| Date | 7 – 8 August 1992 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Estadio Olímpico de Montjuïc, Barcelona |
| Participants | 104 from 25 countries |
The US was back as the favorite, although Carl Lewis had failed to make the US team for the 100 metres. But in the 100 semi-finals, Mark Witherspoon had to retire with an Achilles’ injury and Lewis was brought back onto the relay squad. After the semi-finals they were thought to be threatened by the surprising team from Nigeria, who had won their heat in an African record of 38.21. In the final, Lewis received the baton with only a metre lead on the Nigerian anchor, Davidson Ezinwa. But his anchor leg is usually considered one of the fastest ever, challenging Bob Hayes anchor at Tokyo in 1964. Lewis was timed in 8.85 for his leg and the US won by over five metres in a world record 37.40.
| Date | 7 August 1992 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top three in each heat and next four fastest advanced to the semi-finals. |
| Pos | Team | NOC | Time (automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuba | CUB | 38.81 | ||
| 2 | United States | USA | 38.95 | ||
| 3 | Nigeria | NGR | 38.98 | ||
| 4 | Japan | JPN | 39.16 | ||
| 5 | Canada | CAN | 39.34 | ||
| 6 | France | FRA | 39.49 | ||
| 7 | Spain | ESP | 39.60 | ||
| 8 | Great Britain | GBR | 39.73 | ||
| 9 | Mexico | MEX | 39.77 | ||
| 10 | Togo | TOG | 39.77 | ||
| 11 | Austria | AUT | 39.86 | ||
| 12 | Thailand | THA | 39.91 | ||
| 13 | Côte d'Ivoire | CIV | 40.02 | ||
| 14 | Unified Team | EUN | 40.07 | ||
| =15 | Sierra Leone | SLE | 40.11 | ||
| =15 | Ghana | GHA | 40.11 | ||
| 17 | Senegal | SEN | 40.13 | ||
| 18 | Portugal | POR | 40.30 | ||
| 19 | United States Virgin Islands | ISV | 40.48 | ||
| 20 | The Gambia | GAM | 40.98 | ||
| 21 | San Marino | SMR | 42.08 | ||
| 22 | Bangladesh | BAN | 42.18 | ||
| Jamaica | JAM | – | |||
| Congo | CGO | [41.26] | |||
| Belize | BIZ | – |
| Time | 9:30 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Cuba | CUB | 38.81 | ||
| Lead-Off | 366 | Andrés Simón | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 350 | Joel Lamela | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 348 | Joel Isasi | – | |||
| Anchor | 336 | Jorge Aguilera | – | |||
| 2 | – | United States | USA | 38.95 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1734 | Mike Marsh | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1675 | Leroy Burrell | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1738 | Dennis Mitchell | – | |||
| Anchor | 1718 | James Jett | – | |||
| 3 | – | Japan | JPN | 39.16 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1074 | Shinji Aoto | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1098 | Hisatsugu Suzuki | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1078 | Satoru Inoue | – | |||
| Anchor | 1096 | Tatsuo Sugimoto | – | |||
| 4 | – | Mexico | MEX | 39.77 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1245 | Genaro Rojas | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1241 | Eduardo Nava | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1232 | Raymundo Escalante | – | |||
| Anchor | 1229 | Alejandro Cárdenas | – | |||
| 5 | – | Togo | TOG | 39.77 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1637 | Kouame Aholou | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1640 | Boevi Lawson | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1639 | Koukou Franck Amégnigan | – | |||
| Anchor | 1638 | Kossi Akoto | – | |||
| 6 | – | Côte d'Ivoire | CIV | 40.02 | ||
| Lead-Off | 309 | Franck Waota | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 311 | Jean-Olivier Zirignon | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 301 | Gilles Bogui | – | |||
| Anchor | 305 | Ouattara Lagazane | – | |||
| – | Belize | BIZ | – | |||
| Lead-Off | 118 | Emery Gill | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 122 | Elston Shaw | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 120 | Michael Joseph | – | |||
| Anchor | 121 | John Palacio | – |
| Time | 9:40 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | France | FRA | 39.49 | ||
| Lead-Off | 646 | Max Morinière | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 662 | Daniel Sangouma | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 657 | Gilles Quénéhervé | – | |||
| Anchor | 644 | Bruno Marie-Rose | – | |||
| 2 | – | Unified Team | EUN | 40.07 | ||
| Lead-Off | 504 | Pavel Galkin | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 510 | Edvin Ivanov | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 503 | Andrey Fedoriv | – | |||
| Anchor | 557 | Vitaly Savin | – | |||
| 3 | – | Sierra Leone | SLE | 40.11 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1850 | Francis Keita | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1514 | Denton Guy-Williams | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1517 | Paul Parkinson | – | |||
| Anchor | 1519 | Sanusi Turay | – | |||
| 4 | – | Senegal | SEN | 40.13 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1502 | Charles-Louis Seck | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1498 | Amadou M'Baye | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1497 | Seydou Loum | – | |||
| Anchor | 1496 | Oumar Loum | – | |||
| 5 | – | Portugal | POR | 40.30 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1394 | Luís Cunha | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1395 | Pedro Curvelo | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1388 | Luís Barroso | – | |||
| Anchor | 1386 | Pedro Agostinho | – | |||
| – | Congo | CGO | [41.26] | |||
| Lead-Off | 256 | Médard Makanga | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 255 | Michael Dzong | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 254 | Armand Biniakounou | – | |||
| Anchor | 257 | David Nkoua | – |
| Time | 9:50 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Canada | CAN | 39.34 | ||
| Lead-Off | 226 | Ben Johnson | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 218 | Glenroy Gilbert | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 239 | Peter Ogilvie | – | |||
| Anchor | 247 | Bruny Surin | – | |||
| 2 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 39.73 | ||
| Lead-Off | 726 | Tony Jarrett | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 728 | Jason John | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 681 | Marcus Adam | – | |||
| Anchor | 695 | Linford Christie | – | |||
| 3 | – | Austria | AUT | 39.86 | ||
| Lead-Off | 77 | Christoph Pöstinger | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 79 | Thomas Renner | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 70 | Andreas Berger | – | |||
| Anchor | 78 | Franz Ratzenberger | – | |||
| 4 | – | Ghana | GHA | 40.11 | ||
| Lead-Off | 874 | John Myles-Mills | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 864 | Eric Akogyiram | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 876 | Emmanuel Tuffour | – | |||
| Anchor | 867 | Nelson Boateng | – | |||
| 5 | – | United States Virgin Islands | ISV | 40.48 | ||
| Lead-Off | 980 | Derry Pemberton | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 977 | Neville Hodge | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 981 | Mitch Peters | – | |||
| Anchor | 975 | Wyndell Dickinson | – | |||
| 6 | – | The Gambia | GAM | 40.98 | ||
| Lead-Off | 677 | Dawda Jallow | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 680 | Momodou Sarr | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 678 | Abdulieh Janneh | – | |||
| Anchor | 679 | Lamin Marikong | – |
| Time | 10:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Nigeria | NGR | 38.98 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1300 | Osmond Ezinwa | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1302 | Chidi Imoh | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1294 | Olapade Adeniken | – | |||
| Anchor | 1299 | Davidson Ezinwa | – | |||
| 2 | – | Spain | ESP | 39.60 | ||
| Lead-Off | 398 | Javier Arqués | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 453 | Enrique Talavera | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 454 | Juan Jesús Trapero | – | |||
| Anchor | 429 | Sergio López | – | |||
| 3 | – | Thailand | THA | 39.91 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1622 | Kriengkrai Narom | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1615 | Seaksarn Boonrat | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1625 | Niti Piyapan | – | |||
| Anchor | 1636 | Visut Watanasin | – | |||
| 4 | – | San Marino | SMR | 42.08 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1528 | Nicola Selva | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1527 | Manlio Molinari | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1525 | Dominique Canti | – | |||
| Anchor | 1524 | Aldo Canti | – | |||
| 5 | – | Bangladesh | BAN | 42.18 | ||
| Lead-Off | 92 | Golam Ambia | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 94 | Mohamed Mehdi Hasan | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 93 | Shahanuddin Choudhury | – | |||
| Anchor | 95 | Mohamed Shah Jalal | – | |||
| – | Jamaica | JAM | – | |||
| Lead-Off | 1047 | Michael Green | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1054 | Rudolph Mighty | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1067 | Anthony Wallace | – | |||
| Anchor | 1064 | Ray Stewart | – |
| Date | 7 August 1992 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top four in each heat advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Team | NOC | Time (automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | USA | 38.14 | ||
| 2 | Nigeria | NGR | 38.21 | ||
| 3 | Cuba | CUB | 38.49 | ||
| 4 | Great Britain | GBR | 38.64 | ||
| 5 | Unified Team | EUN | 38.69 | ||
| 6 | Japan | JPN | 38.81 | ||
| 7 | France | FRA | 39.02 | ||
| 8 | Ghana | GHA | 39.28 | ||
| 9 | Austria | AUT | 39.34 | ||
| 10 | Côte d'Ivoire | CIV | 39.46 | ||
| 11 | Spain | ESP | 39.62 | ||
| 12 | Thailand | THA | 39.73 | ||
| 13 | Togo | TOG | 39.84 | ||
| 14 | Sierra Leone | SLE | 40.46 | ||
| Canada | CAN | – | |||
| Mexico | MEX | – |
| Time | 19:30 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States | USA | 38.14 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1734 | Mike Marsh | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1675 | Leroy Burrell | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1738 | Dennis Mitchell | – | |||
| Anchor | 1729 | Carl Lewis | – | |||
| 2 | – | Cuba | CUB | 38.49 | ||
| Lead-Off | 366 | Andrés Simón | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 350 | Joel Lamela | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 348 | Joel Isasi | – | |||
| Anchor | 336 | Jorge Aguilera | – | |||
| 3 | – | Unified Team | EUN | 38.69 | ||
| Lead-Off | 504 | Pavel Galkin | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 510 | Edvin Ivanov | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 503 | Andrey Fedoriv | – | |||
| Anchor | 557 | Vitaly Savin | – | |||
| 4 | – | Japan | JPN | 38.81 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1074 | Shinji Aoto | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1098 | Hisatsugu Suzuki | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1078 | Satoru Inoue | – | |||
| Anchor | 1096 | Tatsuo Sugimoto | – | |||
| 5 | – | France | FRA | 39.02 | ||
| Lead-Off | 646 | Max Morinière | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 662 | Daniel Sangouma | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 657 | Gilles Quénéhervé | – | |||
| Anchor | 644 | Bruno Marie-Rose | – | |||
| 6 | – | Ghana | GHA | 39.28 | ||
| Lead-Off | 874 | John Myles-Mills | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 864 | Eric Akogyiram | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 876 | Emmanuel Tuffour | – | |||
| Anchor | 867 | Nelson Boateng | – | |||
| 7 | – | Sierra Leone | SLE | 40.46 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1850 | Francis Keita | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1514 | Denton Guy-Williams | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1517 | Paul Parkinson | – | |||
| Anchor | 1519 | Sanusi Turay | – | |||
| – | Mexico | MEX | – | |||
| Lead-Off | 1245 | Genaro Rojas | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1241 | Eduardo Nava | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1232 | Raymundo Escalante | – | |||
| Anchor | 1229 | Alejandro Cárdenas | – |
| Time | 19:40 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Nigeria | NGR | 38.21 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1303 | Oluyemi Kayode | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1302 | Chidi Imoh | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1294 | Olapade Adeniken | – | |||
| Anchor | 1299 | Davidson Ezinwa | – | |||
| 2 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 38.64 | ||
| Lead-Off | 726 | Tony Jarrett | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 750 | John Regis | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 681 | Marcus Adam | – | |||
| Anchor | 695 | Linford Christie | – | |||
| 3 | – | Austria | AUT | 39.34 | ||
| Lead-Off | 77 | Christoph Pöstinger | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 79 | Thomas Renner | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 70 | Andreas Berger | – | |||
| Anchor | 78 | Franz Ratzenberger | – | |||
| 4 | – | Côte d'Ivoire | CIV | 39.46 | ||
| Lead-Off | 309 | Franck Waota | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 311 | Jean-Olivier Zirignon | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 301 | Gilles Bogui | – | |||
| Anchor | 305 | Ouattara Lagazane | – | |||
| 5 | – | Spain | ESP | 39.62 | ||
| Lead-Off | 398 | Javier Arqués | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 453 | Enrique Talavera | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 454 | Juan Jesús Trapero | – | |||
| Anchor | 429 | Sergio López | – | |||
| 6 | – | Thailand | THA | 39.73 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1622 | Kriengkrai Narom | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1615 | Seaksarn Boonrat | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1625 | Niti Piyapan | – | |||
| Anchor | 1636 | Visut Watanasin | – | |||
| 7 | – | Togo | TOG | 39.84 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1637 | Kouame Aholou | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1640 | Boevi Lawson | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1639 | Koukou Franck Amégnigan | – | |||
| Anchor | 1638 | Kossi Akoto | – | |||
| – | Canada | CAN | – | |||
| Lead-Off | 226 | Ben Johnson | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 218 | Glenroy Gilbert | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 231 | Atlee Mahorn | – | |||
| Anchor | 247 | Bruny Surin | – |
| Date | 8 August 1992 — 19:20 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Split Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States | USA | 37.40 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | 1734 | Mike Marsh | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1675 | Leroy Burrell | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1738 | Dennis Mitchell | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1729 | Carl Lewis | – | 8.85 | |||
| 2 | – | Nigeria | NGR | 37.98 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | 1303 | Oluyemi Kayode | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1302 | Chidi Imoh | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1294 | Olapade Adeniken | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1299 | Davidson Ezinwa | – | – | |||
| 3 | – | Cuba | CUB | 38.00 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | 366 | Andrés Simón | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 350 | Joel Lamela | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 348 | Joel Isasi | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 336 | Jorge Aguilera | – | – | |||
| 4 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 38.08 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | 681 | Marcus Adam | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 726 | Tony Jarrett | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 750 | John Regis | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 695 | Linford Christie | – | – | |||
| 5 | – | Unified Team | EUN | 38.17 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | 504 | Pavel Galkin | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 510 | Edvin Ivanov | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 503 | Andrey Fedoriv | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 557 | Vitaly Savin | – | – | |||
| 6 | – | Japan | JPN | 38.77 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | 1074 | Shinji Aoto | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1098 | Hisatsugu Suzuki | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1078 | Satoru Inoue | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 1096 | Tatsuo Sugimoto | – | – | |||
| 7 | – | Austria | AUT | 39.30 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | 77 | Christoph Pöstinger | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 79 | Thomas Renner | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 70 | Andreas Berger | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 78 | Franz Ratzenberger | – | – | |||
| 8 | – | Côte d'Ivoire | CIV | 39.31 | – | ||
| Lead-Off | 309 | Franck Waota | – | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 311 | Jean-Olivier Zirignon | – | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 301 | Gilles Bogui | – | – | |||
| Anchor | 305 | Ouattara Lagazane | – | – |