Explained: What is a medley relay in Athletics?

When it comes to relay races in athletics, the most familiar formats are the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, commonly seen in men's, women's, and mixed team events. These races have been a regular part of the Olympic programme since 1912.

But have you ever heard of a medley relay in athletics?

While medley relays are more commonly associated with swimming, athletics also features a lesser-known version of this unique event.

What is a Medley Relay?

In a medley relay, a team of four athletes competes in a relay race — but unlike traditional relays, each athlete runs a different distance. This variation makes it an interesting test of versatility and team strategy.

The medley relay is not a common fixture in major championships but is often featured in non-championship relay meets and age-group competitions.

Fun Fact: A version of the medley relay was once featured at the 1908 Olympics in London. This event, known as the 2-2-4-8 medley relay, included legs of 200m, 200m, 400m, and 800m.

It was won by the United States, clocking 3:29.40s. However, it was a one-time appearance and has never returned to the Olympic Games since.

Swedish Relay

One of such variants of a medley relay is known as the Swedish relay, which was a part of the recently concluded Asian U18 Athletics Championships in Saudi Arabia.

Under this, all four runners ran different distances, starting with a 100m sprint in the first leg and then the 100m increment to every batch, the second one 200 m, the third one 300 m, and the fourth runner 400 m.

The overall distance of this relay is 1,000m and hence also named as Sprint Medley 1000m. This race measures the overall strength of the contingent from sprinters to a quarter-miler.

The unofficial world record of this discipline is with the legendary Jamaican team (1:46.59s) of 2006, which had the likes of the world's best sprinter and world record holder, Usain Bolt.

Indian Medley Relay Team

India has shown strong consistency in this event at the Asian U18 Athletics Championships, participating in all six editions and winning a medal every time — three golds and three silvers.

At the 2025 edition, the Indian team comprising Chiranth P, Sayed Sabeer, Saket Minj, and Kadir Khan clocked 1:52.15s, winning silver and setting a new national youth record, bettering the previous mark of 1:52.96s.

However, the Indian team still has a gap to close with the Asian record of 1:50.52s, set by Japan at the 2013 World Youth Championships in Ukraine.