Sprint medley relay

The sprint medley relay (SMR) is a track and field event in which teams of four athletes compete over sprinting distances as part of a relay race. Unlike most track relays, each member of the team runs a different distance. The sprint medley is rather uncommon, run most frequently at non-championship track meets which are focused on relays. Since these are not championship events, specific criteria for the event are not in common rulebooks. This leads to localized variations.

Sprint medley usually consists of two shorter sprints, followed by two single longer events. Usual conduct for safety is to run the shorter events first, in lanes to allow faster moving sprinters to exchange without interference. And faster moving athletes will have a more consistent tempo to prepare a handoff than with longer sprinters who are more prone to decelerate inconsistently as they finish their leg. By running two shorter sprints, mathematically the events can be conducted over an even number of laps.

Variations

Common lengths of the race could be 800 meters or 1600 meters. The 800 meters variation usually would be two 100 meters legs, a 200 meters leg and a 400 meters leg. The 800 meter version is sometimes referred to as the Super Sprint Medley Relay to distinguish it from the longer version. More commonly, the 800 meters version is distinguished by abbreviated leg numbers (1-1-2-4). The events are usually not referred to by their cumulative distance as that would tend to indicate 4 legs of the same distance. The 1600 meters variation usually would be two 200 meters legs, a 400 meters leg and an 800 meters leg. It would be named numerically (2-2-4-8).[1] Some have done a 1000 meters variation, which does not fit into an even number of laps, running a 100 meters leg, a 200 meters leg, a 300 meters leg and a 400 meters leg. The (1-2-3-4) format is referred to as the Swedish relay. At some youth level meets, where the handoff is not as refined, the 400 meters leg has been conducted first. This is consistent with a related event, the Distance medley relay which starts with a longer race. At a higher level of athlete, this would put handoffs for short sprinting legs into theoretical common passing zones unless the track is specifically marked with the 4 turn stagger required to run a 4 x 200 meters relay entirely in lanes. Short sprinters moving around in a common passing zone at the last moment is a potentially chaotic situation.

Conduct

The descriptions below describe how to conduct the variations of the event using commonly available markings. It is assumed 4 turn staggers are not common, and even if they are marked, appropriate passing zones are not marked for the (1-1-2-4) version using either a 4 turn or 3 turn stagger. So these descriptions use a standard 2 turn stagger, causing the athletes to break to the inside following the exchange at the end of the first lap. Colors mentioned are specific only if the track is marked following rulebook recommendations. Since they are only recommendations in the rulebook, some tracks choose to paint their lines using localized color schemes.

1-1-2-4

The start and first two legs are conducted identical to a 4x100 meters relay, using the same passing zones, these would be colored yellow. The third leg of 200 meters would skip the third 4x100 zone and handoff at the blue 4x400 meters relay passing zone. Because the incoming leg is running 200 meters, the outgoing 400 meters leg is allowed to use the acceleration zone before the pass.[2] After receiving the baton, the final leg would break to the inside as in a 4x400 race on a 2 turn stagger.

2-1-1-4

Some might choose to run the 200 meter leg first, inverting the skipped zone on the first lap from the third zone to the first zone.

2-2-4-8

The race would start the same as a 4x400 on the white/blue/white lines, but since the first two athletes are doing 200 meters, would skip the first and third exchange zones used in the 4x100, only using the yellow second zone half way around the track. On an indoor 200 meter track, this would be conducted in exactly the same fashion as an outdoor 4x400, with the runners breaking to the inside following the first lap, except the athletes would be allowed to use the acceleration zone. On an outdoor track, the third runner would exchange in the standard blue 4x400 zone and would then break to run in lane one at the green break line at the beginning of the back straight (500m into the race). The final exchange would also be like a 4x400 exchange, but the final runner would do an 800 meters (This race is sometimes run in reverse order, with the two 200 meter legs going first, followed by the 400 leg, and then finishing with the 800 leg).

All time Top 25

Men (1-1-2-4)

Rank	Time	Team	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1

Women (1-1-2-4)

Rank	Time	Team	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1	1:35.20	Destinee Brown Aaliyah Brown Kimberlyn Duncan Raevyn Rogers	United States	28 April 2018	Philadelphia	[3]
2	1:35.59	Morolake Akinosun English Gardner Dezerea Bryant Miki Barber	United States	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[4]
3	1:36.67	Audra Segree Natasha Morrison Anastasia Le-Roy Verone Chambers	Jamaica	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[5]
4	1:36.79	Brenda Morehead Jeanette Bolden Alice Brown Arlise Emerson	United States	20 June 1982	Knoxville
5	1:37.22	Lekeisha Lawson Tawanna Meadows Kim Duncan Autumne Franklin	United States	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[6]
6	1:37.42	Khalifa St. Fort (100 m) Reyare Thomas (100 m) Kai Selvon (200 m) Sparkle McKnight (400 m)	Trinidad and Tobago	28 April 2018	Philadelphia	[7]
7	1:37.87	Dezerea Bryant Aaliyah Brown Destiny Carter Raevyn Rogers	United States	27 April 2019	Philadelphia	[8]
10	1:39.44	V’Alonee Robinson Tynia Gaither Anthonique Strachan Rashan Brown	Bahamas	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[9]
11	1:39.57	Gayon Evans Sherone Simpson Ronda Whyte Verone Chambers	Jamaica	27 April 2019	Philadelphia	[10]
15	1:40.04	Tahesia Harrigan-Scott Karene King Beyonce Defreitas Ashley Kelly	British Virgin Islands	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[11]
16	1:40.42	Shaina Harrison Whitney Rowe Zoe Sherar Alicia Brown	Canada	27 April 2019	Philadelphia	[12]
17	1:42.36	Jasmine Abrams Chante Moore Shenika King Jenea McCammon	Guyana	28 April 2018	Philadelphia	[13]
25	1:51.73	D. Lescott-Lake M. Dias V. Phillip D. Delaney	Saint Kitts and Nevis	9 April 1994	Kingston

Men (2-2-4-8)

Rank	Time	Team	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1	3:10.76	Carl Lewis Ferran Tyler Benny Hollis Johnny Gray	United States	6 April 1985	Tempe
2	3:11.45	Beejay Lee Wallace Spearmon Bryshon Nellum Donavan Brazier	United States	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[14]
3	3:12.13	Arkansas Team	United States	2000	Austin
4	3:12.19	Alabama State University Team	United States	April 1983	Des Moines
5	3:12.88	Abilene Christian University Joe Styles Kevin Dilworth Robert Guy Savieri Ngidhi	United States  United States  Trinidad and Tobago  Zimbabwe	April 1995	Philadelphia
6	3:13.12	Remontay McLain Markesh Woodson Reggie Wyatt Casimir Loxsom	United States	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[15]
		R. Rocha P. Smith A. Larry B. McBride	United States	2 April 2016	Gainesville
8	3:13.67	Terry Brown Jr. Micaiah Harris Jonathan Jones Sam Worley	United States  United States  Barbados  United States	29 March 2019	Austin	[16]
9	3:13.91	Blinn JC Team T. Barmer J. McDuffie D. Murphy M. Wisner	United States	1992	Knoxville
10	3:14.47	Jace Comick Roger Ethridge Colby Zamzow Carlton Orange	United States	29 March 2019	Austin	[17]
11	3:16.21	Mike Mokamba Alfas Kishoyian Collins Omae Collin Kipruto	Kenya	27 April 2019	Philadelphia	[18]
12	3:16.27	Orukpe Erayokan Robert Simmons Chidi Okezie Sean Obinwa	Nigeria	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[19]
13	3:17.49	Remontay McClain Marqueze Washington Manteo Mitchell Chris Giesting	United States	27 April 2019	Philadelphia	[20]
14	3:17.86	Ejowvokoghene Oduduru Jacolby Shelton Lavone Brown Vincent Crisp	Nigeria  United States  United States  United States	29 March 2019	Austin	[21]
15	3:19.03	Tremaine Harris Joshue Cunningham Austin Cole Mohano Khelaf	Canada	28 April 2018	Philadelphia
16	3:19.25	Chad Walker Rasheed Dwyer Rusheen McDonald Daniel Glave	Jamaica	27 April 2019	Philadelphia	[22]
17	3:19.33	Air Force Team Miguel Molas Terrell Bradford Sedacy Walden Michael Rhoads	United States	27 April 2019	Des Moines	[23]
18	3:19.92	Indiana Team Derek Grimmer Nate Davis Adam Wallace Tony Newbern	United States	30 March 2019	Gainesville	[24]
19	3:19.97	Mario Forsythe Jamari Rose Allodin Fothergill Jo-Wayne Hibbert	Jamaica	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[25]
20	3:20.15	Jamiel Trimble Deshawn Marshall Champ Page Rob Ford	United States	27 April 2019	Philadelphia	[26]
21	3:20.57	Kentucky Team Jacob Smith Dwight St. Hillaire Nathaniel Bann Benjamin Young	United States	27 April 2019	Des Moines	[27]
22	3:20.71	Iowa Team Karayme Bartley Antonio Woodard Mar'yea Harris Carter Lilly	United States	27 April 2019	Des Moines	[28]
23	3:21.03	Christopher Valdez Leonel Bonon Yon Soriano Tayron Reyes	Dominican Republic	29 April 2017	Philadelphia	[29]
24
25	3:21.72	Aaron Brown Brendon Rodney Benjamin Ayesu-Attah Mohand Zine Khelaf	Canada	27 April 2019	Philadelphia	[30]

Women (2-2-4-8)

Rank	Time	Team	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1	3:34.56	Sherri-Ann Brooks Rosemarie Whyte Moya Thompson Kenia Sinclair	Jamaica	April 2009	Philadelphia
5	3:37.62	Tom Jones All-Stars		2009	Gainesville
10	3:42.10	Diamond Spaulding Jaevin Reed Kadecia Baird Jazmine Fray	United States	31 March 2017	Austin	[31]
11	3:42.20	Amber Ivy Jania Martin Jarra Owens Jazmine Fray	United States	29 March 2019	Austin	[32]
15	3:43.64	Arkansas State University R. Williams Dawn Harper T. Ellis-Watson C. Williams	United States	25 April 2015	Des Moines
20	3:45.05	Serenity Douglas Zola Golden Kennedy Simon Gabby Crank	United States	29 March 2019	Austin	[33]

See also

• Distance medley relay
• Swedish relay

References

1. http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/cms/lib/MN01001540/Centricity/Domain/1692/2014%20Rogness%20Relays%20at%20Minnetonka.pdf
2. http://www.southeasternmasters.org/Officials/Clerk%20of%20Course%20Rules.pdf
3. Bob Ramsak (29 April 2018). "Women's sprint medley world best highlight's 124th Penn Relays". IAAF. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
4. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
5. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
6. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
7. "Women's Sprint Medley Relay Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
8. "Women's Sprint Medley Relay Result". pennrelaysonline.com. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
9. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
10. "Women's Sprint Medley Relay Result". pennrelaysonline.com. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
11. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
12. "Women's Sprint Medley Relay Result". pennrelaysonline.com. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
13. "Women's Sprint Medley Relay Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
14. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
15. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
16. Lee Nichols (1 April 2019). "Texas Relays — Anderson Peters Likes Throwing In Austin". trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
17. Lee Nichols (1 April 2019). "Texas Relays — Anderson Peters Likes Throwing In Austin". trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
18. "Men's Sprint Medley Relay Result". pennrelaysonline.com. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
19. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
20. "Men's Sprint Medley Relay Result". pennrelaysonline.com. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
21. Lee Nichols (1 April 2019). "Texas Relays — Anderson Peters Likes Throwing In Austin". trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
22. "Men's Sprint Medley Relay Result". pennrelaysonline.com. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
23. "Sprint Medley Results". tfrrs.org. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
24. "Sprint Medley Results". deltatiming.com. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
25. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
26. "Men's Sprint Medley Relay Result". pennrelaysonline.com. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
27. "Sprint Medley Results". tfrrs.org. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
28. "Sprint Medley Results". tfrrs.org. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
29. "Sprint Medley Results". pennrelaysonline.com. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
30. "Men's Sprint Medley Relay Result". pennrelaysonline.com. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
31. "Kyriazis wins javelin with record throw at Texas Relays". theeagle.com. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
32. Lee Nichols (1 April 2019). "Texas Relays — Anderson Peters Likes Throwing In Austin". trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
33. Lee Nichols (1 April 2019). "Texas Relays — Anderson Peters Likes Throwing In Austin". trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.