4 × 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners must begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race. A relay baton is carried by each runner and must be passed within a 20 m changeover box (usually marked by yellow lines) which extends 10 m on either side of each 100 m mark of the race. Another line is marked 10 m farther back, marking the earliest point at which the outgoing runner may begin (giving up to 10 m of acceleration before entering the passing zone).
Transferring of the baton in this race is typically blind. The outgoing runner reaches a straight arm backwards when they enter the changeover box, or when the incoming runner makes a verbal signal. The outgoing runner does not look backwards, and it is the responsibility of the incoming runner to thrust the baton into the outstretched hand, and not let go until the outgoing runner takes hold of it. Runners on the first and third legs typically run on the inside of the lane with the baton in their right hand, while runners on the second and fourth legs take the baton in their left. Polished handovers can compensate for a lack of basic speed to some extent, and disqualification for dropping the baton or failing to transfer it within the box is common, even at the highest level.
The United States men historically dominated this event through the 20th century, winning 15 Olympic gold medals and 5 IAAF world championships. Carl Lewis ran the anchor leg on U.S relay teams that set 6 world records from 1983 to 1992, including the first team to break 38 seconds.
The current men's world record stands at 36.84 as set by the Jamaican team at the 2012 London Olympic games on 11 August 2012. As the only team to break 37 seconds to date, Jamaica has been the dominant team in the sport, winning 3 consecutive Olympic Gold Medals as well as 4 consecutive World Championships. The previous record was 37.04 seconds as set by the Jamaican team at the 2011 World Championships.
The fastest electronically timed anchor leg run is 8.65 seconds by Usain Bolt at the 2015 IAAF World Relays.[1] Bob Hayes was hand-timed as running between 8.5 and 8.9 seconds on a cinder track at the 1964 Tokyo Games.[2]
In the women's event, the United States was considered by many to be a strong team after years of East German domination, but failed to make it to the finals in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. Carmelita Jeter ran an anchor leg of 9.70 seconds, the fastest ever in London Olympics 2012.[3]
The women's world record stands at 40.82 seconds, set by the United States of America in 2012 at the London Olympics.
Olympic Games medalists
Men
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Women
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Note: * Indicates athletes who ran in preliminary rounds and also received medals.
Note: In 2007, Marion Jones was stripped of all her Olympic medals from 2000.
World Championships medalists
Men
Note * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.
- dq1 The United States team of Mickey Grimes, Bernard Williams, Dennis Mitchell and Tim Montgomery originally won the 2001 World Championship in a time of 37.96 seconds, but were disqualified after Montgomery admitted to drug use as a result of the BALCO scandal in 2005.
Women
Note * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.
- dq2 The United States team of Kelli White, Chryste Gaines, Inger Miller, and Marion Jones originally won the 2001 World Championship in a time of 41.71 seconds, but were disqualified after Jones admitted to drug use as a result of the BALCO scandal in 2005.
See also
- Men's 4 × 100 metres relay world record progression
- Women's 4 × 100 metres relay world record progression
- Italy national relays team at the international athletics championships