4 × 400 metres relay
The 4 × 400 metres relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams consist of four runners who each complete 400 metres or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, the first 500 metres is run in lanes. Start lines are thus staggered over a greater distance than in an individual 400 metres race; the runners then typically move to the inside of the track. The slightly longer 4 × 440 yards relay was a formerly run British and American event, until metrication was completed in the 1970s.
Relay race runners typically carry a relay baton which they must transfer between teammates. Runners have a 20 m box in which to transfer the baton. The first transfer is made within the staggered lane lines; for the second and third transfers, runners typically line up across the track despite the fact that runners are usually running in line on the inside of the track. This prevents confusion and collisions during transfer. Unlike the 4 × 100 m relay, runners in the 4 × 400 typically look back and grasp the baton from the incoming runner, due to the fatigue of the incoming runner, and the wider margins allowed by the longer distance of the race. Consequently, disqualification is rare.
As runners have a running start, split times cannot be compared to individual 400 m performances. Internationally, the U.S. men's team has dominated the event, but have been challenged by Jamaica in the 1950s and Britain in the 1990s. The current men's Olympic champions are from the United States.
According to the IAAF rules, world records in relays can only be set if all team members have the same nationality.
Mixed-gendered 4 × 400 metres relays were introduced at the 2017 IAAF World Relays, with the IAAF first recognizing a world record in that event at the 2019 World Athletics Championships.
Records
Note: The IAAF rescinded a time of 2:54.20 set at Uniondale on 22 July 1998 by the United States on 12 August 2008 after Pettigrew admitted to using human growth hormone and EPO between 1997 and 2003.Note: A time of 3:00.77 by the USC team at the 2018 NCAA Division I Championship was rejected as a record as Benjamin was a citizen of Antigua & Barbuda, and the others are US citizens. US runners Ilolo Izu, Robert Grant, Devin Dixon and Mylik Kerley recorded a 3:01.39 in the same race, which has not yet been ratified.
All-time top 10 by country
Men
- Correct as of August 2019.
Women
- Correct as of August 2019.
Mixed
- Correct as of September 2019.
All-time top 25 fastest
Men
- Correct as of October 2019.
| Rank | Time | Team | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
| 1 | 2:54.29 | Andrew Valmon Quincy Watts Butch Reynolds Michael Johnson | United States | 22 August 1993 | Stuttgart | |
| 2 | 2:55.39 | LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville, Jeremy Wariner | United States | 23 August 2008 | Beijing | |
| 3 | 2:55.56 | LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, Darold Williamson, Jeremy Wariner | United States | 2 September 2007 | Osaka | - |
| 4 | 2:55.74 | Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Michael Johnson, Steve Lewis | United States | 8 August 1992 | Barcelona | |
| 5 | 2:55.91 | Otis Harris, Derrick Brew, Jeremy Wariner, Darold Williamson | United States | 28 August 2004 | Athens | |
| 6 | 2:55.99 | LaMont Smith, Alvin Harrison, Derek Mills, Anthuan Maybank | United States | 3 August 1996 | Atlanta | |
| 7 | 2:56.16 A | Vincent Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James, Lee Evans | United States | 20 October 1968 | Mexico City | |
| 7 | 2:56.16 | Danny Everett, Steve Lewis, Kevin Robinzine, Harry Reynolds | United States | 1 October 1988 | Seoul | |
| 9 | 2:56.60 | Iwan Thomas, Jamie Baulch, Mark Richardson, Roger Black | Great Britain | 3 August 1996 | Atlanta | |
| 10 | 2:56.65 | Iwan Thomas, Roger Black, Jamie Baulch, Mark Richardson | Great Britain | 10 August 1997 | Athens | |
| 11 | 2:56.69 | Fred Kerley Michael Cherry Wilbert London Rai Benjamin | United States | 6 October 2019 | Doha | |
| 12 | 2:56.72 | Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu, Ramon Miller | Bahamas | 10 August 2012 | London | |
| 13 | 2:56.75 | Michael McDonald, Gregory Haughton, Danny McFarlane, Davian Clarke | Jamaica | 10 August 1997 | Athens | |
| 14 | 2:56.91 | Andrew Rock, Derrick Brew, Darold Williamson, Jeremy Wariner | United States | 14 August 2005 | Helsinki | |
| 15 | 2:57.05 | Bryshon Nellum, Joshua Mance, Tony McQuay, Angelo Taylor | United States | 10 August 2012 | London | |
| 16 | 2:57.25 | David Verburg, Tony McQuay, Christian Taylor, LaShawn Merritt | United States | 25 May 2014 | Nassau | |
| 17 | 2:57.29 | Danny Everett, Roddie Haley, Antonio McKay, Harry Reynolds | United States | 6 September 1987 | Rome | |
| 18 | 2:57.30 | Arman Hall, Tony McQuay, Gil Roberts, LaShawn Merritt | United States | 20 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |
| 19 | 2:57.32 | Marlon Ramsey, Derek Mills, Harry Reynolds, Michael Johnson | United States | 13 August 1995 | Gothenburg | |
| 19 | 2:57.32 | Nathaniel McKinney, Avard Moncur, Andrae Williams, Chris Brown | Bahamas | 14 August 2005 | Helsinki | |
| 21 | 2:57.53 | Roger Black, Derek Redmond, John Regis, Kriss Akabusi | Great Britain | 1 September 1991 | Tokyo | |
| 22 | 2:57.57 | Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Danny Everett, Antonio Pettigrew | United States | 1 September 1991 | Tokyo | |
| 23 | 2:57.59 | LaToy Williams, Demetrius Pinder, Chris Brown, Michael Mathieu | Bahamas | 25 May 2014 | Nassau | |
| 24 | 2:57.82 | David Verburg, Tony McQuay, Bryshon Nellum, LaShawn Merritt | United States | 30 August 2015 | Beijing | |
| 25 | 2:57.86 | Angelo Taylor, Jeremy Wariner, Kerron Clement, LaShawn Merritt | United States | 23 August 2009 | Berlin |
Women
- Correct as of October 2019.
| Rank | Time | Team | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
| 1 | 3:15.17 | Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olha Bryzhina | Soviet Union | 1 October 1988 | Seoul | |
| 2 | 3:15.51 | Denean Howard-Hill, Diane Dixon, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, Florence Griffith-Joyner | United States | 1 October 1988 | Seoul | |
| 3 | 3:15.92 | Gesine Walther, Sabine Busch, Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Marita Koch | German Democratic Republic | 3 June 1984 | Erfurt | |
| 4 | 3:16.71 | Gwen Torrence, Maicel Malone-Wallace, Natasha Kaiser-Brown, Jearl Miles-Clark | United States | 22 August 1993 | Stuttgart | |
| 5 | 3:16.87 | Kirsten Emmelmann, Sabine Busch, Petra Müller, Marita Koch | German Democratic Republic | 31 August 1986 | Stuttgart | |
| 5 | 3:16.87 | Deedee Trotter, Allyson Felix, Francena McCorory, Sanya Richards-Ross | United States | 11 August 2012 | London | |
| 7 | 3:17.83 | Debbie Dunn, Allyson Felix, Lashinda Demus, Sanya Richards-Ross | United States | 23 August 2009 | Berlin | |
| 8 | 3:18.09 | Sanya Richards-Ross, Allyson Felix, Jessica Beard, Francena McCorory | United States | 3 September 2011 | Daegu | |
| 9 | 3:18.29 | Lillie Leatherwood, Sherri Howard, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, Chandra Cheeseborough | United States | 11 August 1984 | Los Angeles | |
| 9 | 3:18.29 | Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Kirsten Emmelmann, Sabine Busch, Petra Müller | German Democratic Republic | 1 October 1988 | Seoul | |
| 11 | 3:18.38 | Yelena Ruzina, Tatyana Alekseyeva, Margarita Khromova-Ponomaryova, Irina Privalova | Russia | 22 August 1993 | Stuttgart | |
| 12 | 3:18.43 | Tatyana Ledovskaya, Lyudmila Dzhigalova, Olga Nazarova, Olha Bryzhina | USSR | 1 September 1991 | Tokyo | |
| 13 | 3:18.54 | Mary Wineberg, Allyson Felix, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards-Ross | United States | 23 August 2008 | Beijing | |
| 14 | 3:18.55 | Deedee Trotter, Allyson Felix, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards-Ross | United States | 2 September 2007 | Osaka | |
| 15 | 3:18.58 | Irina Nazarova, Nadiya Olizarenko, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Vladykina | USSR | 18 August 1985 | Moscow | |
| 16 | 3:18.63 | Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Kirsten Emmelmann, Petra Müller, Sabine Busch | German Democratic Republic | 6 September 1987 | Rome | |
| 17 | 3:18.71 | Rosemarie Whyte, Davita Prendergast, Novlene Williams-Mills, Shericka Williams | Jamaica | 3 September 2011 | Deagu | |
| 18 | 3:18.92 | Phyllis Francis Sydney McLaughlin Dalilah Muhammad Wadeline Jonathas | United States | 6 October 2019 | Doha | |
| 19 | 3:19.01 | Deedee Trotter, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards-Ross, Monique Hennagan | United States | 28 August 2004 | Athens | |
| 20 | 3:19.02 | Quanera Hayes, Allyson Felix, Shakima Wimbley, Phyllis Francis | United States | 13 August 2017 | London | |
| 21 | 3:19.04 | Kirsten Emmelmann, Sabine Busch, Dagmar Rübsam-Neubauer, Marita Koch | German Democratic Republic | 11 September 1982 | Athens | |
| 21 | 3:19.04 | Courtney Okolo, Natasha Hastings, Phyllis Francis, Allyson Felix | United States | 20 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |
| 23 | 3:19.12 | Irina Baskakova, Irina Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Vladykina | USSR | 18 August 1984 | Praha | |
| 24 | 3:19.13 | Christine Day, Shericka Jackson, Stephenie Ann McPherson, Novlene Williams-Mills | Jamaica | 30 August 2015 | Beijing | |
| 25 | 3:19.23 | Doris Maletzki, Briggite Köhn, Ellen Streidt, Christina Lathan | German Democratic Republic | 31 July 1976 | Montreal |
Mixed
- Correct as of September 2019.
| Rank | Time | Team | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
| 1 | 3:09.34 | Wilbert London Allyson Felix Courtney Okolo Michael Cherry | United States | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 2 | 3:11.78 | Nathon Allen Roneisha McGregor Tiffany James Javon Francis | Jamaica | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 3 | 3:11.82 | Musa Isah Aminat Yusuf Jamal Salwa Eid Naser Abbas Abubakar Abbas | Bahrain | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 4 | 3:12.27 | Rabah Yousif Zoey Clark Emily Diamond Martyn Rooney | Great Britain | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 5 | 3:12.33 | Wiktor Suwara Rafał Omelko Iga Baumgart-Witan Justyna Święty-Ersetic | Poland | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 6 | 3:12.42 | Tyrell Richard Jessica Beard Jasmine Blocker Obi Igbokwe | United States | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 7 | 3:12.73 | Nathon Allen Janieve Russell Roneisha McGregor Javon Francis | Jamaica | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 8 | 3:12.74 | Musa Isah Aminat Yusuf Jamal Salwa Eid Naser Abbas Abubakar Abbas | Bahrain | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 9 | 3:12.80 | Rabah Yousif Zoey Clark Emily Diamond Martyn Rooney | Great Britain | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 10 | 3:14.22 | Dylan Borlée Hanne Claes Camille Laus Kevin Borlée | Belgium | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 11 | 3:15.46 | Kajetan Duszyński Patrycja Wyciszkiewicz Justyna Święty-Ersetic Karol Zalewski | Poland | 11 May 2019 | Yokohama | |
| 12 | 3:15.77 | Muhammed Anas V. K. Vismaya Jisna Mathew Noah Nirmal Tom | India | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 13 | 3:16.01 | Brionna Thomas My'Lik Kerley Olivia Baker Dontavius Wright | United States | 11 May 2019 | Yokohama | |
| 14 | 3:16.12 | Davide Re Giancarla Trevisan Andrew Howe Raphaela Lukudo | Italy | 11 May 2019 | Yokohama | |
| 15 | 3:16.22 | Lucas Carvalho Tiffani Marinho Geisa Coutinho Alexander Russo | Brazil | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 16 | 3:16.43 | My'Lik Kerley Joanna Atkins Jasmine Blocker Dontavius Wright | United States | 12 May 2019 | Yokohama | |
| 17 | 3:16.52 | Edoardo Scotti Giancarla Trevisan Raphaela Lukudo Brayan Lopez | Italy | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 18 | 3:16.76 | Austin Cole Aiyanna Stiverne Alicia Brown Philip Osei | Canada | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 19 | 3:16.78 | Austin Cole Aiyanna Stiverne Madeline Price Philip Osei | Canada | 11 May 2019 | Yokohama | |
| 20 | 3:16.85 | Tobias Lange Laura Müller Nadine Gonska Torben Junker | Germany | 11 May 2019 | Yokohama | |
| 21 | 3:16.90 | Jared Nyambweke Momanyi Maureen Nyatichi Thomas Hellen Syombua Aron Koech | Kenya | 11 May 2019 | Yokohama | |
| 22 | 3:17.05 | Kateryna Klymiuk Anastasiia Bryzgina Danylo Danylenko Vitaliy Butrym | Ukraine | 22 June 2018 | Minsk | |
| 23 | 3:17.17 | Mame-Ibra Anne Amandine Brossier Agnès Raharolahy Thomas Jordier | France | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 24 | 3:17.50 | Danylo Danylenko Tetyana Melnyk Kateryna Klymiuk Oleksiy Pozdnyakov | Ukraine | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 25 | 3:18.01 | Jan Tesar Lada Vondrová Tereza Petržilková Patrik Šorm | Czech Republic | 28 September 2019 | Doha |
Olympic medalists
Men
Women
World Championship medalists
Men
Women
European Championship medalists
World Indoor Championships medalists
Men
Women
Note * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.Notable splits
Men
- Herb McKenley ran a 44.6 split in the 1952 Helsinki Olympic final.
- Ron Freeman ran a 43.2 split in the 1968 Mexico Olympic final.
- Julius Sang ran a 43.6 split in the 1972 Munich Olympic final.
- Alberto Juantorena ran a 43.7 split in the 1977 IAAF World Cup event as part of the Americas team.
- Quincy Watts ran a 43.1 split and Steve Lewis ran a 43.4 split in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic final.
- Butch Reynolds ran a 43.23 split and Michael Johnson ran a 42.91 split in the 1993 Stuttgart World Championship final; the USA team's final time of 2:54.29 is the current world record.
- Mark Richardson ran a 43.57 split and Davian Clarke ran a 43.51 split in the 1997 Athens World Championship final.
- Jeremy Wariner ran a 43.10 split in the 2007 Osaka World Championship final.
- Jeremy Wariner ran a 43.18 split in the 2008 Beijing Olympic final.
- Michael Norman ran a 43.06 split in the 2018 NCAA West Preliminaries final.
Women
- Jarmila Kratochvílová ran a 47.6 split in the 1982 Athens European Championship final, a 47.75 split in the 1983 Helsinki World Championship final, and a 47.9 split in the 1983 Europa Cup in London.
- Marita Koch ran a 47.70 split in Erfurt 1984, a 47.9 split in the 1982 European Championship final, and a 47.9 split at the 1985 Canberra World Cup.
- Allyson Felix ran a 47.72 split in the 2015 Beijing World Championships final, a 48.01 split in the 2007 Osaka World Championships final, and a 48.20 split in the 2012 London Olympic final.
- Olga Nazarova and Olga Bryzgina both ran a 47.80 split in the 1988 Seoul Olympic final; the Soviet team's final time of 3:15.17 is the current world record.
- Florence Griffith-Joyner ran a 48.08 split in the 1988 Seoul Olympic final.