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The 4 x 400 metres relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 400 metres or 1 lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events the first 500 metres is run in lanes, so start lines are staggered by more than in a 400 metres race. Runners have a 20 m box (usually marked with blue lines) to hand over the baton, which is the responsibility of the outgoing runner due to the fatigue of the incoming runner. Disqualification is rare.
The event is often exciting because a psychological advantage for a chasing runner means that the race lead can change hands frequently. As runners have a rolling start, split times cannot be compared to individual 400 m performances. Internationally, the U.S. men's team has dominated the event, challenged by Jamaica in the 1950s and Great Britain in the 1990s.
Mens Outdoor World Record was set by the USA in Uniondale, NY on 7/22/98 in a time of 2:54.20: Jerome Young (44.3) (8/14/76) Antonio Pettigrew (43.2) (11/3/67) Tyree Washington (43.4) (8/28/76) Michael Johnson (43.3) (9/13/67)
Mens Indoor World Record* was set by the USA in Maebashi, Japan on 3/7/99 in a time of 3:02.83: Andre Morris Dameon Johnson Deon Minor Milton Campbell
Womens Outdoor World Record was set by the USSR in Seoul, Korea on 10/1/88 in a time of 3:15.17: Tatyana Ledovskaya (50.12) (5/21/66) BLR Olga Nazarova II (47.82) (6/1/65) RUS Mariya Pinigina (49.43) (2/9/58) UKR Olga Bryzgina (47.80) (6/30/63) UKR
Womens Indoor World Record was set by Russia in Glasgow, Scotland on 1/27/06 in a time of 3:23.37: Yuliya Gushchina (51.76) (3/4/83) Olga Kotlyarova (50.40) (4/12/76) Olga Zaytseva (51.03) (11/10/84) Olesya Krasnomovets (50.18) (7/8/79)
- Recently a better preformance of 3:01.96 (USA) was annulled because no EPO analysis was performed.
Notable performances
- Herb McKenley (Jamaica) ran a 44.6 split in the Helsinki Olympic final.
- Ron Freeman (USA) ran a 43.2 s split in the Mexico Olympic final.
- Julius Sang (Kenya) ran a 43.6 s split in the Munich Olympic final.
- Michael Johnson (USA) ran a 42.9 s split in the Stuttgart World Championship final.
- Jarmila Kratochvilova ran a 47.8 split in the 1983 Helsinki World Championship final.
- Olga Nazarova and Olga Bryzgina (USSR) both ran a 47.8 split in the Seoul Olympic final.
4 × 400 m Staffel (Leichtathletik) | 4×400 m teatejooks | Staffetta 4x400 m | 1600メートルリレー走 | Sztafeta 4 x 400 m | 4 x 400 metrin viestijuoksu
"4 x 400 metres relay"