Question

Explain the procedure of Relay races.

Answer 1

The track is made up of two semicircles of 36.50m radius each, connected by two straights measuring 84.39m. The track contains 8, 6, or sometimes 4 lanes, but the latter is not utilized for international running competitions. All lanes are 1.22m ± 0.01m wide. In most relays, team members go identical lengths. Olympic competitions for men and women include the 400-meter (4 × 100-meter) and 1,600-meter (4 × 400-meter) relays. Non-Olympic relays are held at several distances, including 800, 3,200, and 6,000 meters. In less common medley relays, athletes cover different lengths in a certain order, such as a sprint medley of 200, 400, 800 meters or a distance medley of 1,200, 400, 800, and 1,600 meters. Relay racing originated in the United States around 1883. The original approach was for men running the second quarter of the distance to take up a little flag from the first man as they arrived. They would then proceed on their own stage of the race and pass over their flags to the following runners. Flags were deemed burdensome, and for a while, it was enough for the runner to touch or be touched by their predecessor.