The first world record in the 4 × 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.
The following table shows the world record progression in the men's 4 × 100 metre relay, as ratified by the IAAF. "y" denotes time for 4 × 110 yards (402.34 m), ratified as a record for this event.
Records 1912–1976
Time Auto Team Nationality Location of race Date Participants 42.3 Germany Stockholm, Sweden 1912-07-08 Otto Röhr; Max Herrmann; Erwin Kern; Richard Rau 42.2 United States Antwerp, Belgium 1920-08-22 Jackson Scholz; Loren Murchison; Morris Kirksey; Charley Paddock 42.0 Great Britain Paris, France 1924-07-12 Harold Abrahams; Walter Rangeley; Lancelot Royle; Wilfred Nichol 42.0 Netherlands Paris, France 1924-07-12 Jaap Boot; Harry Broos; Jan de Vries; Rinus van den Berge 41.0 United States Paris, France 1924-07-13 Frank Hussey; Louis Clarke; Loren Murchison; Alfred LeConey 41.0y Newark A.C. (Johnny Gibson) Lincoln, United States 1927-07-04 Chester Bowman; John Currie; James Pappas; Henry Cummings 41.0 Eintracht Frankfurt Halle, Germany 1928-06-10 Ernst Geerling; Friedrich-Wilhelm Wichmann; Adolf Metzner; Hans Salz 41.0 United States Amsterdam, Netherlands 1928-08-05 Frank Wykoff; James Quinn; Charles Borah; Henry Russell 41.0 Germany Berlin, Germany 1928-09-02 Arthur Jonath; Richard Corts; Hubert Houben; Helmut Körnig 40.8 S.C. Charlottenburg Breslau, Germany 1929-07-22 Helmut Körnig; Wilhelm Grosser; Alex Natan; Hermann Schlöske 40.8y University of Southern California Fresno, United States 1931-05-09 Roy Delby; Milton Maurer; Maurice Guyer; Frank Wykoff 40.6 Germany Kassel, Germany 1932-06-14 Helmut Körnig; Georg Lammers; Erich Borchmeyer; Arthur Jonath 40.0 40.10 United States Los Angeles, United States 1932-08-07 Bob Kiesel; Emmett Toppino; Hector Dyer; Frank Wykoff 39.8 United States Berlin, Germany 1936-08-09 Jesse Owens; Ralph Metcalfe; Foy Draper; Frank Wykoff 39.5 39.60 United States Melbourne, Australia 1956-12-01 Ira Murchison; Leamon King; Thane Baker; Bobby Morrow 39.5 Federal Republic of Germany Cologne, West Germany 1958-08-29 Manfred Steinbach; Martin Lauer; Heinz Fütterer; Manfred Germar 39.5 39.61 Unified Team of Germany Rome, Italy 1960-09-07 Bernd Cullmann; Armin Hary; Walter Mahlendorf; Martin Lauer 39.5 39.66 Unified Team of Germany Rome, Italy 1960-09-08 Bernd Cullmann; Armin Hary; Walter Mahlendorf; Martin Lauer 39.1 United States Moscow, Soviet Union 1961-07-15 Hayes Jones; Frank Budd; Charles Frazier; Paul Drayton 39.0 39.06 United States Tokyo, Japan 1964-10-21 Paul Drayton; Gerry Ashworth; Richard Stebbins; Bob Hayes 38.6y University of Southern California /Mixed-nationality teams were subsequently prohibited from setting IAAF world records Provo, United States 1967-06-17 Earl McCullouch; Fred Kuller; O. J. Simpson; Lennox Miller (All USA except Miller) 38.6 38.65 Jamaica Mexico City, Mexico 1968-10-19 Errol Stewart; Michael Fray; Clifton Forbes; Lennox Miller 38.3 38.39 Jamaica Mexico City, Mexico 1968-10-19 Errol Stewart; Michael Fray; Clifton Forbes; Lennox Miller 38.2 38.24 United States Mexico City, Mexico 1968-10-20 Charles Greene; Mel Pender; Ronnie Ray Smith; Jim Hines 38.2 38.19 United States Munich, West Germany 1972-09-10 Larry Black; Robert Taylor; Gerald Tinker; Eddie Hart
Records since 1977 Key to tables:
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.
The United States relay team's 1972 Olympic gold medal victory time of 38.19 was the fastest recorded result to that time.
TimeTeamNationalityLocationDateRefEventParticipants 38.19 United States Munich, West Germany 1972-09-10 1972 Olympic Games Final Larry Black; Robert Taylor; Gerald Tinker; Eddie Hart 38.03 United States Düsseldorf, West Germany 1977-09-03 1977 IAAF World Cup Bill Collins; Steve Riddick; Cliff Wiley; Steve Williams 37.86 United States Helsinki, Finland 1983-08-10 1983 World Championships Final Emmit King, Willie Gault, Calvin Smith, Carl Lewis 37.83 United States Los Angeles, United States 1984-08-11 1984 Olympic Games Final Sam Graddy; Ron Brown; Calvin Smith; Carl Lewis 37.79 France Split, Yugoslavia 1990-09-01 1990 European Championships Max Morinière; Daniel Sangouma; Jean-Charles Trouabal; Bruno Marie-Rose 37.79 Santa Monica Track Club Monte Carlo, Monaco 1991-08-03 1991 Herculis Michael Marsh; Leroy Burrell; Floyd Heard; Carl Lewis 37.67 United States 1 Zurich, Switzerland 1991-08-07 1991 Weltklasse Zürich Michael Marsh; Leroy Burrell; Dennis Mitchell; Carl Lewis 37.50 United States Tokyo, Japan 1991-09-01 1991 World Championships Final Andre Cason; Leroy Burrell; Dennis Mitchell; Carl Lewis 37.40 United States Barcelona, Spain 1992-08-08 1992 Olympic Games Michael Marsh; Leroy Burrell; Dennis Mitchell; Carl Lewis 37.40 United States Stuttgart, Germany 1993-08-21 1993 World Championships Semi-Final Jon Drummond; Andre Cason; Dennis Mitchell; Leroy Burrell 37.10 Jamaica Beijing, China 2008-08-22 2008 Olympic Games Final Nesta Carter; Michael Frater; Usain Bolt; Asafa Powell 37.31 Jamaica Berlin, Germany 2009-08-22 2009 World Championships Final Steve Mullings; Michael Frater; Usain Bolt; Asafa Powell 37.04 Jamaica Daegu, South Korea 2011-09-04 2011 World Championships Final Nesta Carter; Michael Frater; Yohan Blake; Usain Bolt 36.84 Jamaica London, United Kingdom 2012-08-11 2012 Olympic Games Final Nesta Carter; Michael Frater; Yohan Blake; Usain Bolt
T42-T46/T61–64 Class
The T42-T46 4 × 100 m relay is run by athletes with a disability.
ClassTimeTeamNationalityDateMeetPlaceT42–4742.50Oscar PistoriusArnu FourieZivan SmithSamkelo Radebe17 March 2012Yellow Pages SeriesJohannesburg, South AfricaT42–4741.78Oscar PistoriusArnu FourieZivan SmithSamkelo Radebe5 September 2012Paralympic GamesLondon, United KingdomT42–4740.73Jerome Singleton (T44)Blake Leeper (T43)Jarryd Wallace (T44)Richard Browne (T44)27 July 2013IPC World ChampionshipsLyon, FranceT42–47/T61–6440.52GrollaStrengFloorsRehm1 July 2022Leverkusen, Germany
References