Athletics at the 2004 Athina Summer Games:

The last three World Championships had been won by Russia (1999), Jamaica (2001), and the United States (2003). And the three dominant nations remained so in Athina. In the final the United States opened a big lead when DeeDee Trotter ran 49.8 on the opener. Given that lead the US was never headed, with all four US runners breaking 50 seconds, the lead increasing to the anchor leg, on which Monique Hennagan eased slightly to win by 10 metres. Russia ran second throughout the race, with their anchor, Nataliya Antyukh, running the fastest leg of the race, 49.43. Jamaica was well clear of Great Britain for the bronze medal.