis		–	1:02.8	3:25.3 (6)
		Pano Capéronis		–	55.3	4:20.6 (6)
7	2	Puerto Rico	PUR		4:27.6
		Francisco Ramis		–	1:07.7	1:07.7 (7)
		José Ferraioli		–	1:18.7	2:26.4 (7)
		Gary Goodner		–	1:01.9	3:28.3 (7)
		Jorge González		–	59.3	4:27.6 (7)

Heat Three

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	Time	Exchange (Pos)
1	3	Australia	AUS		4:04.8		Q
		Karl Byrom		–	1:02.9	1:02.9 (1)
		Ian O'Brien		–	1:09.4	2:12.3 (1)
		Robert Cusack		–	1:00.0	3:12.3 (1)
		Mike Wenden		–	52.5	4:04.8 (1)
2	4	Spain	ESP		4:06.8		Q
		Santiago Esteva		–	1:02.1	1:02.1 (2)
		José Durán		–	1:11.2	2:13.3 (2)
		Arturo Lang-Lenton		–	59.4	3:12.7 (2)
		José Antonio Chicoy		–	54.1	4:06.8 (2)
3	5	Great Britain	GBR		4:07.7
		Neil Jackson		–	1:03.5	1:03.5 (3)
		Roger Roberts		–	1:11.1	2:14.6 (3)
		Martyn Woodroffe		–	59.5	3:14.1 (=3)
		Bobby McGregor		–	53.6	4:07.7 (3)
4	2	Mexico	MEX		4:10.0
		José Joaquín Santibáñez		–	1:04.0	1:04.0 (4)
		Felipe Muñoz		–	1:08.8	2:12.8 (4)
		Mario Santibáñez		–	1:01.3	3:14.1 (=3)
		Rafaél Cal		–	55.9	4:10.0 (4)
5	6	Italy	ITA		4:10.3
		Franco Del Campo		–	1:03.3	1:03.3 (5)
		Massimo Sacchi		–	1:11.1	2:14.4 (5)
		Antonio Attanasio		–	1:00.8	3:15.2 (5)
		Pietro Boscaini		–	55.1	4:10.3 (5)

Final (26 October 1968 — 17:00)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	Time	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	United States	USA		3:54.9		WR
		Charlie Hickcox		–	1:01.4	1:01.4 (2)
		Don McKenzie		–	1:06.4	2:07.8 (1)
		Doug Russell		–	55.0	3:02.8 (1)
		Ken Walsh		–	52.1	3:54.9 (1)
2	5	East Germany	GDR		3:57.5
		Roland Matthes		–	58.0	58.0 (1)
		Egon Henninger		–	1:07.8	2:05.8 (2)
		Horst-Günter Gregor		–	58.6	3:04.4 (2)
		Frank Wiegand		–	53.1	3:57.5 (2)
3	2	Soviet Union	URS		4:00.7
		Yury Gromak		–	1:02.9	1:02.9 (3)
		Vladimir Kosinsky		–	1:07.1	2:10.0 (=3)
		Vladimir Nemshilov		–	58.0	3:08.0 (3)
		Leonid Ilyichov		–	52.7	4:00.7 (3)
4	7	Australia	AUS		4:00.8
		Karl Byrom		–	1:01.5	1:01.5 (4)
		Ian O'Brien		–	1:08.5	2:10.0 (=3)
		Robert Cusack		–	59.4	3:09.4 (4)
		Mike Wenden		–	51.4	4:00.8 (4)
5	3	Japan	JPN		4:01.8
		Kishio Tanaka		–	1:02.8	1:02.8 (5)
		Nobutaka Taguchi		–	1:07.1	2:09.9 (5)
		Satoshi Maruya		–	57.8	3:07.7 (5)
		Kunihiro Iwasaki		–	54.1	4:01.8 (5)
6	6	West Germany	FRG		4:05.4
		Reinhard Blechert		–	1:02.6	1:02.6 (6)
		Gregor Betz		–	1:18.6	2:21.2 (6)
		Lutz Stoklasa		–	50.5	3:11.7 (6)
		Wolfgang Kremer		–	53.7	4:05.4 (6)
7	1	Canada	CAN		4:07.3
		Jim Shaw		–	1:01.3	1:01.3 (7)
		Bill Mahony		–	1:09.8	2:11.1 (7)
		Tom Arusoo		–	1:00.5	3:11.6 (7)
		Sandy Gilchrist		–	55.7	4:07.3 (7)
8	8	Spain	ESP		4:08.8
		Santiago Esteva		–	1:02.4	1:02.4 (8)
		José Durán		–	1:12.0	2:14.4 (8)
		Arturo Lang-Lenton		–	1:00.1	3:14.5 (8)
		José Antonio Chicoy		–	54.3	4:08.8 (8)