4 × 1500 metres relay explained

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

Men

• Correct as of March 2024.^[5]

Rank	Time	Team	Athletes	Split	Date	Place
1	14:22.22			3:38.5
			3:32.4
			3:39.0
			3:32.3
2	14:34.97	Bowerman Track Club 'B'		3:39.3			^[6]
			3:37.6
			3:37.4
			3:41.2
3	14:36.23			3:38.5
			3:39.5
			3:41.4
			3:36.9
4	14:38.8			3:38.8
			3:40.2
			3:42.6
			3:37.3
5	14:40.4			3:42.9
			3:40.4
			3:41.2
			3:35.9

Women

• Correct as of March 2024.^[7]

Rank	Time	Team	Athletes	Split	Date	Place
1	16:27.02	Bowerman Track Club 'A'		4:08			^[8] ^[9]
			4:08
			4:05
			4:04
2	16:33.58			4:07.5
			4:08.5
			4:10.5
			4:07.1
3	16:53.87	Arkansas Razorbacks		4:16.8
			4:13.9
			4:12.5
			4:10.7
4	16:55.19	NC State Wolfpack		4:17.2
			4:10.9
			4:17.1
			4:09.8
5	16:55.33			4:09.2
			4:19.4
			4:16.6
			4:10.2

Notes and References

1. Web site: World Records - iaaf.org. iaaf.org. 12 October 2014.
2. Web site: World records at the IAAF World Relays are worlds apart. 25 May 2014. iaaf.org. 12 October 2014.
3. Web site: Kenya world record men 4x1500 Nassau 2014. iaaf.org. 12 October 2014.
4. Web site: Penn Relays: Penn wins 4xMile for 1st time since 1950. RSN.
5. Web site: All-time men's best 4 × 1500m Relay. alltime-athletics.com. 5 November 2022.
6. Web site: Men 4x1500 Meter Relay Portland Intrasquad IV. 2024-03-15 . live.athletictiming.net . en.
7. Web site: All-time women's best 4 × 1500m Relay. alltime-athletics.com. 5 November 2022.
8. Web site: Women 4x1500 Meter Relay Portland Intrasquad IV. 2024-03-15 . live.athletictiming.net . en.
9. Web site: Ratified: USA's 16:27.02 world 4x1500m record NEWS World Athletics . 2024-03-15 . worldathletics.org.