The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners must begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race. Each runner carries a relay baton. Before 2018, the baton had to be passed within a 20 m changeover box, preceded by a 10-metre acceleration zone. With a rule change effective November 1, 2017, that zone was modified to include the acceleration zone as part of the passing zone, making the entire zone 30 metres in length. The outgoing runner cannot touch the baton until it has entered the zone, and the incoming runner cannot touch it after it has left the zone. The zone is usually marked in yellow, frequently using lines, triangles or chevrons. While the rule book specifies the exact positioning of the marks, the colours and style are only "recommended". While most legacy tracks will still have the older markings, the rule change still uses existing marks. Not all governing body jurisdictions have adopted the rule change.
The transfer of the baton in this race is typically blind. The outgoing runner reaches a straight arm backwards when entering the changeover box or when the incoming runner makes a verbal signal. The outgoing runner does not look back, and it is the responsibility of the incoming runner to thrust the baton into the outstretched hand and not let go until the outgoing runner takes hold of it without crossing the changeover box and stops after the baton is exchanged. Runners on the first and third legs typically run on the inside of the lane with the baton in their right hand, while runners on the second and fourth legs take the baton in their left. Polished handovers can compensate for lack of basic speed to some extent, and disqualification for dropping the baton or failing to transfer it within the box is common, even at the highest level. Relay times are typically 2–3 seconds faster than the sum of best times of individual runners.
The United States men and women historically dominated this event through the 20th century, winning Olympic gold medals and the most IAAF/World Athletics championships. Carl Lewis ran the anchor leg on U.S. relay teams that set six world records from 1983 to 1992, including the first team to break 38 seconds.
The current men's world record stands at 36.84, set by the Jamaican team at the final of the 2012 London Olympic Games on 11 August 2012. As the only team to break 37 seconds to date, Jamaica has been the dominant team in the sport, winning two consecutive Olympic Gold Medals and four consecutive World Championships. The Jamaican team also set the previous record of 37.04 seconds at the 2011 World Championships.
The fastest electronically timed anchor leg run is 8.65 seconds by Usain Bolt at the 2015 IAAF World Relays, while Bob Hayes was hand-timed as running 8.7 seconds on a cinder track in the 1964 Tokyo Games Final. The Tokyo Games also had electronic timing. High-speed modern video analysis shows his time to be a more realistic 8.95-9.0 seconds in the final, a much more consistent time relative to his Fully Automatic Timing 10.06 s 100 m world record and more in line with the usual +0.25 s-0.3 s hand time to FAT conversion.
The women's world record stands at 40.82 seconds, set by the United States in 2012 at the London Olympics. The fastest anchor leg run by a woman was run by Christine Arron of France, timed unofficially at 9.67 s.
According to the IAAF rules, world records in relays can only be set if all team members have the same nationality.
History
From the beginnings to the first official world record
If on the European continent the metric system is the one almost exclusively used (4 × 100 metres, or a lap of 400 m), where the imperial system is still used (UK, USA and Australia, mainly) this relay was rather ran over the distance of 4 × 110 yards, a total of 402.34 m, and that, until the late 1960s. The runway at Hayward Field was shortened to 400 m only in 1987.
Paradoxically, the first race recognized as certain, without however being an official world record, dates back to 1897, shortly after the creation, on 8 May, of the Česká amatérská atletická unie (ČAAU). On June 26 of that year, during Sparta's 5th match in Prague, the organizing team, AC Sparta Praha, defeated MAC Budapest, in 48 1/5 seconds.
Unlike the "long" 4 × 400 m relay, whose origins are clearly American, because it derives from the 4 × 440 yards, the 4 × 100 m relay is therefore of European origin. The Scandinavians, in particular, have introduced this new specialty into their programmes, in the hope of being able to play a decisive role in it.
Before World War I, this foundation period of the relay was gradually enhanced by various German or Swedish teams (such as AIK Stockholm), until the semi-finals of the Stockholm Olympic Games (1912) where this event made its Olympic appearance:
- in the 1st semi-final, the Great Britain team (consisting of David Jacobs, Henry Macintosh, Victor d'Arcy, and William Applegarth) reached 43 seconds 0 tenths (43 s) for the first time, behind the Americans who had finished in 42 seconds 5 , but who were disqualified for passing the baton out of the area;
- in the second semifinal, the Swedish team (Ivan Möller, Charles Luther, Ture Person and Knut Lindberg) took this record to 42 s 5, ahead of Hungary in 42 s 9.
These two runs have not been recognized by the IAAF as the first world records, despite their official nature. The first officially recognized world record for the fast relay is that of the German team, which on 8 July 1912, during the 3rd semifinal, runs in 42 seconds 3 tenths. The team consisted of Otto Röhr, Max Herrmann, Erwin Kern, and Richard Rau. In the final Great Britain, despite having finished second again, behind the favorites and the new world record holders, still won the gold medal, due to the loss of the German baton. Sweden is second in 42 s 6. The bronze medal is not awarded, because the Americans, still clumsy in passing the baton, were also downgraded. The German record in the semifinal (42"3) will remain the best result of the year. In 1913 it will be recognized by the newly formed IAAF as the first official world record of the specialty.
After this first Olympic event, in addition to the 4 × 400 m relay, the 4 × 100 m relay established itself as a classic Olympic event and will always remain on the programme, first for men, then extended to women. The two relays undergo little transformation over time. However, since 1926, the baton bearer has to remain in the baton transmission area, which is 20 m long. It wasn't until 1963 that the rules were relaxed: a 10 m run-up zone, before this zone, allowed him to better tackle the run-up.
Area records
- Updated 22 May 2026.
{| class="wikitable defaultleft col3center col7center"
|-
!scope="rowgroup" rowspan=2| Area
!scope="colgroup" colspan=4| Men
!scope="colgroup" colspan=4| Women
|-
!scope="col"| Time<br>(s)
!scope="col"| Season
!scope="col"| Athletes
!scope="col"| Team
!scope="col"| Time<br>(s)
!scope="col"| Season
!scope="col"| Athletes
!scope="col"| Team
|-
!scope="row"| World
| 36.84 || 2012 || Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt ||
| 40.82 || 2012 || Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter ||
|-
!colspan=9| Area records
|-
!scope="row"| Africa
| 37.49 || 2026 || Mvuyo Moss, Cheswill Johnson, Bradley Nkoana, Akani Simbine ||
| 41.90 || 2023 || Murielle Ahouré-Demps, Marie-Josée Ta Lou, Jessika Gbai, Maboundou Koné ||
|-
!scope="row"| Asia
| 37.43 || 2019 || Shuhei Tada, Kirara Shiraishi, Yoshihide Kiryū, Abdul Hakim Sani Brown ||
| 42.23 || 1997 || Xiao Lin, Li Yali, Liu Xiaomei, Li Xuemei || Sichuan<br><small>()</small>
|-
!scope="row"| Europe
| 37.36 || 2019 || Adam Gemili, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake ||
| 41.37 || 1985 || Silke Möller, Sabine Rieger, Ingrid Auerswald-Lange, Marlies Göhr ||
|-
!scope="row"| North, Central America<br>and Caribbean
| 36.84 || 2012 || Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt ||
| 40.82 || 2012 || Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter ||
|-
!scope="rowgroup" rowspan=2| Oceania
|rowspan=2| 37.87 || 2025 || Lachlan Kennedy, Joshua Azzopardi, Christopher Ius, Calab Law ||rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2| 42.48 ||rowspan=2| 2024 ||rowspan=2| Ella Connolly, Bree Masters, Kristie Edwards, Torrie Lewis ||rowspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"| 2026 || Lachlan Kennedy, Joshua Azzopardi, Christopher Ius, Rohan Browning
|-
!scope="row"| South America
| 37.72 || 2019 || Rodrigo do Nascimento, Vitor Hugo dos Santos, Derick Silva, Paulo André de Oliveira ||
| 42.29 || 2013 || Evelyn dos Santos, Ana Cláudia Lemos, Franciela Krasucki, Rosângela Santos ||
|}
All-time top 10 by country
Key to tables:
<br />
<small>X = annulled due to doping violation</small>
Men
- Updated May 2026
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:95%;"
!Rank
!Time
!Team
!Nation
!Date
!Place
!Ref
|-
!1
|36.84
|Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt
|
|11 August 2012
|London
|
|-
!rowspan=3|2
|-style="background:pink"
|37.04 X
|Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, Ryan Bailey
|
|11 August 2012
|London
|
|-
|37.10
|Christian Coleman, Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers, Noah Lyles
|
|5 October 2019
|Doha
|
|-
!3
|37.36
|Adam Gemili, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake
|
|5 October 2019
|Doha
|
|-
!6
|37.49
|Bayanda Walaza, Shaun Maswanganyi, Bradley Nkoana, Akani Simbine
|
|3 May 2026
|Gaborone
|
|-
!7
|37.50
|Lorenzo Patta, Marcell Jacobs, Fausto Desalu, Filippo Tortu
|
|6 August 2021
|Tokyo
|
|-
!8
|37.62
|Darrel Brown, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callander, Richard Thompson
|
|22 August 2009
|Berlin
|
|-
!9
|37.67
| align="left" |Kevin Kranz, Marvin Schulte, Owen Ansah, Lucas Ansah-Peprah
|
|2 May 2026
|Gaborone
|
|-
!10
|37.72
|Rodrigo do Nascimento, Vitor Hugo dos Santos, Derick Silva, Paulo André de Oliveira
|
|5 October 2019
|Doha
|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:95%;"
!Rank
!Time
!Team
!Nation
!Date
!Place
!Ref
|-
!1
|40.82
|Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter
|
|10 August 2012
|London
|
|-
!2
|41.02
|Briana Williams, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson
|
|6 August 2021
|Tokyo
|
|-
!3
|41.37
|Silke Gladisch-Möller, Sabine Rieger-Günther, Ingrid Auerswald-Lange, Marlies Göhr
|
|6 October 1985
|Canberra
|
|-
!4
|41.49
|Olga Bogoslovskaya, Galina Malchugina, Natalya Voronova, Irina Privalova
|
|22 August 1993
|Stuttgart
|
|-
!rowspan=2|5
|rowspan=2|41.55
|Asha Philip, Imani Lansiquot, Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita
| rowspan="2" |
|5 August 2021
|Tokyo
|
|-
|Dina Asher-Smith, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt, Daryll Neita
|20 July 2024
|London
|
|-
!6
|41.62
|Tatjana Pinto, Lisa Mayer, Gina Lückenkemper, Rebekka Haase
|
| 29 July 2016
| Mannheim
|
|-
!7
|41.78
|Patricia Girard, Muriel Hurtis-Houairi, Sylviane Félix, Christine Arron
|
| 30 August 2003
| Paris
|
|-
!8
|41.90
|Murielle Ahouré-Demps, Marie-Josée Ta Lou, Jessika Gbai, Maboundou Koné
|
|25 August 2023
|Budapest
|
|-
!9
|41.92
|Savatheda Fynes, Chandra Sturrup, Pauline Davis-Thompson, Debbie Ferguson
|
| 29 August 1999
| Sevilla
|
|-
!10
|42.00
|Antonina Pobyubko, Natalya Voronova, Marina Zhirova, Elvira Barbashina
|
| 17 August 1985
| Moscow
|
|}
All-time top 25
Men
- Updated September 2025
|-
|37.10
|Christian Coleman<br />Justin Gatlin<br />Michael Rodgers<br />Noah Lyles
|
|5 October 2019
|Doha
|
|-
!6
|37.31
|Steve Mullings<br />Michael Frater<br />Usain Bolt<br />Asafa Powell
|
|22 August 2009
|Berlin
|
|-
!rowspan=3|7
|37.36
|Nesta Carter<br />Kemar Bailey-Cole<br />Nickel Ashmeade<br />Usain Bolt
|
|18 August 2013
|Moscow
|
|-
|37.36
|Nesta Carter<br />Asafa Powell<br />Nickel Ashmeade<br />Usain Bolt
|
|29 August 2015
|Beijing
|
|-
|37.36
|Adam Gemili<br />Zharnel Hughes<br />Richard Kilty<br />Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake
|
|5 October 2019
|Doha
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |37.38
|Mike Rodgers<br />Justin Gatlin<br />Tyson Gay<br />Ryan Bailey
|
|2 May 2015
|Nassau
|
|-
|Christian Coleman<br />Fred Kerley<br />Brandon Carnes<br />Noah Lyles
|
|26 August 2023
|Budapest
|
|-
!12
|37.39
|Nesta Carter<br />Michael Frater<br />Yohan Blake<br />Kemar Bailey-Cole
|
|10 August 2012
|London
|
|-
! rowspan="3" |13
| rowspan="3" |37.40
|Michael Marsh<br />Leroy Burrell<br />Dennis Mitchell<br />Carl Lewis
|
|8 August 1992
|Barcelona
|
|-
|Jon Drummond<br />Andre Cason<br />Dennis Mitchell<br />Leroy Burrell
|
|21 August 1993
|Stuttgart
|
|-
|Courtney Lindsey<br />Kenny Bednarek<br />Kyree King<br />Noah Lyles
|
|5 May 2024
|Nassau
|
|-
!16
|37.41
|Nesta Carter<br />Asafa Powell<br />Rasheed Dwyer<br />Nickel Ashmeade
|
|29 August 2015
|Beijing
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |17
| rowspan="2" |37.43
|Shuhei Tada<br />Kirara Shiraishi<br />Yoshihide Kiryu<br />Abdul Hakim Sani Brown
|
|5 October 2019
|Doha
|
|-
!19
|37.45
|Trell Kimmons<br />Wallace Spearmon<br />Tyson Gay<br />Mike Rodgers
|
|19 August 2010
|Zürich
|
|-
!20
|37.46
|Daniel Bailey<br />Yohan Blake<br />Mario Forsythe<br />Usain Bolt
|<br /><br /><br />
|25 July 2009
|London
|
|-
!21
|37.47
|Chijindu Ujah<br />Adam Gemili<br />Danny Talbot<br />Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake
|
|12 August 2017
|London
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |22
| rowspan="2" |37.48
|Jon Drummond<br />Andre Cason<br />Dennis Mitchell<br />Leroy Burrell
|
|22 August 1993
|Stuttgart
|
|-
|Aaron Brown<br />Jerome Blake<br />Brendon Rodney<br />Andre De Grasse
|
|23 July 2022
|Eugene
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |24
| rowspan="2" |37.49
|Courtney Lindsey<br />Kenny Bednarek<br />Kyree King<br />Noah Lyles
|
|4 May 2024
|Nassau
|
|-
|Bayanda Walaza<br>Shaun Maswanganyi<br>Bradley Nkoana<br>Akani Simbine
|
|3 May 2026
|Gaborone
|
|-
!4
|41.03
|Tamari Davis<br />Twanisha Terry<br />Gabrielle Thomas<br />Sha'Carri Richardson
|
|26 August 2023
|Budapest
|
|-
!7
|41.18
|Kemba Nelson<br />Elaine Thompson-Herah<br />Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce<br />Shericka Jackson
|
|23 July 2022
|Eugene
|
|-
!8
|41.21
|Natasha Morrison<br />Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce<br />Shashalee Forbes<br />Shericka Jackson
|
|26 August 2023
|Budapest
|
|-
!14
|41.45
|Javianne Oliver<br />Teahna Daniels<br />Jenna Prandini<br />Gabrielle Thomas
|
|6 August 2021
|Tokyo
|
|-
!15
|41.47
|Chryste Gaines<br />Marion Jones<br />Inger Miller<br />Gail Devers
|
| 9 August 1997
|Athens
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |16
| rowspan="2" |41.49
|Olga Bogoslovskaya<br />Galina Malchugina<br />Natalya Pomoshchnikova-Voronova<br />Irina Privalova
|
|22 August 1993
|Stuttgart
|
|-
|Michelle Finn-Burrell<br />Gwen Torrence<br />Wendy Vereen<br />Gail Devers
|
|22 August 1993
|Stuttgart
|
|-
!18
|41.52
|Chryste Gaines<br />Marion Jones<br />Inger Miller<br />Gail Devers
|
|8 August 1997
|Athens
|
|-
!19
|41.53
|Silke Gladisch-Möller<br />Marita Koch<br />Ingrid Auerswald-Lange<br />Marlies Göhr
|
|31 July 1983
|Berlin
|
|-
!rowspan=4|20
|rowspan=4|41.55
|Alice Brown<br />Diane Williams<br />Florence Griffith Joyner<br />Pam Marshall
|
| 21 August 1987
|Berlin
|
|-
|Asha Philip<br />Imani Lansiquot<br />Dina Asher-Smith<br />Daryll Neita
|
|5 August 2021
|Tokyo
|
|-
|Texas Longhorns<br>Julien Alfred<br>Ezinne Abba<br>Rhasidat Adeleke<br>Kevona Davis
|<br><br><br><br>
|8 June 2023
|Austin
|
|-
|Dina Asher-Smith<br>Imani Lansiquot<br>Amy Hunt<br>Daryll Neita
|
|20 July 2024
|London
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |24
| rowspan="2" |41.56
|Bianca Knight<br />Allyson Felix<br />Marshevet Myers<br />Carmelita Jeter
|
| 4 September 2011
| Daegu
|
|-
|Melissa Jefferson<br>Aleia Hobbs<br>Jenna Prandini<br>Twanisha Terry
|
|22 July 2022
|Eugene
|
|}
Olympic Games medalists
Men
Women
World Championships medalists
Men
Women
World leading times
Men
{| class="wikitable defaultleft col-4center plainrowheaders sticky-header sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
!scope="col"|Year
!scope="col"|Time
!scope="col"|Team
!scope="col"|Athletes
!scope="col"|Place
!scope="col"|Event
!scope="col" class="unsortable"|
|-
!scope="row"| 1972
| 38.19 || || Larry Black, Robert Taylor, Gerald Tinker, Eddie Hart || Munich || 1972 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1973
| 38.8 || || Eberhard Weise, Michael Droese, Hans-Jürgen Bombach, Siegfried Schenke || East Berlin || ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1974
| 38.69 || || Lucien Sainte-Rose, Joseph Arame, Bruno Cherrier, Dominique Chauvelot || Rome || 1974 European Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1975
| 38.31 || || Clancy Edwards, Larry Brown, Donald Merrick, Bill Collins || Mexico City || 1975 Pan American Games ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1976
| 38.33 || || Harvey Glance, Johnny Jones, Millard Hampton, Steve Riddick || Montreal || 1976 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1977
| 38.03 || || Bill Collins, Steve Riddick, Cliff Wiley, Steve Williams || Düsseldorf || 1977 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1978
| 38.55 || Tobias Striders || Guy Abrahams, Michael Simmons, Don Quarrie, James Gilkes || Tempe || 1978 Sun Devil Classic ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1979
| 38.30 || South Team || Mike Roberson, Harvey Glance, Bill Collins, Mel Lattany || Colorado Springs || 1979 U.S. Olympic Festival ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1980
| 38.26 || || Vladimir Muravyov, Nikolay Sidorov, Andrey Prokofyev, Aleksandr Aksinin || Moscow || 1980 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1981
| 38.66 || || Krzysztof Zwoliński, Zenon Licznerski, Leszek Dunecki, Marian Woronin || Zagreb || 1981 European Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1982
| 38.13 || || Mel Lattany, Stanley Floyd, Calvin Smith, Carl Lewis || Zurich || 1982 Weltklasse Zürich ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1983
| 37.86 || || Emmit King, Willie Gault, Calvin Smith, Carl Lewis || Helsinki || 1983 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1984
| 37.83 || || Sam Graddy, Ron Brown, Calvin Smith, Carl Lewis || Los Angeles || 1984 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1985
| 38.10 || || Harvey Glance, Kirk Baptiste, Calvin Smith, Dwayne Evans || Canberra || 1985 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1986
| 37.98 || || Lee McRae, Floyd Heard, Harvey Glance, Carl Lewis || Moscow || 1986 Goodwill Games ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1987
| 37.90 || || Lee McRae, Lee McNeill, Harvey Glance, Carl Lewis || Rome || 1987 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1988
| 38.19 || || Viktor Bryzhin, Vladimir Krylov, Vladimir Muravyov, Vitaliy Savin || Seoul || 1988 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1989
| 38.23 || Texas Christian University || Horatio Porter, Andrew Smith, Greg Sholars, Raymond Stewart || Provo || 1989 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1990
| 37.79 || || Max Morinière, Daniel Sangouma, Jean-Charles Trouabal, Bruno Marie-Rose || Split || 1990 European Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1991
| 37.50 || || Andre Cason, Leroy Burrell, Dennis Mitchell, Carl Lewis || Tokyo || 1991 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1992
| 37.40 || || Michael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Dennis Mitchell, Carl Lewis || Barcelona || 1992 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1993
| 37.40 || || Jon Drummond, Andre Cason, Dennis Mitchell, Leroy Burrell || Stuttgart || 1993 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1994
| 37.79 || Santa Monica Track Club || Michael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard, Carl Lewis || Walnut || 1994 Mt. SAC Relays ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1995
| 38.16 || || Robert Esmie, Glenroy Gilbert, Bruny Surin, Donovan Bailey || Gothenburg || 1995 IAAF World Championships (Semifinal)||
|-
!scope="row"| 1996
| 37.69 || || Robert Esmie, Glenroy Gilbert, Bruny Surin, Donovan Bailey || Atlanta || 1996 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1997
| 37.86 || || Robert Esmie, Glenroy Gilbert, Bruny Surin, Donovan Bailey || Athens || 1997 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1998
| 38.04 || Texas Christian University || Bryan Howard, Jarmiene Holloway, Syan Williams, Percival Spencer || Buffalo || 1998 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1999
| 37.59 || || Jon Drummond, Tim Montgomery, Bernard Williams, Maurice Greene || Seville || 1999 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2000
| 37.61 || || Jon Drummond, Bernard Williams, Brian Lewis, Maurice Greene || Sydney || 2000 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2001
| 37.88 || Hudson Smith International || Jon Drummond, Bernard Williams, Curtis Johnson, Maurice Greene || Austin || 2001 Texas Relays ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2002
| 37.95 || || Jon Drummond, Jason Smoots, Kaaron Conwright, Coby Miller || Madrid || 2002 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2003
| 37.77 || United States I || Jon Drummond, Bernard Williams, Darvis Patton, Maurice Greene || Berlin || 2003 ISTAF Berlin ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2004
| 37.92 || United States I || Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin, Coby Miller, Maurice Greene || Munich || Athletics Team Challenge ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2005
| 38.08 || || Ladji Doucouré, Ronald Pognon, Eddy De Lépine, Lueyi Dovy || Helsinki || 2005 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2006
| 37.59 || || Kaaron Conwright, Wallace Spearmon, Tyson Gay, Jason Smoots || Athens || 2006 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2007
| 37.78 || || Darvis Patton, Wallace Spearmon, Tyson Gay, Leroy Dixon || Osaka || 2007 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2008
| 37.80 || United States Red || Rodney Martin, Travis Padgett, Shawn Crawford, Darvis Patton || London || 2008 London Grand Prix ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2009
| 37.31 || || Steve Mullings, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt || Berlin || 2009 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2010
| 37.45 || || Trell Kimmons, Wallace Spearmon, Tyson Gay, Mike Rodgers || Zurich || 2010 Weltklasse Zürich ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2011
| 37.04 || || Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt || Daegu || 2011 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2012
| 36.84 || || Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt || London || 2012 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2013
| 37.36 || || Nesta Carter, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Nickel Ashmeade, Usain Bolt || Moscow || 2013 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2014
| 37.58 || || Jason Livermore, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Nickel Ashmeade, Usain Bolt || Glasgow || 2014 Commonwealth Games ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2015
| 37.36 || || Nesta Carter, Asafa Powell, Nickel Ashmeade, Usain Bolt || Beijing || 2015 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2016
| 37.27 || || Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake, Nickel Ashmeade, Usain Bolt || Rio de Janeiro || 2016 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2017
| 37.47 || || Chijindu Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake || London || 2017 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2018
| 37.61 || || Chijindu Ujah, Zharnel Hughes, Adam Gemili, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake || London || 2018 London Müller Anniversary Games ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2019
| 37.10 || || Christian Coleman, Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers, Noah Lyles || Doha || 2019 World Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2020
| 38.56 || Sprintec Lions || Andrew Fisher, Everton Clarke, Romario Williams, Demish Gaye || Spanish Town || 2020 Milo Western Relays ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2021
| 37.50 || || Lorenzo Patta, Marcell Jacobs, Fausto Desalu, Filippo Tortu || Tokyo || 2020 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2022
| 37.48 || || Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney, Andre De Grasse || Eugene || 2022 World Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2023
| 37.38 || || Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Brandon Carnes, Noah Lyles || Budapest || 2023 World Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2024
| 37.40 || || Courtney Lindsey, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, Noah Lyles || Nassau || 2024 World Athletics Relays ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2025
| 37.29 || || Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Courtney Lindsey, Noah Lyles || Tokyo || 2025 World Athletics Championships ||
|}
Women
{| class="wikitable defaultleft col-4center plainrowheaders sticky-header sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
!scope="col"|Year
!scope="col"|Time
!scope="col"|Team
!scope="col"|Athletes
!scope="col"|Place
!scope="col"|Event
!scope="col" class="unsortable"|
|-
!scope="row"| 1972
| 42.81 || || Christiane Krause, Ingrid Mickler-Becker, Annegret Richter, Heide Rosendahl || Munich || 1972 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1973
| 42.6 || || Petra Kandarr, Renate Stecher, Christina Heinich, Doris Selmigkeit || Potsdam || ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1974
| 42.51 || || Doris Maletzki, Renate Stecher, Christina Heinich, Bärbel Eckert || Rome || 1974 European Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1975
| 42.74 || || Doris Maletzki, Monika Hamann, Sybille Priebsch, Renate Stecher || Sofia || 1975 European Cup (Semifinal) ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1976
| 42.50 || || Marlies Oelsner, Renate Stecher, Carla Bodendorf, Martina Blos || Karl-Marx-Stadt || ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1977
| 42.51 || || Elvira Possekel, Andrea Lynch, Annegret Richter, Sonia Lannaman || Düsseldorf || 1977 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1978
| 42.27 || || Johanna Klier, Monika Hamann, Carla Bodendorf, Marlies Göhr || Potsdam || ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1979
| 42.09 || || Romy Müller, Bärbel Wöckel, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Göhr || Turin || 1979 European Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1980
| 41.60 || || Romy Müller, Bärbel Wöckel, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Göhr || Moscow || 1980 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1981
| 42.22 || || Kirsten Siemon, Bärbel Wöckel, Gesine Walther, Marlies Göhr || Rome || 1981 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1982
| 41.97 || || Gesine Walther, Bärbel Wöckel, Bärbel Schölzel, Marlies Göhr || Potsdam || ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1983
| 41.53 || || Silke Gladisch, Marita Koch, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Göhr || East Berlin || ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1984
| 41.65 || || Alice Brown, Jeanette Bolden, Chandra Cheeseborough, Evelyn Ashford || Los Angeles || 1984 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1985
| 41.37 || || Silke Gladisch, Sabine Rieger, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Göhr || Canberra || 1985 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1986
| 41.84 || || Silke Gladisch, Sabine Rieger, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Göhr || Stuttgart || 1986 European Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1987
| 41.55 || || Alice Brown, Diane Williams, Florence Griffith Joyner, Pam Marshall || West Berlin ||1987 ISTAF Berlin ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1988
| 41.73 || || Silke Möller, Kerstin Behrendt, Ingrid Auerswald, Marlies Göhr || East Berlin || ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1989
| 41.68 || || Silke Möller, Katrin Krabbe, Kerstin Behrendt, Sabine Günther || Gateshead || 1989 European Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1990
| 41.68 || || Silke Möller, Katrin Krabbe, Kerstin Behrendt, Sabine Günther || Split || 1990 European Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1991
| 41.91 || || Grit Breuer, Katrin Krabbe, Sabine Richter, Heike Drechsler || Tokyo || 1991 IAAF World Championships (Heat 2) ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1992
| 42.11 || || Evelyn Ashford, Esther Jones, Carlette Guidry, Gwen Torrence || Barcelona || 1992 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1993
| 41.49 || || Olga Bogoslovskaya, Galina Malchugina, Natalya Voronova, Irina Privalova || Stuttgart || 1993 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1994
| 42.45 || || Chryste Gaines, Carlette Guidry, Cheryl Taplin, Dannette Young || Durham || 1994 Pan Africa-USA International ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1995
| 42.12 || || Celena Mondie-Milner, Carlette Guidry-White, Chryste Gaines, Gwen Torrence || Gothenburg || 1995 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1996
| 41.95 || || Chryste Gaines, Gail Devers, Inger Miller, Gwen Torrence || Atlanta || 1996 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1997
| 41.47 || || Chryste Gaines, Marion Jones, Inger Miller, Gail Devers || Athens || 1997 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1998
| 42.00 || || Cheryl Taplin, Chryste Gaines, Inger Miller, Carlette Guidry-White || Johannesburg || 1998 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 1999
| 41.92 || || Sevatheda Fynes, Chandra Sturrup, Pauline Davis-Thompson, Debbie Ferguson || Seville || 1999 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2000
| 41.95 || || Sevatheda Fynes, Chandra Sturrup, Pauline Davis-Thompson, Debbie Ferguson || Sydney || 2000 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2001
| 42.32 || || Melanie Paschke, Gabi Rockmeier, Birgit Rockmeier, Marion Wagner || Edmonton || 2001 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2002
| 41.91 || Americas || Tayna Lawrence, Juliet Campbell, Beverly McDonald, Debbie Ferguson || Madrid || 2002 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2003
| 41.78 || || Patricia Girard-Léno, Muriel Hurtis, Sylviane Félix, Christine Arron || Paris || 2003 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2004
| 41.73 || || Tayna Lawrence, Sherone Simpson, Aleen Bailey, Veronica Campbell || Athens || 2004 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2005
| 41.78 || || Angela Daigle, Muna Lee, Me'Lisa Barber, Lauryn Williams || Helsinki || 2005 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2006
| 42.26 || Americas || Aleen Bailey, Debbie Ferguson, Cydonie Mothersille, Sherone Simpson || Athens || 2006 IAAF World Cup ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2007
| 41.98 || || Lauryn Williams, Allyson Felix, Mikele Barber, Torri Edwards || Osaka || 2007 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2008
| 42.24 || || Shelly-Ann Fraser, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Aleen Bailey, Veronica Campbell-Brown || Beijing || 2008 Summer Olympics (Heat 2) ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2009
| 41.58 || || Lauryn Williams, Allyson Felix, Muna Lee, Carmelita Jeter || Cottbus || 2009 International Lausitzer Leichtathletik Meeting ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2010
| 42.29 || || Olesya Povh, Nataliya Pohrebnyak, Mariya Ryemyen, Yelizaveta Bryzgina || Barcelona || 2010 European Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2011
| 41.56 || || Bianca Knight, Allyson Felix, Marshevet Myers, Carmelita Jeter || Daegu || 2011 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2012
| 40.82 || || Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter || London || 2012 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2013
| 41.29 || || Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce || Moscow || 2013 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2014
| 41.83 || || Kerron Stewart, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Schillonie Calvert, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce || Glasgow || 2014 Commonwealth Games ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2015
| 41.07 || || Veronica Campbell-Brown, Natasha Morrison, Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce || Beijing || 2015 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2016
| 41.01 || || Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner, Tori Bowie || Rio de Janeiro || 2016 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2017
| 41.82 || || Aaliyah Brown, Allyson Felix, Morolake Akinosun, Tori Bowie || London || 2017 IAAF World Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2018
| 41.88 || || Asha Philip, Bianca Williams, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Dina Asher-Smith || Berlin || 2018 European Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2019
| 41.44 || || Natalliah Whyte, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jonielle Smith, Shericka Jackson || Doha || 2019 World Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2020
| 43.47 || Sprintec || Shashalee Forbes, Natasha Morrison, Anastasia Natalie Le-Roy, Ronda Whyte || Kingston || 2020 Gibson McCook Relays ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2021
| 41.02 || || Briana Williams, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson || Tokyo || 2020 Summer Olympics ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2022
| 41.14 || || Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini, Twanisha Terry || Eugene || 2022 World Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2023
| 41.03 || || Tamari Davis, Twanisha Terry, Gabrielle Thomas, Sha'Carri Richardson || Budapest || 2023 World Athletics Championships ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2024
| 41.55 || || Dina Asher-Smith, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt, Daryll Neita || London || 2024 London Athletics Meet ||
|-
!scope="row"| 2025
| 41.60 || || Jacious Sears, Twanisha Terry, Kayla White, Sha'Carri Richardson || Tokyo || 2025 World Athletics Championships ||
|}
See also
- Italy national track relay team
- List of fastest anchor legs
Notes and references
External links
- IAAF list of 4x100-metres-relay records in XML