The 4 × 200 metres relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 200 metres or half a lap on a standard 400 metre track. The event is a world record eligible event, but is not a standard event at most professional or collegiate track meets, mainly being found at the high school level, though certain leagues regularly conduct this event as part of their program.

Description There are multiple formats under which the race can be conducted.

If the track is marked for a four-turn stagger format, the runners can stay in their lanes throughout the race. In this case the outer lanes could appear to start 2/3 of the way through the first turn. The markings for such a special zone should be colored red, though many tracks deviate from the standard marking colors. On a conventionally marked track, the race can be run starting at the normal 400 metre (and 4 × 100 m relay) start line. As a two-turn stagger, the first exchange would take place in the standard second passing zone of the 4 × 100 m relay, the second pass taking place in the normal (lane one, extended) 4 × 400 m relay zone. After that exchange, the runner would break into lane one and make a third exchange in lane one of the second standard 4 × 100 m relay zone. Indoors, the event is popular because each leg is one lap of a standard 200 m indoor track.

The imperial distance analogue to the event is the 4 × 220 yards relay, contested at a total of which is slightly longer than the 800 m metric distance. It was contested at the AIAW Indoor Track and Field Championships and other American and British meets until the switch to metric in the 1980s.

World record

The men's world record was set in 2014 at the inaugural IAAF World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas. The record was set by a Jamaican team consisting of Nickel Ashmeade, Warren Weir, Jermaine Brown and Yohan Blake in a time of 1:18.63. The women's world record is 1:27.46, set by a squad called Team USA "Blue" LaTasha Jenkins, LaTasha Colander-Richardson, Nanceen Perry, and Marion Jones on April 29, 2000, at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

European record

Men Italy: 1:21.10 (Stefano Tilli, Carlo Simionato, Giovanni Bongiorni, Pietro Mennea), Cagliari 29 September 1983 Women East Germany: 1:28.15 (Marlies Göhr, Romy Schneider-Müller, Bärbel Eckert-Wöckel, Marita Koch, Jena 9 August 1980

All-time top 25 Men Updated March 2020. RankTimeTeamNationDatePlace11:18.63Nickel Ashmeade, Warren Weir, Jermaine Brown, Yohan Blake24 May 2014Nassau21:18.68Santa Monica Track ClubMichael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard, Carl Lewis17 April 1994Walnut 31:19.10World All StarsJon DrummondDennis MitchellBryan BridgewaterJohn Regis17 April 1994Walnut41:19.11Santa Monica Track ClubMichael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard, Carl Lewis25 April 1992Philadelphia51:19.20Gavin Smellie, Brendon Rodney, Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown2 April 2016Gainesville61:19.38Santa Monica Track ClubDanny Everett, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard, Carl Lewis23 August 1989Koblenz7 1:19.39 Jon Drummond, Shawn Crawford, Bernard Williams, Maurice Greene28 April 2001Philadelphia81:19.42Gavin Smellie, Brendon Rodney, Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown23 April 2017Nassau9 1:19.45 Santa Monica Track ClubJoe DeLoach, Leroy Burrell, Carl Lewis, Floyd Heard27 April 1991Philadelphia10 1:19.47 Kenny Brokenburr, Alvin Harrison, Maurice Greene, Michael Johnson24 April 1999Philadelphia111:19.62Shawn Crawford, Mickey Grimes, Darvis Patton, Justin Gatlin24 April 2004Philadelphia121:19.67Texas Christian UniversityLindel FraterRicardo WilliamsDarvis PattonKim Collins29 April 2000Philadelphia131:19.71Texas Christian UniversityLindel FraterSteve SlowlyDarvis PattonKim Collins27 April 2001Philadelphia141:19.73Christopher Belcher, Bryce Robinson, Vernon Norwood, Remontay McClain12 May 2019Yokohama151:19.85Nike InternationalMaurice Greene, Allen Johnson, Alvin Harrison, Michael Johnson25 April 1998Philadelphia161:19.88Austin All-StarsObadele ThompsonRodrigue NordinVincent HendersonRohsaan Griffin3 April 1999AustinNoah Lyles, Jarrion Lawson, Isiah Young, Ameer Webb23 April 2017Nassau181:19.91Hudson Smith InternationalCurtis PerryJon DrummondAto BoldonMaurice Greene3 April 1999AustinBolade Ajomale, Brendon Rodney, Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown1 April 2017Gainesville201:19.92Nike InternationalKenny Brokenburr, Bryan Howard, Rohsaan Griffin, Maurice Greene29 April 2000Philadelphia211:19.99Texas Christian UniversityLindel FraterSteve SlowlyDarvis PattonKim Collins28 April 2001Philadelphia221:20.07University of Technology JamaicaDantago GurirabJulian ForteAndrew FisherRonald Levy26 April 2014Philadelphia231:20.12Christopher Belcher, Bryce Robinson, Vernon Norwood, Remontay McClain12 May 2019Yokohama241:20.15Rasheed Dwyer, Jermaine Brown, Jason Livermore, Warren Weir24 May 2014Nassau251:20.17Gavin Smellie, Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney, Andre De Grasse30 Mar 2019Gainesville

A USA team of Shawn Crawford, Ramon Clay, Darvis Patton and Justin Gatlin ran 1:19.16 at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia on 26 April 2003 but the performance was annulled due to the use of performance enhancing drugs by Ramon Clay

Women Updated April 2024. RankTimeTeamNationDatePlace11:27.05Team InternationalDina Asher-SmithRhasidat AdelekeLanae-Tava ThomasJulien Alfred30 March 2024Austin21:27.46LaTasha JenkinsLaTasha Colander-RichardsonNanceen PerryMarion Jones29 April 2000Philadelphia31:28.05University of TexasRhasidat AdelekeJulien AlfredKevona DavisLanae Thomas1 April 2023Austin41:28.15Marlies GöhrRomy Schneider-MüllerBärbel Eckert-WöckelMarita Koch9 August 1980Jena51:28.77Tumbleweed Track ClubDesiree HenryAnyika OnuoraTianna BartolettaDafne Schippers1 April 2017GainesvillePure AthleticsKelly Ann BaptisteShakima WimbleyTori BowieSamantha Henry-Robinson31 March 2018Gainesville71:28.78University of OregonMakenzie Dunmore, Hannah Cunliffe, Deajah Stevens, Ariana Washington1 April 2017Gainesville81:29.03University of TexasRhasidat AdelekeKynnedy FlannelJulien AlfredKevona Davis26 March 2022Austin91:29.04Jura Levy, Shericka Jackson, Shashalee Forbes, Elaine Thompson22 April 2017Nassau101:29.25Pure AthleticsKelly Ann BaptisteShakima WimbleyDesirèe HenryShaunae Miller-Uibo30 March 2019Gainesville111:29.42Texas A&M UniversityJeneba Tarmoh, Gabby Mayo, Jessica Beard, Porscha Lucas24 April 2010Philadelphia121:29.45Shalonda Solomon, Tawanna Meadows, Bianca Knight, Kimberlyn Duncan 25 May 2014Nassau131:29.61 Desiree Henry, Anyika Onuora, Bianca Williams, Asha Philip25 May 2014Nassau141:29.64Nike InternationalTameka Roberts, Inger Miller, Nicole Green, Marion Jones25 April 1998Philadelphia151:29.71 Pure AthleticsHanna-Maari LatvalaShaunae MillerKelly Ann BaptisteTori Bowie1 April 2017Gainesville161:29.78Louisiana State UniversityNadia DavyMonique HallStephanie DurstMuna Lee26 April 2003Philadelphia171:29.86 Empire AthleticsShalonda Solomon, Francena McCorory, Charonda Williams, Felicia Brown1 April 2017Gainesville181:29.89Texas A&M UniversityDiamond SpauldingBrenessa ThompsonJaevin ReedDanyel White1 April 2017Austin191:29.96Texas A&M UniversityLaKeidra Stewart, Ashley Collier, Jessica Beard, Dominique Duncan30 April 2011Philadelphia201:29.98Texas A&M UniversityAshton Purvis, Ashley Collier, Olivia Ekpone, Kamaria Brown27 April 2013Philadelphia211:30.01Angela Daigle, Debbie Dunn, Julian Clay, Shaunta Pelham24 April 2004PhiladelphiaLouisiana State UniversityCassandra TateSemoy HackettRebecca AlexanderKimberlyn Duncan31 March 2012Austin231:30.04Simone Facey, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Anneisha McLaughlin, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce25 May 2014Nassau241:30.07Louisiana State UniversityNadia DavyMonique HallStephanie DurstMuna Lee5 April 2003Austin251:30.20Nike InternationalCelena Mondie-Milner, Nicole Green, Chryste Gaines, Inger Miller26 April 1997Philadelphia

Notes

References

External links IAAF list of 4x200-metres-relay records in XML