WCH Tokyo 25 facts and figures: women's 4x400m

Last three sets of World Athletics Championships medallists

2023 – 1 Netherlands (NED) 3:20.72, 2 Jamaica (JAM) 3:20.88, 3 Great Britain (GBR) 3:21.04
2022 – 1 United States (USA) 3:17.79, 2 Jamaica (JAM) 3:20.74, 3 Great Britain (GBR) 3:22.64
2019 – 1 United States (USA) 3:18.92, 2 Poland (POL) 3:21.89, 3 Jamaica (JAM) 3:22.37

Last two sets of Olympic medallists

Fastest winning times in World Athletics Championships history

3:16.71 – United States, 1993
3:17.79 – United States, 2022
3:17.83 – United States, 2009

Slowest winning time in World Athletics Championships history

3:22.63 – United States, 2003

Best marks on Japanese soil

3:16.85 1 United States (USA) - Tokyo (Olympics) 07.08.2021
3:18.43 1 Soviet Union (URS) - Tokyo (World Championships)01.09.1991
3:18.55 1 United States (USA) - Osaka (World Championships) 02.09.2007

Best marks on Asian soil

3:15.17 1 Soviet Union (URS) - Seoul (Olympics) 01.10.1988
3:15.51 2 United States (USA) - Seoul (Olympics) 01.10.1988
3:16.85 1 United States (USA) - Tokyo (Olympics) 07.08.2021

Biggest winning margins

5.98s 2017 – 3:19.02 United States (USA), 3:25.00 Great Britain & NI (GBR)
3.32s 2009 – 3:17.83 United States (USA), 3:21.15 Jamaica (JAM)
2.97s 2019 – 3:18.92 United States (USA), 3:21.89 Poland (POL)

​​Smallest winning margins

0.11s 1997 – 3:20.92 Germany (GER), 3:21.03 United States (USA)
0.11s 1999 – 3:21.98 Russia (RUS), 3:22.09 United States (USA)
0.16s 2023 – 3:20.72 Netherlands (NED), 3:20.88 Jamaica (JAM)

Best mark by round

Heat — 3:20.32 Russia (RUS), 2005
Semifinal — 3:22.24 Russia (RUS), 1995
Final — 3:16.71 United States (USA), 1993

Multiple winners

1983/87 - German Democratic Republic (GDR)
1993/95/03/07/09/11/13/17/19/22 - United States (USA)
1999/05 - Russia (RUS)
2001/15 - Jamaica (JAM)

Winners by country

10 - United States
2 - German Democratic Republic
2 - Russia
2 - Jamaica
1 - Soviet Union
1 - Germany
1 - Netherlands

Five historic facts

• United States have won seven of the last nine titles in the women's 4x400m. Jamaica won in 2015 and the Netherlands won in 2023
• Seven of the last nine finals have been won with sub-3:20 times
• United States won when Japan last hosted the World Championships in Osaka in 2007. The Soviet Union beat the United States in 1991
• The fastest 4x400m split in World Championships history was 47.72 by Allyson Felix (USA) in 2015
• The last time two teams broke the 3:20-barrier in a 4x400m final at the World Championships was in 2015 (United States 3:19.13, Jamaica 3:19.44)

Potential storylines

• Can the United States win their 11th gold medal in this event in World Championships history?
• Can the United States challenge their long-standing championship record of 3:16.71 from 1993 and their stadium record of 3:16.85?
• Great Britain are a notable absentee from the final, the first time they have missed a 4x400m final since 1999
• Natalia Bukowiecka (POL) ran the fastest split time in the heats with 49.42 on anchor for Poland
• Norway qualifies for their first ever world or Olympic 4x400m final