4 × 400 metres relay at the World Athletics Championships
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (September 2020) |
| 4 × 400 metres relay at the World Athletics Championships | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Gender | Men, Women and Mixed |
| Years held | Men: 1983 – 2023 Women: 1983 – 2023 |
| Championship record | |
| Men | 2:54.29 United States (1993) |
| Women | 3:16.71 United States (1993) |
| Reigning champion | |
| Men |  United States (USA) |
| Women | United States (USA) |
The 4 × 400 metres relay at the World Championships in Athletics has been contested by both men and women since the inaugural edition in 1983. The competition features three formats in relation to gender: men, women, and mixed. The 2019 edition added in the mixed competition. The format utilizes one set of heats qualifying the top 8 into a final.
The United States holds all the championship records in this event. For both the men and women, the record has been held since 1993 with a time of 2:54.29 for the men and 3:16.71 for the women. In the mixed competition, a time of 3:09.34 was set in 2019. For the men and the mixed records, they are also both world records.
Age records
[edit]- All information from World Athletics.[1]
| Distinction | Male | Female | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athlete | Age | Date | Athlete | Age | Date | |
| Youngest champion |  Mark Richardson (GBR)
|
19 years, 37 days | 1 Sep 1991 | Sanya Richards (USA)
|
18 years, 186 days | 31 Aug 2003 |
| Youngest medalist |  Kunle Adejuyigbe (NGR)
|
18 years, 5 days | 13 Aug 1995 | Sanya Richards (USA)
|
18 years, 186 days | 31 Aug 2003 |
| Youngest finalist |  Renny Quow (TTO)
|
17 years, 354 days | 14 Aug 2005 | Doris Jacob (NGR)
|
15 years, 237 days | 10 Aug 1997 |
| Youngest participant |  Masoud Al-Rahman (QAT)
|
16 years, 354 days | 31 Aug 1991 | Doris Jacob (NGR)
|
15 years, 236 days | 9 Aug 1997 |
| Oldest champion |  Timothy Munnings (BAH)
|
35 years, 51 days | 12 Aug 2001 | Jearl Miles Clark (USA)
|
36 years, 361 days | 31 Aug 2003 |
| Oldest medalist | Timothy Munnings (BAH)
|
35 years, 51 days | 12 Aug 2001 | Jearl Miles Clark (USA)
|
36 years, 361 days | 31 Aug 2003 |
| Oldest finalist |  Isaac Makwala (BOT)
|
35 years, 298 days | 24 Jul 2022 | Jearl Miles Clark (USA)
|
36 years, 361 days | 31 Aug 2003 |
| Oldest participant | Isaac Makwala (BOT)
|
35 years, 298 days | 24 Jul 2022 | Christine Amertil (BAH)
|
37 years, 359 days | 12 Aug 2017 |
Mixed 4 x 400 relay
[edit]| Distinction | Male | Female | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athlete | Age | Date | Athlete | Age | Date | |
| Youngest champion | Wil London (USA)
|
22 years, 43 days | 29 Sep 2019 |  Fiordaliza Cofil (DOM)
|
21 years, 261 days | 15 Jul 2022 |
| Youngest medalist |  Moussa Ali Issa (BHR)
|
19 years, 34 days | 29 Sep 2019 | Salwa Eid Naser (BHR)
|
21 years, 129 days | 29 Sep 2019 |
| Youngest finalist | Moussa Ali Issa (BHR)
|
19 years, 34 days | 29 Sep 2019 | Imeobong Nse Uko (NGR)
|
18 years, 145 days | 15 Jul 2022 |
| Youngest participant | Moussa Ali Issa (BHR)
|
19 years, 33 days | 28 Sep 2019 |  Saki Takashima (JPN)
|
17 years, 222 days | 28 Sep 2019 |
| Oldest champion | Michael Cherry (USA)
|
24 years, 190 days | 29 Sep 2019 | Allyson Felix (USA)
|
33 years, 239 days | 29 Sep 2019 |
| Oldest medalist |  Javon Francis (JAM)
|
24 years, 289 days | 29 Sep 2019 | Allyson Felix (USA)
|
36 years, 315 days | 15 Jul 2022 |
| Oldest finalist | Rabah Yousif (GBR)
|
32 years, 292 days | 29 Sep 2019 |  Geisa Coutinho (BRA)
|
39 years, 120 days | 29 Sep 2019 |
| Oldest participant | Rabah Yousif (GBR)
|
32 years, 292 days | 29 Sep 2019 | Geisa Coutinho (BRA)
|
39 years, 120 days | 29 Sep 2019 |
Medalists
[edit]Men
[edit]
Note: * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.
- dq1 The United States team (Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, Chris Jones and Tyree Washington) originally won the 1997 World Championships in a time of 2:56.47 minutes, but was disqualified in 2009 after Pettigrew admitted to doping during the period.
- dq2 The United States team (Jerome Davis, Antonio Pettigrew, Angelo Taylor and Michael Johnson) originally won the 1999 World Championships, but was disqualified in 2009 after Pettigrew admitted to doping during the period.
- dq3 The United States team (Leonard Byrd, Antonio Pettigrew, Derrick Brew and Angelo Taylor) originally won the 2001 World Championships, but was disqualified in 2009 after Pettigrew admitted to doping during the period.
- dq4 The United States team (Calvin Harrison, Tyree Washington, Derrick Brew and Jerome Young) originally won the 2003 World Championships, but was disqualified in 2004 after Harrison and Young were found to have used performance-enhancing drugs.
- dq5 The Russian team (Maksim Dyldin, Lev Mosin, Sergey Petukhov and Vladimir Krasnov) originally finished third in the 2013 World Championships, but was disqualified after Dyldin was found to have used performance-enhancing drugs.
Medalists by country
[edit]| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States (USA) |
12 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| 2 |  Great Britain (GBR) |
2 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
| 3 |  Bahamas (BAH) |
1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 |  France (FRA) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 6 |  Poland (POL) |
1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 7 |  Soviet Union (URS) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 |  Jamaica (JAM) |
0 | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| 9 |  Germany (GER) |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 South Africa (RSA)
|
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 11 |  Belgium (BEL) |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 12 |  Australia (AUS) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Women
[edit]
Note: * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.
- dq1 The Russian team (Anastasiya Kapachinskaya, Tatyana Firova, Lyudmila Litvinova and Antonina Krivoshapka) originally finished third in the 2009 World Championships, but was disqualified after Kapachinskaya was found to have used performance-enhancing drugs.
- dq2 The Russian team (Antonina Krivoshapka, Natalya Antyukh, Lyudmila Litvinova and Anastasiya Kapachinskaya) originally finished third in the 2011 World Championships, but was disqualified after Kapachinskaya was found to have used performance-enhancing drugs.
- dq3 The Russian team (Yuliya Gushchina, Tatyana Firova, Kseniya Ryzhova and Antonina Krivoshapka) originally won in the 2013 World Championships, but was disqualified after Krivoshapka was found to have used performance-enhancing drugs.
Medalists by country
[edit]| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States (USA) |
10 | 5 | 1 | 16 |
| 2 |  Russia (RUS) |
3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 3 | Jamaica (JAM) |
2 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| 4 |  East Germany (GDR) |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Germany (GER) |
1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 6 | Soviet Union (URS) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 |  Netherlands (NED) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Great Britain (GBR) |
0 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
| 9 | Poland (POL) |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 |  Czechoslovakia (TCH) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Australia (AUS) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| France (FRA)
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Mixed
[edit]Note: * Indicates athletes who ran only in the preliminary round and also received medals.
Championship record progression
[edit]Men
[edit]| Time | Nation | Location | Round | Date | Athletes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.06.62 | United States (USA) |
Helsinki | Heat 1 | Aug 13, 1983 | Alonzo Babers, Willie Smith, Andre Phillips, Michael Franks |
| 3.02.13 | United States (USA) |
Helsinki | Semifinals | Aug 13, 1983 | Alonzo Babers, Sunder Nix, Willie Smith, Edwin Moses |
| 3.00.79 | Soviet Union (URS) |
Helsinki | Final | Aug 14, 1983 | Sergey Lovachov, Aleksandr Troshchilo, Nikolay Chernetskiy, Viktor Markin |
| 2.59.06 | United States (USA) |
Rome | Heat 2 | Sep 05, 1987 | Danny Everett, Michael Franks, Raymond Pierre, Antonio McKay |
| 2.57.29 | United States (USA) |
Rome | Final | Sep 06, 1987 | Danny Everett, Roddie Haley, Antonio McKay, Butch Reynolds |
| 2.54.29 | United States (USA) |
Stuttgart | Final | Aug 22, 1993 | Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Butch Reynolds, Michael Johnson |
Women
[edit]| Time | Nation | Location | Round | Date | Athletes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.26.82 | United States (USA) |
Helsinki | Heats | Aug 13, 1983 | Roberta Belle, Easter Gabriel, Rosalyn Bryant, Denean Howard |
| 3:19.73 | East Germany (GDR) |
Helsinki | Finwal | Aug 14, 1983 | Kerstin Walther, Sabine Busch, Marita Koch, Dagmar Rübsam |
| 3:18.63 | East Germany (GDR) |
Rome | Final | Sep 6, 1987 | Dagmar Neubauer, Kirsten Emmelmann, Petra Muller, Sabine Busch |
| 3:18.43 | Soviet Union (URS) |
Tokyo | Final | Sep 1, 1991 | Tatyana Ledovskaya, Lyudmila Dzhigalova, Olga Nazarova, Olha Bryzhina |
| 3:16.71 | United States (USA) |
Stuttgart | Final | Aug 22, 1993 | Gwen Torrence, Maicel Malone, Natasha Kaiser-Brown, Jearl Miles |
Mixed
[edit]| Time | Nation | Location | Round | Date | Athletes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:12.42 | United States (USA) |
Doha | Heats | 28 Sep, 2019 | Tyrell Richard, Jessica Beard, Jasmine Blocker, Obi Igbokwe |
| 3:09.34 | United States (USA) |
Doha | Final | 29 Sep, 2019 | Wilbert London, Allyson Felix, Courtney Okolo, Michael Cherry |
| 3:08.80 | United States (USA) |
Budapest | Final | Aug 19, 2023 | Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling, Alexis Holmes |
Finishing times
[edit]Top ten fastest World Championship times
[edit]| Rank | Time (sec) | Nation | Athletes | Games | Round | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3:08.80 | United States (USA) |
Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling, Alexis Holmes | 2023 | Final | 19 August |
| 2 | 3:09.34 | United States (USA) |
Wilbert London, Allyson Felix, Courtney Okolo, Michael Cherry | 2019 | Final | 29 September |
| 3 | 3:09.82 | Dominican Republic (DOM) |
Lidio Andrés Feliz, Marileidy Paulino, Alexander Ogando, Fiordaliza Cofil | 2022 | Final | 15 July |
| 4 | 3:09.90 |  Netherlands (NED) |
Liemarvin Bonevacia, Lieke Klaver, Tony van Diepen, Femke Bol | 2022 | Final | 15 July |
| 5 | 3:10.16 | United States (USA) |
Elija Godwin, Allyson Felix, Vernon Norwood, Kennedy Simon | 2022 | Final | 15 July |
| 6 | 3:10.41 | United States (USA) |
Ryan Willie, Rosey Effiong, Justin Robinson, Alexis Holmes | 2023 | Heats | 19 August |
| 7 | 3:11.06 | Great Britain (GBR) |
Lewis Davey, Laviai Nielsen, Rio Mitcham, Yemi Mary John | 2023 | Final | 19 August |
| 8 | 3:11.19 | Great Britain (GBR) |
Joseph Brier, Laviai Nielsen, Rio Mitcham, Yemi Mary John | 2023 | Heats | 19 August |
| 9 | 3:11.75 | United States (USA) |
Elija Godwin, Kennedy Simon, Vernon Norwood, Wadeline Jonathas | 2022 | Heats | 15 July |
| 10 | 3:11.78 | Jamaica (JAM) |
Nathon Allen, Roneisha McGregor, Tiffany James, Javon Francis | 2019 | Final | 29 September |
References
[edit]- ^ "World Athletics Championships - Budapest 23 Statistical Booklet" (PDF). www.worldathletics.org: 42–45.
- ^ "Men, 4 × 400 m Relay – World Championships Records Progression". trackfield.brinkster.net.
- ^ "Men's 4 × 400 m".
- ^ "Women's 4 × 400 m".
- ^ "Mixed 4 × 400 m".