4 × 400 metres relay
The 4 × 400 metres relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams consist of four runners who each complete 400 metres or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, the first 500 metres is run in lanes. Start lines are thus staggered over a greater distance than in an individual 400 metres race; the runners then typically move to the inside of the track. The slightly longer 4 × 440 yards relay was a formerly run British and American event, until metrication was completed in the 1970s.
Relay race runners typically carry a relay baton which they must transfer between teammates. Runners have a 20 m box (usually marked with blue lines) in which to transfer the baton. The first transfer is made within the staggered lane lines; for the second and third transfers, runners typically line up across the track despite the fact that runners are usually running in line on the inside of the track. This prevents confusion and collisions during transfer. Unlike the 4 × 100 m relay, runners in the 4 × 400 typically look back and grasp the baton from the incoming runner, due to the fatigue of the incoming runner, and the wider margins allowed by the longer distance of the race. Consequently, disqualification is rare.
As runners have a running start, split times cannot be compared to individual 400 m performances. Internationally, the U.S. men's team has dominated the event, but have been challenged by Jamaica in the 1950s and Britain in the 1990s. The current men's Olympic champions are from the United States.
According to the IAAF rules, world records in relays can only be set if all team members have the same nationality.
Mixed-gendered 4 × 400 metres relays were introduced at the 2017 IAAF World Relays, with the IAAF first recognizing a world record in that event at the 2019 World Athletics Championships.
Records
Men's Outdoor World Record[1] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Country | Members | Venue | Date | Time |
Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Butch Reynolds, Michael Johnson | Stuttgart, Germany | 22 August 1993 | 2:54.29 |
Note: The IAAF rescinded a time of 2:54.20 set at Uniondale on 22 July 1998 by the United States (Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, Tyree Washington, Michael Johnson) on 12 August 2008 after Pettigrew admitted to using human growth hormone and EPO between 1997 and 2003.[2]
Men's Indoor World Record | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Country | Members | Venue | Date | Time |
Karol Zalewski, Rafał Omelko, Łukasz Krawczuk, Jakub Krzewina | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 4 March 2018 | 3:01.77 |
Note: A time of 3:00.77 by the USC team (Zach Shinnick, Rai Benjamin, Ricky Morgan Jr., Michael Norman) at the 2018 NCAA Division I Championship was rejected as a record as Benjamin was a citizen of Antigua & Barbuda, and the others are US citizens. US runners Ilolo Izu, Robert Grant, Devin Dixon and Mylik Kerley recorded a 3:01.39 in the same race, which has not yet been ratified.[3]
Women's Outdoor World Record | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Country | Members | Venue | Date | Time |
Tatyana Ledovskaya (BLR), Olga Nazarova (RUS), Mariya Pinigina (UKR), Olga Bryzgina (UKR) | Seoul, Korea | 1 October 1988 | 3:15.17 |
Women's Indoor World Record | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Country | Members | Venue | Date | Time |
Yuliya Gushchina, Olga Kotlyarova, Olga Zaytseva, Olesya Krasnomovets | Glasgow, Scotland | 27 January 2006 | 3:23.37 |
All-time top 10 by country
Men
Women
Rank | Time | Team | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3:15.17 | Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina | 1 October 1988 | Seoul | ||
2 | 3:15.51 | Denean Howard-Hill, Diane Dixon, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, Florence Griffith-Joyner | ||||
3 | 3:15.92 | Gesine Walther, Sabine Busch, Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Marita Koch | 3 June 1984 | Erfurt | ||
4 | 3:18.38 | Yelena Ruzina, Tatyana Alekseyeva, Margarita Ponomaryova, Irina Privalova | 22 August 1993 | Stuttgart | ||
5 | 3:18.71 | Rosemarie Whyte, Davita Prendergast, Novlene Williams-Mills, Shericka Williams | 3 September 2011 | Deagu | ||
6 | 3:20.04 | Christine Ohuruogu, Marilyn Okoro, Lee McConnell, Nicola Sanders | 2 September 2007 | Osaka | ||
7 | 3:20.32 | Taťána Kocembová, Milena Matějkovičová, Zuzana Moravčíková, Jarmila Kratochvílová | 14 August 1983 | Helsinki | ||
8 | 3:21.04 | Bisi Afolabi, Fatima Yusuf, Charity Opara, Falilat Ogunkoya | 3 August 1996 | Atlanta | ||
9 | 3:21.21 | Charmaine Crooks, Jillian Richardson, Molly Killingbeck, Marita Payne | 11 August 1984 | L.A. | ||
10 | 3:21.88 | Yulyana Yushchanka, Iryna Khliustava, Ilona Usovich, Sviatlana Usovich | 2 September 2007 | Osaka |
Mixed
- Correct as of September 2019.
All-time top 25 fastest
Men
- Correct as of October 2019.[18]
Rank | Time | Team | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2:54.29 | Andrew Valmon (44.43) Quincy Watts (43.59) Butch Reynolds (43.36) Michael Johnson (42.91) |
22 August 1993 | Stuttgart | ||
2 | 2:55.39 | LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville, Jeremy Wariner | 23 August 2008 | Beijing | ||
3 | 2:55.56 | LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, Darold Williamson, Jeremy Wariner | 2 September 2007 | Osaka | ||
4 | 2:55.74 | Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Michael Johnson, Steve Lewis | 8 August 1992 | Barcelona | ||
5 | 2:55.91 | Otis Harris, Derrick Brew, Jeremy Wariner, Darold Williamson | 28 August 2004 | Athens | ||
6 | 2:55.99 | LaMont Smith, Alvin Harrison, Derek Mills, Anthuan Maybank | 3 August 1996 | Atlanta | ||
7 | 2:56.16 A | Vincent Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James, Lee Evans | 20 October 1968 | Mexico City | ||
2:56.16 | Danny Everett, Steve Lewis, Kevin Robinzine, Harry Reynolds | 1 October 1988 | Seoul | |||
9 | 2:56.60 | Iwan Thomas, Jamie Baulch, Mark Richardson, Roger Black | 3 August 1996 | Atlanta | ||
10 | 2:56.65 | Iwan Thomas, Roger Black, Jamie Baulch, Mark Richardson | 10 August 1997 | Athens | ||
11 | 2:56.69 | Fred Kerley (43.44) Michael Cherry (44.63) Wilbert London (44.43) Rai Benjamin (44.19) |
6 October 2019 | Doha | [19] | |
12 | 2:56.72 | Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu, Ramon Miller | 10 August 2012 | London | ||
13 | 2:56.75 | Michael McDonald, Gregory Haughton, Danny McFarlane, Davian Clarke | 10 August 1997 | Athens | ||
14 | 2:56.91 | Andrew Rock, Derrick Brew, Darold Williamson, Jeremy Wariner | 14 August 2005 | Helsinki | ||
15 | 2:57.05 | Bryshon Nellum, Joshua Mance, Tony McQuay, Angelo Taylor | 10 August 2012 | London | ||
16 | 2:57.25 | David Verburg, Tony McQuay, Christian Taylor, LaShawn Merritt | 25 May 2014 | Nassau | ||
17 | 2:57.29 | Danny Everett, Roddie Haley, Antonio McKay, Harry Reynolds | 6 September 1987 | Rome | ||
18 | 2:57.30 | Arman Hall, Tony McQuay, Gil Roberts, LaShawn Merritt | 20 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | ||
19 | 2:57.32 | Marlon Ramsey, Derek Mills, Harry Reynolds, Michael Johnson | 13 August 1995 | Gothenburg | ||
2:57.32 | Nathaniel McKinney, Avard Moncur, Andrae Williams, Chris Brown | 14 August 2005 | Helsinki | |||
21 | 2:57.53 | Roger Black, Derek Redmond, John Regis, Kriss Akabusi | 1 September 1991 | Tokyo | ||
22 | 2:57.57 | Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Danny Everett, Antonio Pettigrew | 1 September 1991 | Tokyo | ||
23 | 2:57.59 | LaToy Williams, Demetrius Pinder, Chris Brown, Michael Mathieu | 25 May 2014 | Nassau | ||
24 | 2:57.82 | David Verburg, Tony McQuay, Bryshon Nellum, LaShawn Merritt | 30 August 2015 | Beijing | ||
25 | 2:57.86 | Angelo Taylor, Jeremy Wariner, Kerron Clement, LaShawn Merritt | 23 August 2009 | Berlin |
Women
- Correct as of October 2019.[20]
Rank | Time | Team | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3:15.17 | Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olha Bryzhina | 1 October 1988 | Seoul | ||
2 | 3:15.51 | Denean Howard-Hill, Diane Dixon, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, Florence Griffith-Joyner | ||||
3 | 3:15.92 | Gesine Walther, Sabine Busch, Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Marita Koch | 3 June 1984 | Erfurt | ||
4 | 3:16.71 | Gwen Torrence, Maicel Malone-Wallace, Natasha Kaiser-Brown, Jearl Miles-Clark | 22 August 1993 | Stuttgart | ||
5 | 3:16.87 | Kirsten Emmelmann, Sabine Busch, Petra Müller, Marita Koch | 31 August 1986 | Stuttgart | ||
Deedee Trotter, Allyson Felix, Francena McCorory, Sanya Richards-Ross | 11 August 2012 | London | ||||
7 | 3:17.83 | Debbie Dunn, Allyson Felix, Lashinda Demus, Sanya Richards-Ross | 23 August 2009 | Berlin | ||
8 | 3:18.09 | Sanya Richards-Ross, Allyson Felix, Jessica Beard, Francena McCorory | 3 September 2011 | Daegu | ||
9 | 3:18.29 | Lillie Leatherwood, Sherri Howard, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, Chandra Cheeseborough | 11 August 1984 | Los Angeles | ||
Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Kirsten Emmelmann, Sabine Busch, Petra Müller | 1 October 1988 | Seoul | ||||
11 | 3:18.38 | Yelena Ruzina, Tatyana Alekseyeva, Margarita Khromova-Ponomaryova, Irina Privalova | 22 August 1993 | Stuttgart | ||
12 | 3:18.43 | Tatyana Ledovskaya, Lyudmila Dzhigalova, Olga Nazarova, Olha Bryzhina | 1 September 1991 | Tokyo | ||
13 | 3:18.54 | Mary Wineberg, Allyson Felix, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards-Ross | 23 August 2008 | Beijing | ||
14 | 3:18.55 | Deedee Trotter, Allyson Felix, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards-Ross | 2 September 2007 | Osaka | ||
15 | 3:18.58 | Irina Nazarova, Nadiya Olizarenko, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Vladykina | 18 August 1985 | Moscow | ||
16 | 3:18.63 | Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Kirsten Emmelmann, Petra Müller, Sabine Busch | 6 September 1987 | Rome | ||
17 | 3:18.71 | Rosemarie Whyte, Davita Prendergast, Novlene Williams-Mills, Shericka Williams | 3 September 2011 | Deagu | ||
18 | 3:18.92 | Phyllis Francis (49.51) Sydney McLaughlin (49.78) Dalilah Muhammad (48.43) Wadeline Jonathas (50.20) |
6 October 2019 | Doha | [21] | |
19 | 3:19.01 | Deedee Trotter, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards-Ross, Monique Hennagan | 28 August 2004 | Athens | ||
20 | 3:19.02 | Quanera Hayes, Allyson Felix, Shakima Wimbley, Phyllis Francis | 13 August 2017 | London | [22] | |
21 | 3:19.04 | Kirsten Emmelmann, Sabine Busch, Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Marita Koch | 11 September 1982 | Athens | ||
Courtney Okolo, Natasha Hastings, Phyllis Francis, Allyson Felix | 20 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | ||||
23 | 3:19.12 | Irina Baskakova, Irina Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Vladykina | 18 August 1984 | Praha | ||
24 | 3:19.13 | Christine Day, Shericka Jackson, Stephenie Ann McPherson, Novlene Williams-Mills | 30 August 2015 | Beijing | ||
25 | 3:19.23 | Doris Maletzki, Briggite Köhn, Ellen Streidt, Christina Lathan | 31 July 1976 | Montreal |
Mixed
- Correct as of September 2019.
Olympic medalists
Men
Women
Note: * Indicates athletes who ran in preliminary rounds and also received medals.
- nb1 Marion Jones was stripped of her Olympic medal in 2000.
- nb2 Crystal Cox was stripped of her Olympic medal in 2004.
- nb3 Dominique Blake was accidentally given her Olympic medal and she returned it in 2017.[48]
- a Original silver medalists, Russia, and 4th place finishers, Belarus, were stripped of their results for doping offenses. Following reallocation, Jamaica were promoted to the silver medal, and Great Britain to the bronze.[49]
- b Original silver medalists, Russia, were stripped of their medal for doping offenses. Following reallocation, Jamaica will be promoted to the silver medal, and Ukraine to the bronze.[50]
World Championship medalists
Men
Note * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.
- dq1 The United States team (Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, Chris Jones and Tyree Washington) originally won the 1997 World Championships in a time of 2:56.47 minutes, but were disqualified in 2009 after Pettigrew admitted to doping during the period.
Women
Note * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.
European Championship medalists
World Indoor Championships medalists
Men
Women
Note * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.
Notable splits
Men
- Herb McKenley (Jamaica) ran a 44.6 split in the 1952 Helsinki Olympic final.
- Ron Freeman (USA) ran a 43.2 split in the 1968 Mexico Olympic final.
- Julius Sang (Kenya) ran a 43.6 split in the 1972 Munich Olympic final.
- Alberto Juantorena (Cuba) ran a 43.7 split in the 1977 IAAF World Cup event as part of the Americas team.
- Quincy Watts ran a 43.1 split and Steve Lewis (USA) ran a 43.4 split in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic final.
- Butch Reynolds ran a 43.23 split and Michael Johnson (both USA) ran a 42.91 split in the 1993 Stuttgart World Championship final; the USA team's final time of 2:54.29 is the current world record.
- Mark Richardson (GBR) ran a 43.57 split and Davian Clarke (JAM) ran a 43.51 split in the 1997 Athens World Championship final.
- Jeremy Wariner (USA) ran a 43.10 split in the 2007 Osaka World Championship final.
- Jeremy Wariner (USA) ran a 43.18 split in the 2008 Beijing Olympic final.
- Michael Norman (USA) ran a 43.06 split in the 2018 NCAA West Preliminaries final.[51]
Women
- Jarmila Kratochvílová (CZE) ran a 47.6 split in the 1982 Athens European Championship final, a 47.75 split in the 1983 Helsinki World Championship final, and a 47.9 split in the 1983 Europa Cup in London.
- Marita Koch (GDR) ran a 47.70 split in Erfurt 1984, a 47.9 split in the 1982 European Championship final, and a 47.9 split at the 1985 Canberra World Cup.
- Allyson Felix (USA) ran a 47.72 split in the 2015 Beijing World Championships final, a 48.01 split in the 2007 Osaka World Championships final, and a 48.20 split in the 2012 London Olympic final.
- Olga Nazarova and Olga Bryzgina (USSR) both ran a 47.80 split in the 1988 Seoul Olympic final; the Soviet team's final time of 3:15.17 is the current world record.
- Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) ran a 48.08 split in the 1988 Seoul Olympic final.
External links
Notes and references
- "4x400 Metres Relay Records – outdoor". International Association of Athletics Federations. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- "IAAF deletes Americans' 4x400m world record from the books". The Star Online. 13 August 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- Roy Jordan (10 March 2018). "Norman breaks world indoor 400m record at NCAA Indoor Championships". IAAF. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- "All-time men's best 4 × 400m Relay". IAAF. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
- "All-time men's best 4 × 400m Relay". alltime-athletics.com. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- "All-time women's best 4 × 400m Relay". IAAF. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
- "All-time women's best 4 × 400m Relay". alltime-athletics.com. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "Record italiani assoluti maschili di atletica leggera al 29 luglio 2019" (in Italian). atleticalive.it. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- "All-time men's best 4 × 400m Relay". alltime-athletics.com. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- "4×400m Relay Men − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- "All-time women's best 4 × 400m Relay". alltime-athletics.com. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- "4 x 400 Metres Relay Women − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Results" (PDF). IAAF. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Round 1 − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "Mixed 4×400m Relay Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "Mixed 4×400m Relay Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "Record italiani assoluti maschili di atletica leggera al 29 luglio 2019" (in Italian). atleticalive.it. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "Mixed 4×400m Relay Final Results" (PDF). IAAF. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- "Mixed 4×400m Relay Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "Mixed 4×400m Relay Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "Mixed 4×400m Relay Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "Українці – другі на міжнародній матчевій зустрічі у Мінську" [Ukraine takes second place in the international athletics meet in Minsk] (in Ukrainian). Ukrainian Athletics. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- "4×400m Relay Mixed Round 1 Results" (PDF). IAAF. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- "TRACK AND FIELD OLYMPIANS TO BE RECOGNIZED". University Park, Pennsylvania. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
Blake, a member of Penn State's NCAA Champion 4x400 in 2008, also had a successful London experience, earning a bronze medal as a member of Jamaica's 4x400 relay pool.
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-doping-russia/russia-stripped-of-beijing-2008-4x400m-womens-silver-medal-idUSKCN10U242
- https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/38825752
- "Norman and Benjamin the latest stars to shine in the IAAF Diamond League". IAAF. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2019.