Track & Field - Olympic Games - Athens 2004: Saturday 28 August

Men's 4 x 400 metre relay - final Result

On a fabulous night for British athletics with Kelly Holmes and the sprint relay squad striking gold, the unfancied 4x400 metre team were so close to medals, going from 3rd to 5th in the last few metres. And one of the teams coming past in the last two strides was Nigeria in the form of Enefiok Udo-Obong. A Belgravian therefore claimed an Olympic medal in the very last track event of the Games.

The British team order was identical to the heats and if there was nothing much between them in the earlier round, there was even less here. Tim Benjamin opened strongly and only the American team was clearly ahead at the end of the first lap with Tim right in the mix. Another battling run from Sean Baldock resulted in the team moving up further and they were still in 2nd place on lap three thanks to Malachi Davis. The USA team was out of reach by now but it was very tight for the minor positions and somehow, coming out of the last take-over, Britain found themselves in 4th with Australia (remember they only qualified as fastest losers) enjoying a marvellous run in 2nd. Matt Elias fought to get up to 3rd and held that place until almost the very end when Nigeria and Japan squeezed past.

Unofficial British split times: Tim Benjamin 45.3, Sean Baldock 45.3, Malachi Davis 45.1, Matt Elias 45.3.

1 USA 2:55.91; 2 Australia 3:00.60; 3 Nigeria 3:00.90; 4 Japan 3:00.99; 5 Great Britain & NI 3:01.07; 6 Bahamas 3:01.88; 7 Germany 3:02.22; 8 Botswana 3:02.49.

Saturday 28 August 2004 Men's 4 x 400 metre relay - final Result On a fabulous night for British athletics with Kelly Holmes and the sprint relay squad striking gold, the unfancied 4x400 metre team were so close to medals, going from 3rd to 5th in the last few metres. And one of the teams coming past in the last two strides was Nigeria in the form of Enefiok Udo-Obong. A Belgravian therefore claimed an Olympic medal in the very last track event of the Games. The British team order was identical to the heats and if there was nothing much between them in the earlier round, there was even less here. Tim Benjamin opened strongly and only the American team was clearly ahead at the end of the first lap with Tim right in the mix. Another battling run from Sean Baldock resulted in the team moving up further and they were still in 2nd place on lap three thanks to Malachi Davis. The USA team was out of reach by now but it was very tight for the minor positions and somehow, coming out of the last take-over, Britain found themselves in 4th with Australia (remember they only qualified as fastest losers) enjoying a marvellous run in 2nd. Matt Elias fought to get up to 3rd and held that place until almost the very end when Nigeria and Japan squeezed past. Unofficial British split times: Tim Benjamin 45.3, Sean Baldock 45.3, Malachi Davis 45.1, Matt Elias 45.3. 1 USA 2:55.91; 2 Australia 3:00.60; 3 Nigeria 3:00.90; 4 Japan 3:00.99; 5 Great Britain & NI 3:01.07; 6 Bahamas 3:01.88; 7 Germany 3:02.22; 8 Botswana 3:02.49.

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