Track & Field - Olympic Games - Athens 2004: Friday 27 August

Men's 4 x 400 metre relay - heats Result

Great running came from the British quartet in the first heat and this event could turn out to be the best chance in the games for a Belgrave runner to gain a medal. A fine first lap by the strongest runner Tim Benjamin brought the team home right in contention for the lead and as the stagger on the first bend of the second lap unwound it could be seen that Sean Baldock had set off with a vengeance. Into the back straight and Sean took up station behind the leading team, Germany. The take-over zone looked like a battlefield as second stage runners stopped in their tracks and baulked outgoing third stage runners. Weaving through the traffic, Malachi Davis kept the Brits competitive in the leading bunch and a brilliant run by anchor man Matt Elias saw him come round the pack and into the lead along the home straight. Japan and Germany were the other qualifiers by right.

The British split times (unofficial) were: Benjamin 46.1, Baldock, 45.4, Davis 45.3, Elias 45.5. With such solid running there seems no need to change the personnel or running order for the final.

In the second heat the USA were dominant but Nigeria filled second place with Enee Udo-Obong running anchor leg. Fastest losers all came from heat one.

Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.