The first world record in the 4 x 100 metres relay for men (athletics ) was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation, now known as World Athletics , in 1912.
To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 35 world records in the event.[1]
The following table shows the world record progression in the men's 4 x 100 metre relay, as ratified by the IAAF. "y" denotes time for 4 x 110 yards (402.34 m), ratified as a record for this event.
Records 1912-1976 [ edit ] Time Auto Team Nationality Location of race Date Participants 42.3 Germany Germany Stockholm , Sweden 1912-07-08 Otto Röhr ; Max Herrmann ; Erwin Kern ; Richard Rau 42.2 United States United States Antwerp , Belgium 1920-08-22 Jackson Scholz ; Loren Murchison ; Morris Kirksey ; Charley Paddock 42.0 Great Britain United Kingdom Paris , France 1924-07-12 Harold Abrahams ; Walter Rangeley ; Lancelot Royle ; Wilfred Nichol 42.0 Netherlands Netherlands Paris , France 1924-07-12 Jaap Boot ; Harry Broos ; Jan de Vries ; Rinus van den Berge 41.0 United States United States Paris , France 1924-07-13 Frank Hussey ; Louis Clarke ; Loren Murchison ; Alfred LeConey 41.0y Newark A.C. (Johnny Gibson ) United States Lincoln, Nebraska , USA 1927-07-04 Chester Bowman ; John Currie; James Pappas; Henry Cummings 41.0 Eintracht Frankfurt Germany Halle , Germany 1928-06-10 Ernst Geerling; Friedrich-Wilhelm Wichmann ; Adolf Metzner ; Hans Salz 41.0 United States United States Amsterdam , Netherlands 1928-08-05 Frank Wykoff ; James Quinn ; Charles Borah ; Henry Russell 41.0 Germany Germany Berlin , Germany 1928-09-02 Arthur Jonath ; Richard Corts ; Hubert Houben ; Helmut Körnig 40.8 S.C. Charlottenburg Germany Breslau , Germany 1929-07-22 Helmut Körnig ; Wilhelm Grosser; Alex Natan ; Hermann Schlöske 40.8y University of Southern California United States Fresno , USA 1931-05-09 Roy Delby; Milton Maurer; Maurice Guyer; Frank Wykoff 40.6 Germany Germany Kassel , Germany 1932-06-14 Helmut Körnig ; Georg Lammers ; Erich Borchmeyer ; Arthur Jonath 40.0 40.10 United States United States Los Angeles , USA 1932-08-07 Bob Kiesel ; Emmett Toppino ; Hector Dyer ; Frank Wykoff 39.8 United States United States Berlin , Germany 1936-08-09 Jesse Owens ; Ralph Metcalfe ; Foy Draper ; Frank Wykoff 39.5 39.60 United States United States Melbourne , Australia 1956-12-01 Ira Murchison ; Leamon King ; Thane Baker ; Bobby Morrow 39.5 Federal Republic of Germany West Germany Cologne , Germany 1958-08-29 Manfred Steinbach ; Martin Lauer ; Heinz Fütterer ; Manfred Germar 39.5 39.61 Unified Team of Germany Germany Rome , Italy 1960-09-07 Bernd Cullmann ; Armin Hary ; Walter Mahlendorf ; Martin Lauer 39.5 39.66 Unified Team of Germany Germany Rome , Italy 1960-09-08 Bernd Cullmann ; Armin Hary ; Walter Mahlendorf ; Martin Lauer 39.1 United States United States Moscow , USSR 1961-07-15 Hayes Jones ; Frank Budd ; Charles Frazier ; Paul Drayton 39.0 39.06 United States United States Tokyo , Japan 1964-10-21 Paul Drayton ; Gerry Ashworth ; Richard Stebbins ; Bob Hayes 38.6y University of Southern California United States / Jamaica [n 1] Provo , USA 1967-06-17 Earl McCullouch ; Fred Kuller ; O. J. Simpson ; Lennox Miller (All USA except Miller) 38.6 38.65 Jamaica Jamaica Mexico City , Mexico 1968-10-19 Errol Stewart ; Michael Fray ; Clifton Forbes ; Lennox Miller 38.3 38.39 Jamaica Jamaica Mexico City , Mexico 1968-10-19 Errol Stewart ; Michael Fray ; Clifton Forbes ; Lennox Miller 38.2 38.24 United States United States Mexico City , Mexico 1968-10-20 Charles Greene ; Mel Pender ; Ronnie Ray Smith ; Jim Hines 38.2 38.19 United States United States Munich , Germany 1972-09-10 Larry Black ; Robert Taylor ; Gerald Tinker ; Eddie Hart
^ Mixed-nationality teams were subsequently prohibited from setting IAAF world records Records since 1977 [ edit ] Key to tables : Time rescinded Retrospectively ratified
From 1975 onwards, the IAAF (now World Athletics) accepted separate automatically electronically timed records for events up to 400 metres. Starting January 1, 1977, the IAAF required fully automatic timing to the hundredth of a second for these events.[1]
The United States relay team's 1972 Olympic gold medal victory time of 38.19 was the fastest recorded result to that time.
Time Team Nationality Location Date Ref Event Participants 38.19 United States United States Munich, Germany 1972-09-10 1972 Munich Summer Olympics Final Larry Black ; Robert Taylor ; Gerald Tinker ; Eddie Hart 38.03 United States United States Düsseldorf , Germany 1977-09-03 1977 IAAF World Cup Bill Collins ; Steve Riddick ; Cliff Wiley ; Steve Williams 37.86 United States United States Helsinki , Finland 1983-08-10 [2] 1983 World Championships Final Emmit King , Willie Gault , Calvin Smith , Carl Lewis 37.83 United States United States Los Angeles, USA 1984-08-11 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Final Sam Graddy ; Ron Brown ; Calvin Smith ; Carl Lewis 37.79 France France Split , Yugoslavia (now Croatia ) 1990-09-01 1990 European Championships Max Morinière ; Daniel Sangouma ; Jean-Charles Trouabal ; Bruno Marie-Rose 37.79 Santa Monica Track Club United States Monte Carlo , Monaco 1991-08-03 Michael Marsh ; Leroy Burrell ; Floyd Heard ; Carl Lewis 37.67 United States 1 United States Zürich, Switzerland 1991-08-07 1991 Weltklasse Zurich meet Michael Marsh ; Leroy Burrell ; Dennis Mitchell ; Carl Lewis 37.50 United States United States Tokyo , Japan 1991-09-01 [3] 1991 World Championships Final Andre Cason ; Leroy Burrell ; Dennis Mitchell ; Carl Lewis 37.40 United States United States Barcelona, Spain 1992-08-08 1992 Barcelona Olympics Michael Marsh ; Leroy Burrell ; Dennis Mitchell ; Carl Lewis 37.40 United States United States Stuttgart, Germany 1993-08-21 1993 World Championships Semi-Final Jon Drummond ; Andre Cason ; Dennis Mitchell ; Leroy Burrell 37.10 Jamaica Jamaica Beijing, China 2008-08-22 [4] 2008 Olympics Final Nesta Carter ; Michael Frater ; Usain Bolt ; Asafa Powell 37.31 Jamaica Jamaica Berlin, Germany 2009-08-22 [5] 2009 World Championships Final Steve Mullings ; Michael Frater ; Usain Bolt ; Asafa Powell 37.04 Jamaica Jamaica Daegu , Korea 2011-09-04 [6] 2011 World Championships Final Nesta Carter ; Michael Frater ; Yohan Blake ; Usain Bolt 36.84 Jamaica Jamaica London, United Kingdom 2012-08-11 [7] 2012 Olympics Final Nesta Carter ; Michael Frater ; Yohan Blake ; Usain Bolt
T42-T46 Class [ edit ] The T42-T46 4 × 100 m relay is run by athletes with a disability.
References [ edit ]
World
Sprinting 50 metres 60 metres 100 metres 200 metres 400 metres Middle distance Long distance Hurdles Relay 4 × 100 metres 4 × 200 metres 4 × 400 metres 4 × 800 metres 4 × 1500 metres Distance medley relay Walking 10 km 20,000 metres (track) 20 km (road) 35 km 50 km Jumping Throwing Shot put Discus Hammer Javelin Combined events
European 100 metres 200 metres 400 metres 800 metres 1500 metres 5000 metres