| Date | 7 – 8 August 1992 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Estadio Olímpico de Montjuïc, Barcelona |
| Participants | 102 from 24 countries |
The US team was led by Steve Lewis and Quincy Watts, who had won the 400 gold medals in 1988 and 1992 respectively. But their best runner was probably Michael Johnson who would eventually be considered the greatest one-lap runner ever. Led by those three, the question was the same as in 1988 – not if the US would win but by how much and how fast? The answer was 40 metres and in a world record time of 2:55.74. The mark eliminated from the record books the final world record set at the 1968 Olympics, where many of the records were assisted by altitude.
| Date | 7 August 1992 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top two in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Team | NOC | Time (automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuba | CUB | 2:59.13 | ||
| 2 | United States | USA | 2:59.14 | ||
| 3 | Kenya | KEN | 2:59.63 | ||
| 4 | Nigeria | NGR | 3:00.39 | ||
| 5 | Trinidad and Tobago | TTO | 3:01.05 | ||
| 6 | Great Britain | GBR | 3:01.20 | ||
| 7 | Japan | JPN | 3:01.35 | ||
| 8 | Brazil | BRA | 3:01.38 | ||
| 9 | Italy | ITA | 3:02.09 | ||
| 10 | Morocco | MAR | 3:02.28 | ||
| 11 | France | FRA | 3:04.25 | ||
| 12 | Spain | ESP | 3:04.60 | ||
| 13 | Canada | CAN | 3:04.69 | ||
| 14 | Unified Team | EUN | 3:05.59 | ||
| 15 | Mexico | MEX | 3:05.75 | ||
| 16 | Qatar | QAT | 3:07.26 | ||
| 17 | Thailand | THA | 3:08.00 | ||
| 18 | Portugal | POR | 3:10.11 | ||
| 19 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | VIN | 3:10.21 | ||
| 20 | Papua New Guinea | PNG | 3:13.35 | ||
| 21 | Zaire | COD | 3:21.91 | ||
| Germany | GER | – | |||
| Barbados | BAR | – | |||
| Jamaica | JAM | [3:01.20] |
| Time | 20:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Trinidad and Tobago | TTO | 3:01.05 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1646 | Patrick Delice | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1644 | Alvin Daniel | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1645 | Neil de Silva | – | |||
| Anchor | 1648 | Ian Morris | – | |||
| 2 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 3:01.20 | ||
| Lead-Off | 753 | Mark Richardson | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 684 | Kriss Akabusi | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 690 | Roger Black | – | |||
| Anchor | 729 | Du'aine Ladejo | – | |||
| 3 | – | Japan | JPN | 3:01.35 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1082 | Masayoshi Kan | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1099 | Susumu Takano | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1091 | Yoshihiko Saito | – | |||
| Anchor | 1102 | Takahiro Watanabe | – | |||
| 4 | – | France | FRA | 3:04.25 | ||
| Lead-Off | 659 | Jean-Louis Rapnouil | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 658 | Yann Quentrec | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 619 | Stéphane Caristan | – | |||
| Anchor | 626 | Stéphane Diagana | – | |||
| 5 | – | Canada | CAN | 3:04.69 | ||
| Lead-Off | 224 | Mark Jackson | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 250 | Anthony Wilson | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 220 | Mark Graham | – | |||
| Anchor | 248 | Freddie Williams | – | |||
| 6 | – | Thailand | THA | 3:08.00 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1620 | Athiaporn Koonjarthong | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1634 | Yuthana Thonglek | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1621 | Sarapong Kumsup | – | |||
| Anchor | 1626 | Aktawat Sakoolchan | – | |||
| 7 | – | Portugal | POR | 3:10.11 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1407 | José Mendes | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1415 | Pedro Rodrigues | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1418 | Álvaro Silva | – | |||
| Anchor | 1395 | Paulo Curvelo | – | |||
| 8 | – | Zaire | COD | 3:21.91 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1806 | Ilunga Kafila | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1805 | Luasa Batungile | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1812 | Kaleka Mutoke | – | |||
| Anchor | 1809 | Shintu Kibambe | – |
| Time | 20:10 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Cuba | CUB | 2:59.13 | ||
| Lead-Off | 356 | Lázaro Martínez | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 347 | Héctor Herrera | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 369 | Norberto Téllez | – | |||
| Anchor | 346 | Roberto Hernández | – | |||
| 2 | – | United States | USA | 2:59.14 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1705 | Darnell Hall | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1720 | Michael Johnson | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1715 | Chip Jenkins | – | |||
| Anchor | 1779 | Quincy Watts | – | |||
| 3 | – | Kenya | KEN | 2:59.63 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1125 | David Kitur | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1126 | Samson Kitur | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1120 | Simeon Kipkemboi | – | |||
| Anchor | 1115 | Simon Kemboi | – | |||
| 4 | – | Nigeria | NGR | 3:00.39 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1298 | Udeme Ekpenyong | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1304 | Emmanuel Okoli | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1296 | Hassan Bosso | – | |||
| Anchor | 1295 | Sunday Bada | – | |||
| 5 | – | Unified Team | EUN | 3:05.59 | ||
| Lead-Off | 521 | Dmitry Kosov | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 514 | Dmitry Kliger | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 507 | Dmitry Golovastov | – | |||
| Anchor | 573 | Oleg Tverdokhleb | – | |||
| 6 | – | Mexico | MEX | 3:05.75 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1232 | Raymundo Escalante | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1241 | Eduardo Nava | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1250 | Luis Toledo | – | |||
| Anchor | 1237 | Juan Jesús Gutiérrez | – | |||
| 7 | – | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | VIN | 3:10.21 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1798 | Lenford O'Garro | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1801 | Michael Williams | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1797 | Eversley Linley | – | |||
| Anchor | 1796 | Eswort Coombs | – | |||
| – | Barbados | BAR | – | |||
| Lead-Off | 104 | Seibert Straughn | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 100 | Roger Jordan | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 97 | Edsel Chase | – | |||
| Anchor | 103 | Stevon Roberts | – |
| Time | 20:20 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Brazil | BRA | 3:01.38 | ||
| Lead-Off | 151 | Eronildes Araújo | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 154 | Ediélson Tenório | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 144 | Sérgio de Menezes | – | |||
| Anchor | 160 | Sidney de Souza | – | |||
| 2 | – | Italy | ITA | 3:02.09 | ||
| Lead-Off | 985 | Alessandro Aimar | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1034 | Marco Vaccari | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1008 | Fabio Grossi | – | |||
| Anchor | 1017 | Andrea Nuti | – | |||
| 3 | – | Morocco | MAR | 3:02.28 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1209 | Abdel Ali Kasbane | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1206 | Abdel Ghani Guériguer | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1199 | Bouchaib Bel Kaïd | – | |||
| Anchor | 1212 | Lahlou Ben Younès | – | |||
| 4 | – | Spain | ESP | 3:04.60 | ||
| Lead-Off | 450 | Antonio Sánchez | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 407 | Gaietà Cornet | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 438 | Manuel Moreno | – | |||
| Anchor | 411 | Ángel de las Heras | – | |||
| 5 | – | Qatar | QAT | 3:07.26 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1440 | Sami Al-Abdullah | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1434 | Masoud Abdul Khamis | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1442 | Ibrahim Ismail | – | |||
| Anchor | 1438 | Fareh Ibrahim Ali | – | |||
| 6 | – | Papua New Guinea | PNG | 3:13.35 | ||
| Lead-Off | 1358 | Baobo Neuendorf | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1359 | Kaminiel Selot | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1357 | Bernard Manana | – | |||
| Anchor | 1356 | Subul Babo | – | |||
| – | Germany | GER | – | |||
| Lead-Off | 836 | Ralph Pfersich | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 824 | Rico Lieder | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 857 | Jörg Vaihinger | – | |||
| Anchor | 847 | Thomas Schönlebe | – | |||
| – | Jamaica | JAM | [3:01.20] | |||
| Lead-Off | 1038 | Dennis Blake | – | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1056 | Devon Morris | – | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1043 | Howard Davis | – | |||
| Anchor | 1057 | Patrick O'Connor | – |
| Date | 8 August 1992 — 21:40 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time (Automatic) | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States | USA | 2:55.74 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 1775 | Andrew Valmon | – | 44.60 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1779 | Quincy Watts | – | 43.00 (1) | 1:27.60 (1) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1720 | Michael Johnson | – | 44.73 (1) | 2:12.33 (1) | |||
| Anchor | 1730 | Steve Lewis | – | 43.41 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | – | Cuba | CUB | 2:59.51 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 356 | Lázaro Martínez | – | 45.50 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 347 | Héctor Herrera | – | 44.45 (2) | 1:29.95 (3) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 369 | Norberto Téllez | – | 45.04 (2) | 2:14.99 (=2) | |||
| Anchor | 346 | Roberto Hernández | – | 44.52 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 2:59.73 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 690 | Roger Black | – | 45.20 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 714 | David Grindley | – | 44.65 (3) | 1:29.85 (2) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 684 | Kriss Akabusi | – | 45.14 (3) | 2:14.99 (=2) | |||
| Anchor | 750 | John Regis | – | 44.74 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | – | Brazil | BRA | 3:01.61 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 138 | Robson da Silva | – | 45.38 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 154 | Ediélson Tenório | – | 45.81 (6) | 1:31.19 (4) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 144 | Sérgio de Menezes | – | 45.54 (5) | 2:16.73 (4) | |||
| Anchor | 160 | Sidney de Souza | – | 44.88 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | – | Nigeria | NGR | 3:01.71 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 1298 | Udeme Ekpenyong | – | 45.70 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1304 | Emmanuel Okoli | – | 45.75 (5) | 1:31.45 (5) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1296 | Hassan Bosso | – | 45.62 (6) | 2:17.07 (5) | |||
| Anchor | 1295 | Sunday Bada | – | 44.64 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | – | Italy | ITA | 3:02.18 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 985 | Alessandro Aimar | – | 46.50 (7) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1034 | Marco Vaccari | – | 45.24 (4) | 1:31.74 (6) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1008 | Fabio Grossi | – | 45.69 (7) | 2:17.43 (6) | |||
| Anchor | 1017 | Andrea Nuti | – | 44.75 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 7 | – | Trinidad and Tobago | TTO | 3:03.31 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-Off | 1644 | Alvin Daniel | – | 46.3 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1646 | Patrick Delice | – | 46.4 (7) | 1:32.7 (7) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1645 | Neil de Silva | – | 45.2 (4) | 2:17.9 (7) | |||
| Anchor | 1648 | Ian Morris | – | 45.4 (7) | – (–) | |||
| – | Kenya | KEN | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 1126 | Samson Kitur | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | 1131 | Abednego Matilu | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| 3rd Leg | 1120 | Simeon Kipkemboi | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Anchor | 1115 | Simon Kemboi | – | – (–) | – (–) |