The men's 4 × 100 meters relay was a

track and field athletics Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

event held as part of the

Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics These are the results of athletics competition at the 1912 Summer Olympics. 30 events were contested, all for men only. The athletics programme grew by 4 events since the 1908 Summer Olympics. The 5000 and 10000 metre races were introduced, as ...

program. It was the debut of the event, which along with the 4 × 400-meter relays marked the first relays of equal legs in the athletics program (a medley relay had been held in 1908). The competition was held on Monday, July 8, 1912, and on Tuesday, July 9, 1912. NOCs could enter 1 team of 4 athletes, with up to 2 reserves.Official report, p. 61. Thirty-three runners from 8 nations competed. Only Germany replaced one runner.

Records

The record for the new event progressed quickly, with the Canadians winning the first heat. The Americans and then the Swedes then took the record, with the Germans tying the Swedes. The British took the record in the first semifinal, only to lose it quickly to the Swedes in the second. This time, the Germans running in the third semifinal bested the Swedish team's time to take the record for themselves after replacing Karl Halt with Otto Röhr as their lead-off runner. The German team held the record at the finish, despite finishing in second (and then being disqualified for a baton-passing fault) in the final. Their disqualification left the event without a bronze medalist, making it the only athletics event to award only two medals. The record of the German team, 42.3 seconds, became the first official world record for the 4 × 100 meters relay.

Results

Heats

All heats were held on Monday, July 8, 1912. Only two teams were eliminated after the first round. Heat 1 Heat 2 Heat 3 Heat 4 Heat 5 Heat 6

Semifinals

All semifinals were held on Monday, July 8, 1912. Semifinal 1 The United States team was disqualified after a baton-passing fault on the first transfer. Semifinal 2 Semifinal 3

Final

The final was held on Tuesday, July 9, 1912: d'Arcy beat Rau and Lindberg in a close and exciting contest. Afterwards, the German team were disqualified as Kern had passed the 20 metre line before receiving the baton from Herrmann. This left no bronze medalist in the event.

Gallery

File:1912 Athletics men's 4x100 metre.JPG, Semifinal 2: Team Sweden on the left and the Hungarian team on the right. File:1912 Athletics men's 4x100 metre final.JPG, The final: Team Germany passing the baton. File:1912 Athletics men's 4x100 metre final2.JPG, The finish of the final: Victor d'Arcy on the left winning the race for Great Britain. On the right finishing second but later disqualified, Richard Rau for Germany.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Athletics At The 1912 Summer Olympics - Men's 4x100 Metre Relay Men's hurdles 110 metres Relay foot races at the Olympics 4 × 100 metres relay