The 4x100 meter relay event for men debuted in
the Olympics in the 1912 Stockholm Summer Games. Thereafter, it has
appeared in all the Olympics. The race is also known as sprint relay
Rules and Regulations
- The baton must be in accordance with the specifications of
the International Association of Athletics Federations or the
IAAF which instructs that the baton must be made of wood. It
must be smooth and hollow tube.
- The sprinters have to stick to their lanes.
- The teams are permitted to have only two athletes as the
substitutes after the race has started.
- The athletes should know the distance that has been covered.
For conveying them this, the track should be marked at every 100
- The region within the track where the baton is passed to
other athlete is called 'take-over zone'. The length of this
zone is 20 meter.
- Entire event is held on the lanes.
- Any athlete is not permitted to walk out of the track at any
time during the race.
- Athletes with two false starts will be disqualified.
- Only IAAF accredited devices can be used for measurement of
- The baton can be passed only in the takeover zone.
- The athletes who try to needlessly obstruct the path of
fellow runners will be disqualified.
- The runners are barred from using gloves or any other thing
which will help grip the baton in a better way.
In this race, the 400 meter track is segregated into four legs, each
of 100 meter length. Four athletes participate in the event from
every team. The sprinters carry a baton as they run their part of
race, and pass to their fellow athlete at the take-over zone. In
short, they have to collectively win the race with the baton.
Top performers in 4x100 meter relay even for men are Carl Lewis,
Emmett Toppino, Hector Dyer, Ralph Metcalfe, Foy Draper, Robert
Taylor, Mark Lewis-Francis, David Jacobs, Henry Macintosh, Victor
d'Arcy, William Applegarth, Charlie Paddock, Jackson Scholz, Maurice
Greene, Brian Lewis, Bernard Williams, Jon Drummond, Loren
Murchison, Barney Ewell, Lorenzo Wright, Harrison Dillard, Mel
Patton, Lindy Remigino, Bobby Joe Morrow, Thane Baker, Armin Hary,
Bob Hayes, Jim Hines, Charles Greene, Morris Kirksey, Louis Clarke,
Frank Hussey, Alfred LeConey, Frank Wykoff, James Quinn, Charles
Borah, Henry Russell, Robert Kiesel,Marlon Devonish, Darren
Campbell, Jason Gardener, and Donovan Bailey.