Relay 4x100m 4x400m

• There are four runners in each team and three exchanges.
• The receiver of the baton has an acceleration distance of 10 metres before the exchange zone, which is 20 metres long.
• The baton must be exchanged within the exchange zone, otherwise the team is disqualified.
• There are two common techniques of baton exchange.
• An over-hand exchange means the baton is exchanged from above the receiving athlete.
• An under-hand exchange means the baton is delivered from underneath.
• As soon as the receiving athlete starts accelerating, he/she cannot see delivering runners so the technique has to be very definite.
• In the 4x400m, the first three curves are run in separate lanes, meaning the whole 1st leg and 1st curve for the second runner.
• After this they break to the inside of the track.
• In preparation for the 2nd and 3rd exchange the receivers must line up in the same order as the teams are 200m before the exchange.
• The exchange phase is challenging as several teams often exchange at the same time.