World record: 41.37s East Germany (Silke Gladisch, Sabine Rieger, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Göhr) Canberra, Australia October 6, 1985
Olympic record: 41.60s East Germany (Romy Müller, Bärbel Wöckel, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Göhr) Moscow, Soviet Union August 1, 1980
The USA was pre-race favourites, but only the fourth-fastest in the
heats with 42.50, beaten in the first race by the Unified Team, com-
prised of four Russians. Jamaica, the World Champions, won the other
heat in 42.28, ahead of Nigeria’s 42.39, with France third in 42.58.
Ashford, attempting to become the first woman to win three relay gold
medals, led off and ran a good leg, but lost ground when Jones started
too late, and Ashford had to steady Jones’s hand to receive the baton.
Jamaica and the Unified Team were ahead, but Cuthbert pulled a mus-
cle just before handing over, and the baton never got to Duhaney.
Trandenkova took over from Malchugina with more than a metre’s
advantage, and by the time Privalova had the baton, the advantage was
nearly 2m over the USA. Torrence closed in on the Russian, and passed
her with 20m to go to win by half a metre.
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