These 16 NOCs were selected by the average of the two best marks at the qualifying period.

In 2016, it was announced that a reanalysis of samples from the 2008 Summer Olympics resulted in a doping violation by Tatyana Firova.

[2][3] 4th placed Belarus was also disqualified due to a doping violation by anchor runner Sviatlana Usovich.

[4] Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

No new world or Olympic records were set for this event.