The men's 4 × 100 metres relay was the shorter of the two men's relays on the Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics

Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics

At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the athletics competition included 36 events, 24 for men and 12 for women. The women's 400 metres and women's pentathlon events were newly introduced at these Games. There were a total number of 1016 participating athletes from 82 countries.-Men's...

 program in Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

. It was held on 20 October and 21 October 1964. 21 teams, for a total of 85 athletes, from 21 nations competed, with 1 team of 4 not starting in the first round. The first round and the semifinals were held on 20 October with the final on 21 October.

First round

The top five teams in each of the 3 heats as well as the fastest remaining team advanced.

First round, heat 1

Place	Nation	Athletes	Time
1		Livio Berruti Livio Berruti Livio Berruti is an Italian former athlete. He became the surprising winner of the 200 m in the 1960 Summer Olympics.... , Ennio Preatoni, Sergio Ottolina, Pasquale Giannattasio	39.7 seconds
2		Andrzej Zielinski, Wieslaw Jan Maniak, Marian Foik Marian Foik Marian Foik was a Polish athlete who mainly competed in the 100 metres.He competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, participating in the 4 x 100 metre relay. With his team mates Andrzej Zieliński, Wiesław Maniak and Marian Dudziak, he won the silver medal.... , Marian Dudziak Marian Dudziak Marian Andrzej Dudziak was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres.He was born in Wielichowo and represented the clubs Orkan Poznań and Olimpia Poznań. At the 1964 Summer Olympics he won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay with teammates Andrzej Zieliński, Wiesław Maniak and...	39.9 seconds
3		Peter Radford Peter Radford Peter Frank Radford is a former British athlete, who competed at 100 & 200 metres , broke world records, and won Olympic medals, despite being using a wheelchair by a serious kidney illness as a child.He took up competitive running at the age of 12, soon joining Birchfield Harriers, where he was... , Ronald Jones Ron Jones (athlete) Ronald Jones is a retired Welsh track and field athlete.- 3 Time Olympian :Ron Jones represented Great Britain at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1960 .... , Menzies Campbell Menzies Campbell Sir Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, CBE, QC, MP is a British Liberal Democrat politician and advocate, and a retired sprinter. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Fife, and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007.Campbell held the British record... , Lynn Davies Lynn Davies Lynn Davies CBE was a member of the Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club and captain of the British Olympic long jump team in 1964....	40.1 seconds
4		Huba Rozsnyai, Csaba Csutoras, Laszlo Mihalyfi, Gyula Rabai	40.3 seconds
5		Sydney Asiodu, Folu Erinle, Jimmy Omagbemi, Abdul Amu	40.4 seconds
6		Hamzah Maklan, John Dukom, C. Kunalan, M. Jegathesan	41.4 seconds
—		Jasim Karim Kuraishi, Samir Ambrose Vincent, Khalif Tawfik Lazim, Khudher Zalada	Did not start

First round, heat 2

Place	Nation	Athletes	Time
1		Paul Drayton, Gerry Ashworth, Richard Stebbins Richard Stebbins Richard Vaughn Stebbins is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x100 m relay at the 1964 Summer Olympics.... , Bob Hayes Bob Hayes Robert Lee "Bullet Bob" Hayes was an Olympic sprinter turned American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. An American track and field athlete, he was a two-sport stand-out in college in both track and football at Florida A&M University...	39.8 seconds
2		Arquímedes Herrera Arquímedes Herrera Arquímedes Herrera is a retired track and field athlete from Venezuela, who competed in the sprint events. He represented his native country at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Herrera claimed three medals at the 1963 Pan American Games in Brazil.... , Lloyd Murad, Rafael Romero Rafael Romero Rafael Romero Sandrea is a retired track and field athlete from Venezuela, who competed in the sprint events. He represented his native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1956. Romero claimed two medals at the 1963 Pan American Games in Brazil.-References:*... , Hortensio Fucil Hortensio Fucil Hortensio Fucil Herrera is a retired track and field athlete from Venezuela. He competed in the short- and in the middle-distances. Fucil represented his native country at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Padre de Roger Herrera....	40.1 seconds
3		Heinz Erbstosser, Rainer Berger, Peter Wallach, Volker Loffler	40.2 seconds
4		Malang Mane, Bassirou Doumya, Malick Diop, Alioune Sow	40.5 seconds
5		Anthony Francis Coutinho, Makhan Singh, Kenneth Powell, Rajasekaran Pichaya	40.6 seconds
6		Iijima Hideo, Kamata Masaru, Asai Kiyoshi, Muro Yojiro	41.0 seconds
7		Taweesit Arjtaweekul, Suthi Manyakass, Maitri Vilaikit, Chalit Kanitasut	41.8 seconds

First round, heat 3

Place	Nation	Athletes	Time
1		Paul Genevay Paul Genevay Paul Genevay is a former French athlete, who won the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metre relay at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan. His winning teammates in that race were Bernard Laidebeur, Claude Piquemal and Jocelyn Delecour.-References:*... , Bernard Laidebeur Bernard Laidebeur Bernard Laidebeur was a French athlete, who mainly competed in the 100 metres. He was born in Paris.He competed for France at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Paul Genevay, Claude Piquemal and Jocelyn Delecour in the men's 4 x 100... , Claude Piquemal Claude Piquemal Claude Piquemal was a French athlete who mainly competed in the 100 metres.He competed for a France in the 4 x 100 metre relay at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, where he won the bronze medal with his team mates Paul Genevay, Bernard Laidebeur and Jocelyn Delecour.Piquemal and... , Jocelyn Delecour Jocelyn Delecour Jocelyn Delecour was a French athlete, who won the bronze medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics in the 4 x 100 metre relay...	39.8 seconds
2		Pablo McNeil Pablo McNeil Pablo S. McNeil was a Jamaican sprint athlete and sprinting coach. He participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics and the 1968 Summer Olympics. McNeil reached the semifinal of the 100 metres in the 1964 Olympics, finishing sixth with a wind assisted run of 10.30 seconds... , Patrick Robinson, Lynsworth Headley, Dennis Johnson	40.1 seconds
3		Edvin Ozolin, Boris Zubov, Gusman Kosanov Gusman Kosanov Gusman Kosanov was a Soviet athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres. He trained in Kishinev and later in Alma-ata at the Armed Forces Sports Society.... , Boris Savchuk	40.1 seconds
4		Robert William Lay, Eric James Bigby, William Joseph Earle, Gary Alfred Holdsworth	40.6 seconds
5		Michael Okantey, Michael Kofi Ahey, Ebenezer Addy, Stanley Fabian Allotey	40.8 seconds
6		Aggrey Sheroy Awari, Erasmus Amukun, James Odongo Oduka, Amos Omolo	41.4 seconds
7		Arnulfo Valles, Miguel Ebreo, Claro Pellosis, Rogelio Onofre	41.7 seconds

Semifinal 1

Okorafor took Amu's place for Nigeria.

The American team tied the old Olympic record at 39.5 seconds.

Place	Nation	Athletes	Time
1		Paul Drayton, Gerry Ashworth, Richard Stebbins, Bob Hayes	39.5 seconds =OR
2		Paul Genevay, Bernard Laidebeur, Claude Piquemal, Jocelyn Delecour	39.7 seconds
3		Pablo McNeil, Patrick Robinson, Lynsworth Headley, Dennis Johnson	39.6 seconds
4		Peter Radford, Ronald Jones, Menzies Campbell, Lynn Davies	40.1 seconds
5		Robert William Lay, Eric James Bigby, William Joseph Earle, Gary Alfred Holdsworth	40.1 seconds
6		Sydney Asiodu, Folu Erinle, Jimmy Omagbemi, Lawrence Okorafor	40.1 seconds
7		Huba Rozsnyai, Csaba Csutoras, Laszlo Mihalyfi, Gyula Rabai	40.3 seconds
8		Michael Okantey, Michael Kofi Ahey, Ebenezer Addy, Stanley Fabian Allotey	40.7 seconds

Semifinal 2

Place	Nation	Athletes	Time
1		Livio Berruti, Ennio Preatoni, Sergio Ottolina, Pasquale Giannattasio	39.6 seconds
2		Andrzej Zielinski, Wieslaw Maniak, Marian Foik, Marian Dudziak	39.6 seconds
3		Arquimedes Herrera, Lloyd Murad, Rafael Romero, Hortensio Herrera Fucil	39.6 seconds
4		Edvin Ozolin, Boris Zubov, Gusman Kosanov, Boris Savchuk	39.7 seconds
5		Heinz Erbstosser, Rainer Berger, Peter Wallach, Volker Loffler	40.1 seconds
6		Malang Mane, Bassirou Doumya, Malick Diop, Alioune Sow	40.2 seconds
7		Anthony Francis Coutinho, Makhan Singh, Kenneth Lawrence Powell, Rajasekaran Pichaya	40.5 seconds
8		Iijima Hideo, Kamata Masaru, Asai Kiyoshi, Muro Yojiro	40.6 seconds

Final

Venezuela and Italy tied the old Olympic record. The United States, Poland, France, Jamaica, and the Soviet Union all broke it, with the U.S. also breaking the world record.

Place	Nation	Athletes	Time
1		Paul Drayton, Gerry Ashworth, Richard Stebbins, Bob Hayes	39.0 seconds WR
2		Andrzej Zielinski, Wieslaw Maniak, Marian Foik, Marian Dudziak	39.3 seconds
3		Paul Genevay, Bernard Laidebeur, Claude Piquemal, Jocelyn Delecour	39.3 seconds
4		Pablo McNeil, Patrick Robinson, Lynsworth Headley, Dennis Johnson	39.4 seconds
5		Edvin Ozolin, Boris Zubov, Gusman Kosanov, Boris Savchuk	39.4 seconds
6		Arquimedes Herrera, Lloyd Murad, Rafael Romero, Hortensio Herrera Fucil	39.5 seconds
7		Livio Berruti, Ennio Preatoni, Sergio Ottolina, Pasquale Giannattasio	39.5 seconds
8		Peter Radford, Ronald Jones, Menzies Campbell, Lynn Davies	39.6 seconds