What Is a Sprint Medley Relay?

There are several different events held at track and field competitions, including several relays. The sprint medley relay consists of four members of a relay team running different distances.

  1. Identification

    • A sprint medley relay can be run with two different sets of distances.

    Features

    • One variation totals 1600 meters. Two team runners go 200 meters. A third team member runs 400 meters while the last team member runs 800 meters.

      A second variation involves two runners running 100 meters. One team member goes 200 meters while the last one runs 400 meters.

    Record

    • The American record in the 1600 meter spring medley relay is 3:10.76, according to "USA Track and Field." It was set in 1985 by Carl Lewis, Ferran Tyler, Benny Hollis and Johnny Gray.

    Fun Fact

    • Thought not included in current Olympic competition, the sprint medley relay was held in the 1908 Olympics in London. The United States won the gold medal, while Germany earned the silver and Hungary the bronze.

    Considerations

    • Sprint medley relays can also be held in swimming, but they are not as common. Individual medleys are common in swimming, with each swimmer using a different stroke.