Back to World Records

The men’s 4 × 400 metres relay developed directly from the 4 × 440 yards relay (402.34 metres), which was one of the most prestigious team events during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Before metric distances became the international standard, relay races over four laps of 440 yards were widely contested by universities, athletic clubs and national teams, particularly in the United States and Great Britain.

Before the establishment of the IAAF and the introduction of official World Record ratification in 1912, the fastest relay performances were recognised as world bests by national athletics organisations and contemporary athletics publications. Although the total distance of 4 × 440 yards was slightly longer than the modern 4 × 400 metres, the event already featured the tactical pacing, baton exchanges and team strategy that continue to define the discipline today.

Following the adoption of metric distances for international competition, the 4 × 400 metres relay became the official championship event. Standardised regulations and improved track facilities enabled consistent comparisons of performances, while advances in training, race tactics and baton exchange techniques produced a continuous progression of World Records throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

4x400m Relay Men World Record Progression – Table Data

Performance	Athletes	Country	Date	Location	Competition	Notes
2:54.29	Andrew Valmon Quincy Watts Harry (Butch) Reynolds Michael Johnson	USA	22/8/1993	Stuttgart	IAAF World Championships
2:55.74	Andrew Valmon Quincy Watts Michael Johnson Steve Lewis	USA	8/8/1992	Barcelona	The XXV Olympic Games
2:56.16	Danny Everett Steve Lewis Kevin Robinzine Harry (Butch) Reynolds	USA	1/10/1988	Seoul	The XXIV Olympic Games
3:02.4y	Ronnie Ray Robert Taylor Maurice Peoples Stan Vinson	USA	18/7/1975	Durham	USA-Africa-FRG int. match
2:56.1 / 2:56.16	Vince Matthews Ronald Freeman Larry James Lee Evans	USA	20/10/1968	Ciudad de México	The XIX Olympic Games
3:02.8y	Lennox Yearwood Kent Bernard Edwin Roberts Wendell Mottley	TRI	13/8/1966	Kingston	Commonwealth Games
2:59.6	Robert Frey Lee Evans Tommie Smith Theron Lewis	USA	24/7/1966	Los Angeles	LA Times International Games
3:04.5y	Robert Johnson Anthony Gates Everett Mason Theron Lewis	USA	29/5/1965	Modesto	California Relays	Southern University Baton Rouge team
3:00.7	Ollan Cassell Michael Larrabee Ulis Williams Henry Carr	USA	21/10/1964	Tokyo	The XVIII Olympic Games
3:04.5y	Mike Barrick Henry Carr Rone Freeman Ulis Williams	USA	27/4/1963	Walnut	Mt. SAC Relays	Arizona State University team
3:02.2	Jack Yerman Earl Young Glenn Davis Otis Davis	USA	8/9/1960	Roma	The XVII Olympic Games
3:05.6y	Eddie Southern Earl Young Otis Davis Jack Yerman	USA	12/8/1960	Walnut	Olympic Test
3:07.3y	Charles Jenkins Lon Spurrier Tom Courtney Lou Jones	USA	1/11/1956	Los Angeles	Olympic Test
3:08.8y	Eugene Cole Jesse Mashburn Reginald Pearman Mal Whitfield	USA	9/8/1952	London	British Games
3:03.9	Arthur Wint Leslie Laing Herbert McKenley George Rhoden	JAM	27/7/1952	Helsinki	The XV Olympic Games
3:09.4y	John Reese Fay Froom Clarence Barnes Grover Klemmer	USA	17/6/1941	Los Angeles	PCC-Big 10 meeting	Califormia University Team
3:10.5y	Charles Shaw Fay Froom Craig Williamson Clyde Jeffrey	USA	13/4/1940	Stanford	Stanford-UCLA Dual	Stanford University Team
3:11.6y	Estel Johnson James Cassin Harold Smallwood Al Fitch	USA	16/5/1936	Fresno	West Coast Relays
3:08.2	Ivan Fuqua Edgar Ablowich Karl Warner Bill Carr	USA	7/8/1932	Los Angeles	The X Olympic Games
3:12.6y	Maynor Shore Alvin Hables Leslie Hables Ben Eastman	USA	8/5/1931	Fresno	Meeting	Stanford University Team
3:13.4y	George Baird Morgan Taylor Raymond Barbuti Bud Spencer	USA	11/8/1928	London	International Meeting
3:14.2	George Baird Fred Alderman Bud Spencer Raymond Barbuti	USA	5/8/1928	Amsterdam	The IX Olympic Games
3:16.0	Commodore Cochran William Stevenson Oliver McDonald Alan Helfrich	USA	13/7/1924	Paris	The VIII Olympic Games
3:18.0y	Frank Kaufmn Joseph Lockwood Donald Lippincott Ted Meredith	USA	24/4/1915	Philadelphia	Penn Relays	University of Pennsylvania Team
3:16.6	Mel Sheppard Edward Lindberg Ted Meredith Charles Reidpath	USA	15/7/1912	Stockholm	The V Olympic Games
3.18.2	Harry Schaaf Mel Sheppard Harry Gissing James Rosenberger	USA	4/9/1911	New York	Irish-American AC (USA)

See also: [Men’s 4x100m Relay WR Progression]