Rank | Heat | Nation | Athletes | Time | Notes |
1 | 3 | United States | Jon Drummond, Tim Harden, Tim Montgomery, Dennis Mitchell | 38.58 | Q |
2 | 2 | Canada | Carlton Chambers, Glenroy Gilbert, Bruny Surin, Donovan Bailey | 38.68 | Q |
3 | 2 | Germany | Michael Huke, Marc Blume, Andreas Ruth, Florian Schwarthoff | 38.77 | Q |
4 | 1 | Ukraine | Kostyantyn Rurak, Serhiy Osovych, Oleh Kramarenko, Vladyslav Dolohodin | 38.90 | Q |
5 | 5 | Australia | Paul Henderson, Tim Jackson, Steve Brimacombe, Rod Mapstone | 38.93 | Q |
6 | 1 | Brazil | Arnaldo da Silva, Robson da Silva, Édson Ribeiro, André da Silva | 38.97 | Q |
7 | 2 | Sierra Leone | Pierre Lisk, Tom Ganda, Josephus Thomas, Sanusi Turay | 38.98 | q |
8 | 5 | France | Hermann Lomba, Régis Groisard, Pascal Theophile, Needy Guims | 39.00 | Q |
9 | 3 | Sweden | Peter Karlsson, Torbjörn Mårtensson, Lars Hedner, Patrik Strenius | 39.02 | Q |
10 | 5 | Cuba | Joel Isasi, Joel Lamela, Iván García, Luis Alberto Pérez | 39.14 | q |
11 | 4 | Jamaica | Percival Spencer, Michael Green, Leon Gordon, Raymond Stewart | 39.21 | Q |
12 | 4 | Spain | Frutos Feo, Venancio José, Jordi Mayoral, Francisco Navarro | 39.35 | Q |
13 | 3 | Bahamas | Renward Wells, Joseph Styles, Iram Lewis, Andrew Tynes | 39.38 | q |
14 | 4 | Ivory Coast | Frank Waota, Ahmed Douhou, Éric Pacôme N'Dri, Ibrahim Meité | 39.43 | q |
15 | 1 | Ghana | Aziz Zakari, Christian Nsiah, Albert Agyemang, Emmanuel Tuffour | 39.47 | q |
15 | 1 | Nigeria | Deji Aliu, Osmond Ezinwa, Francis Obikwelu, Davidson Ezinwa | 39.47 | q |
17 | 4 | Togo | Téko Folligan, Boevi Lawson, Justin Ayassou, Kossi Akoto | 39.56 | |
18 | 5 | Austria | Martin Schützenauer, Martin Lachkovics, Thomas Griesser, Christoph Pöstinger | 39.80 | |
18 | 3 | Thailand | Sayan Namwong, Worasit Vechaphut, Kongdech Natenee, Ekkachai Janthana | 39.80 | |
20 | 1 | Cameroon | Alfred Moussambani, Benjamin Sirimou, Issa-Aimé Nthépé, Claude Toukéné-Guébogo | 39.81 | |
21 | 4 | Gabon | Patrick Mocci Raoumbé, Antoine Boussombo, Charles Tayot, Eric Ebang | 39.97 | |
22 | 5 | Cyprus | Loucas Spyrou, Anninos Marcoullides, Prodromos Katsantonis, Yiannis Zisimides | 40.06 | |
23 | 2 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Ricardo Liddie, Bertram Haynes, Kim Collins, Alain Maxime Isaiah | 40.12 | |
24 | 5 | Liberia | Kouty Mawenh, Sayon Cooper, Eddie Neufville, Robert Dennis | 40.18 | |
25 | 3 | Fiji | Solomone Bole, Jone Delai, Henry Rogo, Soloveni Nakaunicina | 40.23 | |
26 | 1 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Erasto Sampson, Joel Mascoll, Eswort Coombs, Kahlil Cato | 40.54 | |
27 | 4 | Benin | Arcadius Fanou, Pascal Dangbo, Issa Alassane Ousseni, Eric Agueh | 40.79 | |
28 | 1 | Mauritius | Arnaud Casquette, Dominique Méyépa, Bruno Potanah, Barnabe Jolicoeur | 40.92 | |
29 | 5 | British Virgin Islands | Ralston Varlack, Keita Cline, Willys Todman, Mario Todman | 41.26 | |
30 | 4 | The Gambia | Momodou Sarr, Dawda Jallow, Cherno Sowe, Pa Modou Gai | 41.80 | |
31 | 1 | Laos | Poutavanh Phengthalangsy, Thongdy Amnouayphone, Sisomphone Vongpharkdy, Souliyasak Ketkeolatsami | 44.14 | |
32 | 2 | Equatorial Guinea | Ponciano Mbomio, Casimiro Nze, Bonifacio Edu, Gus Envela, Jr. | 45.63 | |
| 3 | Great Britain | Tony Jarrett, Darren Braithwaite, Darren Campbell, Owusu Dako | DNF | |
| 2 | Papua New Guinea | Allan Akia, Peter Pulu, Amos Ali, Subul Babo | DNF | |
| 4 | Italy | Giovanni Puggioni, Ezio Madonia, Angelo Cipolloni, Sandro Floris | DNF | |
| 5 | Greece | Alexandros Yenovelis, Thomas Sbokos, George Panayiotopoulos, Alexandros Alexopoulos | DQ | |
| 2 | Japan | Koji Ito, Hiroyasu Tsuchie, Satoru Inoue, Nobuharu Asahara | DQ | |
| 2 | New Zealand | Chris Donaldson, Mark Keddell, Augustine Nketia, Matthew Coad | DNS | |
| 3 | Qatar | | DNS | |