# Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay

The men's 4 × 400 metres relay event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 6 and 7 August 2021 at the Japan National Stadium. There were 16 competing relay teams, with each team having up to 8 members from which 4 were selected in each round.

## Background

This was the 25th appearance of the event, having appeared at every Olympics since 1912.

## Qualification

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could qualify a relay team of 8 athletes in one of three ways. A total of 16 NOCs qualified.
* The top 8 NOCs at the 2019 World Athletics Championships qualified a relay team.
* The top 8 NOCs at the 2021 World Athletics Relays qualified a relay team.
* Where an NOC placed in the top 8 at both the 2019 World Championships and the 2021 World Relays, the quota place was allocated to the world ranking list as of 29 June 2021. In this case, 4 teams did so, so there are 4 places available through the world rankings.
The qualifying period was originally from 1 May 2019 to 29 June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the period was suspended from 6 April 2020 to 30 November 2020, with the end date extended to 29 June 2021. The qualifying time standards could be obtained in various meets during the given period that have the approval of the IAAF. Both indoor and outdoor meets are eligible. The most recent Area Championships may be counted in the ranking, even if not during the qualifying period.

## Competition format

The event continued to use the two-round format introduced in 2012.

## Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world, Olympic, and area records were as follows.
| World record | Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Butch Reynolds, Michael Johnson (USA) | 2:54.29 | Stuttgart, Germany | 22 August 1993 |
| Olympic record | LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville, Jeremy Wariner (USA) | 2:55.39 | Beijing, China | 23 August 2008 |
| Area | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation |
| Africa (records) | 2:58.68 | Clement ChukwuJude MonyeSunday BadaEnefiok Udo-Obong | Nigeria |
| Asia (records) | 3:00.56 | Abderrahman SambaMohamed Nasir AbbasMohamed El NourAbdalelah Haroun | Qatar |
| Europe (records) | 2:56.60 | Iwan ThomasJamie BaulchMark RichardsonRoger Black | Great Britain |
| North, Central America and Caribbean (records) | 2:54.29 WR | Andrew ValmonQuincy WattsButch ReynoldsMichael Johnson | United States |
| Oceania (records) | 2:59.70 | Darren ClarkRick MitchellGary MinihanBruce Frayne | Australia |
| South America (records) | 2:58.56 | Eronilde de AraújoAnderson Jorge dos SantosClaudinei da SilvaSanderlei Parrela | Brazil |
The following national records were established during the competition:
| Country | Athletes | Round | Time | Notes |
| Botswana | Isaac Makwala, Baboloki Thebe, Zibane Ngozi, Bayapo Ndori (BOT) | Heats | 2:58.33 | AR |
| Botswana | Isaac Makwala, Baboloki Thebe, Zibane Ngozi, Bayapo Ndori (BOT) | Final | 2:57.27 | AR |
| Italy | Alessandro Sibilio, Vladimir Aceti, Edoardo Scotti, Davide Re (ITA) | Heats | 2:58.91 | |
| Italy | Davide Re, Vladimir Aceti, Edoardo Scotti, Alessandro Sibilio (ITA) | Final | 2:58.81 | |
| Netherlands | Jochem Dobber, Terrence Agard, Tony van Diepen, Ramsey Angela (NED) | Heats | 2:59.06 | |
| Netherlands | Liemarvin Bonevacia, Terrence Agard, Tony van Diepen, Ramsey Angela (NED) | Final | 2:57.18 | |
| India | Muhammed Anas, Noah Nirmal Tom, Amoj Jacob, Arokia Rajiv (IND) | Heats | 3:00.25 | AR |
| Japan | Rikuya Itō, Kaito Kawabata, Kentarō Satō, Aoto Suzuki (JPN) | Heats | 3:00.76 | |
| Belgium | Alexander Doom, Jonathan Sacoor, Dylan Borlée, Kevin Borlée (BEL) | Final | 2:57.88 | |

## Schedule

All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
The men's 4 × 400 metres relay took place over two consecutive days.
| Date | Time | Round |
| Friday, 6 August 2021 | 19:50 | Round 1 |
| Saturday, 7 August 2021 | 21:50 | Final |

## Results
### Heats

Qualification Rules: First 3 in each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) advance to the Final

#### Heat 1

| Rank | Lane | Nation | Competitors | Reaction | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 7 | United States | Trevor Stewart, Randolph Ross, Bryce Deadmon, Vernon Norwood | 0.180 | 2:57.77 | Q, SB |
| 2 | 9 | Botswana | Isaac Makwala, Baboloki Thebe, Zibane Ngozi, Bayapo Ndori | 0.200 | 2:58.33 | Q, AR |
| 3 | 3 | Trinidad and Tobago | Deon Lendore, Jereem Richards, Machel Cedenio, Dwight St. Hillaire | 0.193 | 2:58.60 | Q, SB |
| 4 | 4 | Italy | Alessandro Sibilio, Vladimir Aceti, Edoardo Scotti, Davide Re | 0.144 | 2:58.91 | q, NR |
| 5 | 2 | Netherlands | Jochem Dobber, Terrence Agard, Tony van Diepen, Ramsey Angela | 0.178 | 2:59.06 | q, NR |
| 6 | 5 | Great Britain | Cameron Chalmers, Joe Brier, Lee Thompson, Michael Ohioze | 0.245 | 3:03.29 | SB |
| 7 | 6 | Czech Republic | Patrik Šorm, Pavel Maslák, Michal Desenský, Vít Müller | 0.169 | 3:03.61 | |
| 8 | 8 | Germany | Marvin Schlegel, Luke Campbell, Jean Paul Bredau, Manuel Sanders | 0.197 | 3:03.62 | |

#### Heat 2

| Rank | Lane | Nation | Competitors | Reaction | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 8 | Poland | Dariusz Kowaluk, Karol Zalewski, Jakub Krzewina, Kajetan Duszyński | 0.160 | 2:58.55 | Q, SB |
| 2 | 4 | Jamaica | Demish Gaye, Jaheel Hyde, Karayme Bartley, Nathon Allen | 0.188 | 2:59.29 | Q, SB |
| 3 | 6 | Belgium | Alexander Doom, Jonathan Sacoor, Dylan Borlée, Jonathan Borlée | 0.148 | 2:59.37 | Q, SB |
| 4 | 2 | India | Muhammed Anas, Noah Nirmal Tom, Arokia Rajiv, Amoj Jacob | 0.138 | 3:00.25 | AR |
| 5 | 7 | Japan | Rikuya Itō, Kaito Kawabata, Kentarō Satō, Aoto Suzuki | 0.143 | 3:00.76 | =NR |
| 6 | 5 | France | Thomas Jordier, Muhammad Abdallah Kounta, Ludovic Ouceni, Gilles Biron | 0.166 | 3:00.81 | |
| 7 | 9 | South Africa | Lythe Pillay, Zakithi Nene, Ranti Dikgale, Thapelo Phora | 0.151 | 3:01.18 | SB |
| 8 | 3 | Colombia | Jhon Perlaza, Diego Palomeque, Raúl Mena, Jhon Solís | 0.164 | 3:03.20 | SB |

### Final

| Rank | Lane | Nation | Competitors | Reaction | Time | Notes |
| | 4 | United States | Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon, Rai Benjamin | 0.185 | 2:55.70 | SB |
| | 2 | Netherlands | Liemarvin Bonevacia, Terrence Agard, Tony van Diepen, Ramsey Angela | 0.176 | 2:57.18 | NR |
| | 7 | Botswana | Isaac Makwala, Baboloki Thebe, Zibane Ngozi, Bayapo Ndori | 0.212 | 2:57.27 | AR |
| 4 | 9 | Belgium | Alexander Doom, Jonathan Sacoor, Dylan Borlée, Kevin Borlée | 0.149 | 2:57.88 | NR |
| 5 | 6 | Poland | Dariusz Kowaluk, Karol Zalewski, Mateusz Rzeźniczak, Kajetan Duszyński | 0.157 | 2:58.46 | SB |
| 6 | 5 | Jamaica | Demish Gaye, Christopher Taylor, Jaheel Hyde, Nathon Allen | 0.195 | 2:58.76 | SB |
| 7 | 3 | Italy | Davide Re, Vladimir Aceti, Edoardo Scotti, Alessandro Sibilio | 0.161 | 2:58.81 | NR |
| 8 | 8 | Trinidad and Tobago | Deon Lendore, Jereem Richards, Dwight St. Hillaire, Machel Cedenio | 0.179 | 3:00.85 | |