The 4 x 1500 metres relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 1500 metres or 3.75 laps on a standard 400 metre track.
While not a World Championship or Olympic event, the IAAF does ratify world records in the event. The men's world record is 14:22.22 by a Kenyan team of Collins Cheboi, Silas Kiplagat, James Magut and Asbel Kiprop, set on May 25, 2014 at the World Relays meet in Nassau, Bahamas. The women's world record is 16:27.02 by an American team of Colleen Quigley, Elise Cranny, Karissa Schweizer and Shelby Houlihan set on July 31, 2020 at the Bowerman Track Club Intrasquad IV meet in Portland, Oregon.[1][2][3]
In the United States and other countries, the 4 × mile relay is sometimes run as an alternative.[4]
All-time top 5
editMen
edit- Correct as of March 2024.[5]
| Rank | Time | Team | Athletes | Split | Date | Place | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14:22.22 |  Kenya |
Collins Cheboi | 3:38.5 | 25 May 2014 | World Athletics Relays Nassau, Bahamas |
|
| Silas Kiplagat | 3:32.4 | ||||||
| James Magut | 3:39.0 | ||||||
| Asbel Kiprop | 3:32.3 | ||||||
| 2 | 14:34.97 | Bowerman Track Club 'B' United States |
Evan Jager | 3:39.3 e[a] | 31 Jul 2020 | Portland Intrasquad Meet IV Portland, U.S. |
[6] |
| Grant Fisher | 3:37.6 e[b] | ||||||
| Sean McGorty | 3:37.4 e[c] | ||||||
| Lopez Lomong | 3:41.2 e[d] | ||||||
| 3 | 14:36.23 | Kenya |
William Biwott Tanui | 3:38.5 | 4 Sep 2009 | Memorial Van Damme Brussels, Belgium |
|
| Gideon Gathimba | 3:39.5 | ||||||
| Geoffrey Rono | 3:41.4 | ||||||
| Augustine Choge | 3:36.9 | ||||||
| 4 | 14:38.8 |  West Germany |
Thomas Wessinghage | 3:38.8 | 17 Aug 1977 | Cologne, Germany | |
| Harald Hudak | 3:40.2 | ||||||
| Michael Lederer | 3:42.6 | ||||||
| Karl Fleschen | 3:37.3 | ||||||
| 5 | 14:40.4 |  New Zealand |
Tony Polhill | 3:42.9 | 22 Aug 1973 | Oslo, Norway | [e] |
| John Walker | 3:40.4 | ||||||
| Rod Dixon | 3:41.2 | ||||||
| Dick Quax | 3:35.9 |
Women
edit- Correct as of March 2024.[8]
| Rank | Time | Team | Athletes | Split | Date | Place | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16:27.02 | Bowerman Track Club 'A' United States |
Colleen Quigley | 4:08 | 31 Jul 2020 | Portland Intrasquad Meet IV Portland, U.S. |
[9][10] |
| Elise Cranny | 4:08 | ||||||
| Karissa Schweizer | 4:05 | ||||||
| Shelby Houlihan | 4:04 | ||||||
| 2 | 16:33.58 | Kenya |
Mercy Cherono | 4:07.5 | 25 May 2014 | World Athletics Relays Nassau, Bahamas |
|
| Faith Kipyegon | 4:08.5 | ||||||
| Irene Jelagat | 4:10.5 | ||||||
| Hellen Obiri | 4:07.1 | ||||||
| 3 | 16:53.87 | Arkansas Razorbacks United States |
Isabel Van Camp | 4:16.8 | 30 April 2022 | Penn Relays Philadelphia, U.S. |
|
| Logan Morris | 4:13.9 | ||||||
| Lauren Gregory | 4:12.5 | ||||||
| Kristlin Gear | 4:10.7 | ||||||
| 4 | 16:55.19 | NC State Wolfpack United States |
Anna Vess | 4:17.2 | 30 April 2022 | Penn Relays Philadelphia, U.S. |
|
| Sam Bush | 4:10.9 | ||||||
| Savannah Shaw | 4:17.1 | ||||||
| Katelyn Tuohy | 4:09.8 | ||||||
| 5 | 16:55.33 | United States |
Heather Kampf | 4:09.2 | 25 May 2014 | World Athletics Relays Nassau, Bahamas |
|
| Katie Mackey | 4:19.4 | ||||||
| Kate Grace | 4:16.6 | ||||||
| Brenda Martinez | 4:10.2 |
Notes
edit- ^ Estimated from 3:53.921 1600 metres split
- ^ Estimated from 3:52.152 1600-3200 m split
- ^ Estimated from 3:51.926 3200-4800 m split
- ^ Estimated from 2:56.967 4800-6000 m split
- ^ Initially disqualified for the use of pacemakers, but since re-instated.[7]
References
edit- ^ "World Records - iaaf.org". iaaf.org. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ "World records at the IAAF World Relays are worlds apart". iaaf.org. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ "Kenya world record men 4x1500 Nassau 2014". iaaf.org. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ "Penn Relays: Penn wins 4xMile for 1st time since 1950". RSN.
- ^ "All-time men's best 4 × 1500m Relay". alltime-athletics.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ "Men 4x1500 Meter Relay Portland Intrasquad IV". live.athletictiming.net. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
- ^ "Oldest World record goes down in Brussels as Kenya dominates 4x1500 - ÅF Golden League | News | Nassau (T. Robinson Stadium) 2014 | World Athletics Relays". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
- ^ "All-time women's best 4 × 1500m Relay". alltime-athletics.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ "Women 4x1500 Meter Relay Portland Intrasquad IV". live.athletictiming.net. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
- ^ "Ratified: USA's 16:27.02 world 4x1500m record | NEWS | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-03-15.