Men's 4 × 100 metres relay world record progression


The first world record in the 4 x 100 metres relay for men was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation, now known as the International Association of Athletics Federations, 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 x 100 metre relay, as ratified by the IAAF. "y" denotes time for 4 x 110 yards, ratified as a record for this event.

Records 1912-1976

TimeAutoTeamNationalityLocation of raceDateParticipants
42.3GermanyStockholm, Sweden1912-07-08Otto Röhr; Max Herrmann; Erwin Kern; Richard Rau
42.2United StatesAntwerp, Belgium1920-08-22Jackson Scholz; Loren Murchison; Morris Kirksey; Charley Paddock
42.0Great BritainParis, France1924-07-12Harold Abrahams; Walter Rangeley; Lancelot Royle; Wilfred Nichol
42.0NetherlandsParis, France1924-07-12Jaap Boot; Harry Broos; Jan de Vries; Rinus van den Berge
41.0United StatesParis, France1924-07-13Frank Hussey; Louis Clarke; Loren Murchison; Alfred LeConey
41.0yNewark A.C. Lincoln, Nebraska, USA1927-07-04Chester Bowman; John Currie; James Pappas; Henry Cummings
41.0Eintracht FrankfurtHalle, Germany1928-06-10Ernst Geerling; Friedrich-Wilhelm Wichmann; Adolf Metzner; Hans Salz
41.0United StatesAmsterdam, Netherlands1928-08-05Frank Wykoff; James Quinn; Charles Borah; Henry Russell
41.0GermanyBerlin, Germany1928-09-02Arthur Jonath; Richard Corts; Hubert Houben; Helmut Körnig
40.8S.C. CharlottenburgBreslau, Germany1929-07-22Helmut Körnig; Wilhelm Grosser; Alex Natan; Hermann Schlöske
40.8yUniversity of Southern CaliforniaFresno, USA1931-05-09Roy Delby; Milton Maurer; Maurice Guyer; Frank Wykoff
40.6GermanyKassel, Germany1932-06-14Helmut Körnig; Georg Lammers; Erich Borchmeyer; Arthur Jonath
40.040.10United StatesLos Angeles, USA1932-08-07Bob Kiesel; Emmett Toppino; Hector Dyer; Frank Wykoff
39.8United StatesBerlin, Germany1936-08-09Jesse Owens; Ralph Metcalfe; Foy Draper; Frank Wykoff
39.539.60United StatesMelbourne, Australia1956-12-01Ira Murchison; Leamon King; Thane Baker; Bobby Morrow
39.5Federal Republic of GermanyCologne, Germany1958-08-29Manfred Steinbach; Martin Lauer; Heinz Fütterer; Manfred Germar
39.539.61Unified Team of GermanyRome, Italy1960-09-07Bernd Cullmann; Armin Hary; Walter Mahlendorf; Martin Lauer
39.539.66Unified Team of GermanyRome, Italy1960-09-08Bernd Cullmann; Armin Hary; Walter Mahlendorf; Martin Lauer
39.1United StatesMoscow, USSR1961-07-15Hayes Jones; Frank Budd; Charles Frazier; Paul Drayton
39.039.06United StatesTokyo, Japan1964-10-21Paul Drayton; Gerry Ashworth; Richard Stebbins; Bob Hayes
38.6yUniversity of Southern CaliforniaProvo, USA1967-06-17Earl McCullouch; Fred Kuller; O. J. Simpson; Lennox Miller
38.638.65JamaicaMexico City, Mexico1968-10-19Errol Stewart; Michael Fray; Clifton Forbes; Lennox Miller
38.338.39JamaicaMexico City, Mexico1968-10-19Errol Stewart; Michael Fray; Clifton Forbes; Lennox Miller
38.238.24United StatesMexico City, Mexico1968-10-20Charles Greene; Mel Pender; Ronnie Ray Smith; Jim Hines
38.238.19United StatesMunich, Germany1972-09-10Larry Black; Robert Taylor; Gerald Tinker; Eddie Hart

Records since 1977

Key to tables:
From 1975 onwards, the IAAF 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
38.19United StatesMunich, Germany1972-09-101972 Munich Summer Olympics FinalLarry Black; Robert Taylor; Gerald Tinker; Eddie Hart
38.03United StatesDüsseldorf, Germany1977-09-031977 IAAF World CupBill Collins; Steve Riddick; Cliff Wiley; Steve Williams
37.86United StatesHelsinki, Finland1983-08-101983 World Championships FinalEmmit King, Willie Gault, Calvin Smith, Carl Lewis
37.83United StatesLos Angeles, USA1984-08-111984 Los Angeles Olympics FinalSam Graddy; Ron Brown; Calvin Smith; Carl Lewis
37.79FranceSplit, Yugoslavia 1990-09-011990 European ChampionshipsMax Morinière; Daniel Sangouma; Jean-Charles Trouabal; Bruno Marie-Rose
37.79Santa Monica Track ClubMonte Carlo, Monaco1991-08-03Michael Marsh; Leroy Burrell; Floyd Heard; Carl Lewis
37.67United States 1Zürich, Switzerland1991-08-071991 Weltklasse Zurich meetMichael Marsh; Leroy Burrell; Dennis Mitchell; Carl Lewis
37.50United StatesTokyo, Japan1991-09-011991 World Championships FinalAndre Cason; Leroy Burrell; Dennis Mitchell; Carl Lewis
37.40United StatesBarcelona, Spain1992-08-081992 Barcelona OlympicsMichael Marsh; Leroy Burrell; Dennis Mitchell; Carl Lewis
37.40United StatesStuttgart, Germany1993-08-211993 World Championships Semi-FinalJon Drummond; Andre Cason; Dennis Mitchell; Leroy Burrell
37.10JamaicaBeijing, China2008-08-222008 Olympics FinalNesta Carter; Michael Frater; Usain Bolt; Asafa Powell
37.31JamaicaBerlin, Germany2009-08-222009 World Championships FinalSteve Mullings; Michael Frater; Usain Bolt; Asafa Powell
37.04JamaicaDaegu, Korea2011-09-042011 World Championships FinalNesta Carter; Michael Frater; Yohan Blake; Usain Bolt
36.84JamaicaLondon, United Kingdom2012-08-112012 Olympics FinalNesta Carter; Michael Frater; Yohan Blake; Usain Bolt

T42-T46 Class

The T42-T46 4 × 100 m relay is run by athletes with a disability.
TimeTeamNationalityLocationDateRefEventParticipants
42.50South AfricaJohannesburg, South Africa2012-03-17Yellow Pages SeriesOscar Pistorius; Arnu Fourie; Zivan Smith; Samkelo Radebe
41.78South AfricaLondon, England2012-09-052012 ParalympicsOscar Pistorius; Arnu Fourie; Zivan Smith; Samkelo Radebe