1991 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay
| Events at the 1991 World Championships  |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Track events | ||||
| 100 m | men | women | ||
| 200 m | men | women | ||
| 400 m | men | women | ||
| 800 m | men | women | ||
| 1500 m | men | women | ||
| 3000 m | women | |||
| 5000 m | men | |||
| 10,000 m | men | women | ||
| 100 m hurdles | women | |||
| 110 m hurdles | men | |||
| 400 m hurdles | men | women | ||
| 3000 m steeplechase |
men | |||
| 4×100 m relay | men | women | ||
| 4×400 m relay | men | women | ||
| Road events | ||||
| Marathon | men | women | ||
| 10 km walk | women | |||
| 20 km walk | men | |||
| 50 km walk | men | |||
| Field events | ||||
| Long jump | men | women | ||
| Triple jump | men | |||
| High jump | men | women | ||
| Pole vault | men | |||
| Shot put | men | women | ||
| Discus throw | men | women | ||
| Javelin throw | men | women | ||
| Hammer throw | men | |||
| Combined events | ||||
| Heptathlon | women | |||
| Decathlon | men | |||
These are the official results of the Men's 4x400 metres event at the 1991 IAAF World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. There were a total number of sixteen participating nations, with three qualifying heats and the final held on Sunday September 1, 1991. The final, won by Great Britain in what was, at the time, the 2nd fastest time in history, is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in Athletics. Going into the meeting, the USA 4x400m team hadn't lost at a major championships in over 7 years. Britain, by contrast, hadn't won a gold medal in the event since the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
As a result the USA were extremely confident that they would win with ease. However, the British team made a tactical change just 10 minutes before the race, switching Roger Black, usually the anchor leg runner, to the first leg. The move paid off, and going into the final leg, the USA held only a small lead. Kriss Akabusi, running the anchor leg for GB, overtook the individual 400m Champion, Antonio Pettigrew on the home straight to win. The USA team were so shocked by the result, that even on the medal podium, they were still in disbelief at the result. Indeed, television footage immediately after the race, showed Pettigrew stood, hands on hips, shaking his head at the outcome of the race.
Schedule
- All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
| Semi-Final | |
|---|---|
| 31.08.1991 – 20:20h | |
| Final | |
| 01.09.1991 – 18:10h |
Final
| RANK | FINAL | ATHLETES | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 Great Britain (GBR) |
• Roger Black • Derek Redmond • John Regis • Kriss Akabusi |
2:57.53 (NR) |
 |
 United States (USA) |
• Andrew Valmon • Quincy Watts • Danny Everett • Antonio Pettigrew |
2:57.57 |
 |
 Jamaica (JAM) |
• Patrick O'Connor • Devon Morris • Winthrop Graham • Seymour Fagan |
3:00.10 |
| 4. |  Yugoslavia (YUG) |
• Dejan Jovković • Nenad Đurović • Ismail Mačev • Slobodan Branković |
3:00.32 |
| 5. |  Kenya (KEN) |
• Samson Kitur • Simon Kemboi • Charles Gitonga • Simeon Kipkemboi |
3:00.34 |
| 6. |  Germany (GER) |
• Klaus Just • Rico Lieder • Norbert Dobeleit • Jens Carlowitz |
3:00.75 |
| 7. |  Morocco (MAR) |
• Abdelali Kasbane • Ali Dahane • Bouchaib Belkaid • Benyounes Lahlou |
3:04.49 |
| 8. |  Cuba (CUB) |
• Agustin Pavó • Héctor Herrera • Jorge Valentin • Lázaro Martínez |
3:05.33 |
Qualifying heats
- Held on Saturday 1991-08-31
| RANK | HEAT 1 | ATHLETES | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States (USA) |
• Jeff Reynolds • Quincy Watts • Mark Everett • Danny Everett |
2:59.55 |
| 2. | Jamaica (JAM) |
• Howard Burnett • Devon Morris • Patrick O'Connor • Seymour Fagan |
3:00.01 |
| 3. | Germany (GER) |
• Klaus Just • Rico Lieder • Norbert Dobeleit • Jens Carlowitz |
3:00.17 |
| 4. |  Japan (JPN) |
• Koichi Konakatomi • Susumu Takano • Takahiro Watanabe • Koji Ito |
3:01.26 |
| 5. |  Qatar (QAT) |
• Sami Jumah • Ismael Youssef • Masoud Khamis Rahman • Ibrahim Ismail Muftah |
3:07.06 |
| 6. |  Spain (ESP) |
• Luis Cumellas • Antonio Sanchez • Moises Fernández • Didac Manas |
3:08.39 |
| RANK | HEAT 2 | ATHLETES | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Morocco (MAR) |
• Abdelali Kasbane • Ali Dahane • Bouchaib Belkaid • Benyounes Lahlou |
3:02.11 (NR) |
| 2. | Cuba (CUB) |
• Agustin Pavó • Héctor Herrera • Jorge Valentin • Lázaro Martínez |
3:02.29 |
| 3. |  Italy (ITA) |
• Fabio Grossi • Marco Vaccari • Alessandro Aimar • Andrea Nuti |
3:02.72 |
| 4. |  Canada (CAN) |
• Anthony Wilson • Mark Jackson • Mike McLean • Freddie Williams |
3:03.68 |
| 5. |  Mexico (MEX) |
• Raymundo Escalante • Eduardo Nava • Josue Morales • Luis Toledo |
3:09.56 |
| — |  France (FRA) |
• Andre Jaffory • Olivier Noirot • Stéphane Diagana • Christophe Goris |
DNF |
| RANK | HEAT 3 | ATHLETES | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Great Britain (GBR) |
• Ade Mafe • Derek Redmond • Mark Richardson • Kriss Akabusi |
2:59.49 |
| 2. | Yugoslavia (YUG) |
• Dejan Jovković • Nenad Đurović • Ismail Mačev • Slobodan Branković |
2:59.95 (NR) |
| 3. | Kenya (KEN) |
• Samson Kitur • Simon Kemboi • Charles Gitonga • Simon Kipkemboi |
3:00.21 |
| 4. |  Australia (AUS) |
• Dean Capobianco • Paul Greene • Rohan Robinson • Mark Garner |
3:02.42 |
| 5. |  Barbados (BAR) |
• Terrence Harewood • Steven Roberts • Seibert Straughn • Michael Williams |
3:05.63 |
Notes
In 2002 this race came 42nd in the TV programme 100 Greatest Sporting Moments by Channel 4 of the UK.
See also
- 1988 Men's Olympic 4x400m Relay (Seoul)
- 1990 Men's European Championships 4x400m Relay (Split)
- 1992 Men's Olympic 4x400m Relay (Barcelona)
- 1993 Men's World Championships 4x400m Relay (Stuttgart)
- 1994 Men's European Championships 4x400m Relay (Helsinki)
