Prior to the competition, the following records were as follows.
World record
East Germany (GDR) Romy Müller , Sabine Günther , Ingrid Auerswald , Marlies Göhr
41.37
Canberra , Australia
6 October 1985
Championship record
United States (USA) Chryste Gaines , Marion Jones , Inger Miller , Gail Devers
41.47
Athens , Greece
9 August 1997
World Leading
United States (USA) Lauryn Williams , Allyson Felix , Muna Lee , Carmelita Jeter
41.58
Cottbus , Germany
8 August 2009
African Record
Nigeria (NGR) Christy Opara-Thompson , Beatrice Utondu , Faith Idehen , Mary Onyali-Omagbemi
42.39
Barcelona , Spain
7 August 1992
Asian Record
China (CHN) Li Xuemei , Xiao Lin , Li Yali , Liu Xiaomei
42.23
Shanghai , China
23 October 1997
North American Record
United States (USA) Chryste Gaines , Marion Jones , Inger Miller , Gail Devers
41.47
Athens, Greece
9 August 1997
South American record
Brazil (BRA) Luciana dos Santos , Lucimar de Moura , Katia Regina Santos , Rosemar Coelho Neto
42.97
Bogotá , Colombia
10 July 2004
European Record
East Germany (GDR) Romy Müller , Sabine Günther , Ingrid Auerswald , Marlies Göhr
41.37
Canberra, Australia
6 October 1985
Oceanian Record
Australia (AUS) Rachael Massey , Suzanne Broadrick , Jodi Lambert , Melinda Gainsford-Taylor
42.99
Pietersburg , South Africa
18 March 2000
No new world or championship record was set during this competition.
Qualification standard
edit
Date
Time
Round
August 22, 2009
18:10
Heats
August 22, 2009
20:00
Final
The first 2 of each heat (Q) plus the 2 fastest times (q) qualify.
Rank
Heat
Nation
Athletes
Time
Notes
1
1
Jamaica (JAM)
Simone Facey , Shelly-Ann Fraser , Aleen Bailey , Kerron Stewart
41.88
Q, SB
2
1
Bahamas (BAH)
Sheniqua Ferguson , Chandra Sturrup , Christine Amertil , Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie
42.66
Q, SB
3
2
Germany (GER)
Marion Wagner , Anne Möllinger , Cathleen Tschirch , Verena Sailer
42.96
Q, SB
4
3
Brazil (BRA)
Rosemar Maria Neto , Lucimar Aparecida de Moura , Thaissa Presti , Vanda Gomes
43.07
Q, SB
5
3
Russia (RUS)
Yevgeniya Polyakova , Aleksandra Fedoriva , Yuliya Gushchina , Natalia Rusakova
43.18
Q, SB
6
1
Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)
Reyare Thomas , Kelly-Ann Baptiste , Ayanna Hutchinson , Semoy Hackett
43.22
q, NR
7
2
Colombia (COL)
Yomara Hinestroza , Felipa Palacios , Darlenis Obregón , Norma González
43.30
Q, SB
8
2
Great Britain & N.I. (GBR)
Laura Turner , Montell Douglas , Emily Freeman , Emma Ania
43.34
q
9
3
Poland (POL)
Iwona Ziółkowska , Marta Jeschke , Dorota Jędrusińska , Iwona Brzezińska
43.63
10
1
Ukraine (UKR)
Olena Chebanu , Nataliya Pohrebnyak , Mariya Ryemyen , Hrystyna Stuy
43.77
11
1
Saint Kitts and Nevis (SKN)
Tanika Liburd , Meritzer Williams , Tameka Williams , Virgil Hodge
43.98
12
1
Belgium (BEL)
Olivia Borlée , Hanna Mariën , Élodie Ouédraogo , Anne Zagré
43.99
SB
13
2
Belarus (BLR)
Anna Bagdanovich , Aksana Drahun , Alena Kievich , Yulia Nestsiarenka
44.12
SB
14
3
Japan (JPN)
Chisato Fukushima , Momoko Takahashi , Mayumi Watanabe , Maki Wada
44.24
15
2
Thailand (THA)
Sangwan Jaksunin , Orranut Klomdee , Jutamass Tawoncharoen , Jintara Seangdee
44.59
16
2
Nigeria (NGR)
Olutoyin Augustus , Halimat Ismaila , Seun Adigun , Oludamola Osayomi
46.54
3
United States (USA)
Lauryn Williams , Alexandria Anderson , Muna Lee , Carmelita Jeter
DNF
Key : DNF = Did not finish, DNS = Did not start, NR = National record, Q = qualification by place in heat, q = qualification by overall place, SB = Seasonal best
Rank
Nation
Athletes
Time
Notes
Jamaica (JAM)
Simone Facey , Shelly-Ann Fraser , Aleen Bailey , Kerron Stewart
42.06
Bahamas (BAH)
Sheniqua Ferguson , Chandra Sturrup , Christine Amertil , Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie
42.29
SB
Germany (GER)
Marion Wagner , Anne Möllinger , Cathleen Tschirch , Verena Sailer
42.87
SB
4
Russia (RUS)
Yevgeniya Polyakova , Aleksandra Fedoriva , Yuliya Gushchina , Yuliya Chermoshanskaya
43.00
SB
5
Brazil (BRA)
Rosemar Maria Neto , Lucimar Aparecida de Moura , Thaissa Presti , Vanda Gomes
43.13
6
Great Britain & N.I. (GBR)
Laura Turner , Montell Douglas , Emily Freeman , Emma Ania
43.16
SB
7
Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)
Reyare Thomas , Kelly-Ann Baptiste , Ayanna Hutchinson , Semoy Hackett
43.43
8
Colombia (COL)
Yomara Hinestroza , Felipa Palacios , Darlenis Obregón , Norma González
43.71
Key : SB = Seasonal best