4x100m Freestyle Relay — quick guide for fans and swimmers

A 4x100m freestyle relay looks chaotic from the stands, but it’s really a chess match in the pool. Four swimmers each race 100 meters, and the handover — that split second when one swimmer leaves the block — often decides the winner. Want to know what to watch and how teams plan their races? Read on.

Rules & takeovers

Each team runs four swimmers in a fixed order. The race starts with a normal block start for swimmer one. Swimmers two to four wait on the block and can only leave after the incoming teammate touches the wall. A foot leaving early is a takeover false start and disqualifies the team. Officials watch both the touch and the takeoff, but modern meets also use electronic timing pads to measure takeover margins down to hundredths of a second.

Here’s what matters: a good takeover is aggressive but clean. Teams aim for a positive takeover time — that means leaving the block a fraction of a second after the touch. Negative times mean an early start and a DQ. Watch the boards during meets: takeover times are often shown and tell you who gained or lost time on exchanges.

Strategy and training tips

Order matters. Coaches usually pick an order based on strengths: a strong starter to grab position, two steady middle legs to maintain pace, and the fastest or most composed swimmer as anchor. Some teams put their fastest swimmer second to build a gap early. There’s no single right answer — match your lineup to opponent weaknesses and race plan.

Practicing takeovers is non-negotiable. Teams drill timing, track the incoming swimmer’s stroke count, and rehearse block movement. Dryland work focuses on explosive starts and quick reaction time. Swimmers also train pacing: a 100m relay split isn’t an all-out sprint from the gun because swimmers need a fast finish too.

On race day, mental calm beats raw speed. Anchors practice closing under pressure; middle legs rehearse maintaining the gap. Coaches study opponents’ splits from recent meets and adjust orders to exploit fatigue or weak exchanges.

What about times? For context, elite international men often post relay splits in the mid-to-high 40s, while elite women typically split in the low-to-mid 50s. Club and age-group times vary a lot — focus on relative gains within your team rather than exact clocks.

Watching tips: follow takeover times, split boards, and lane-by-lane pacing. A team that looks behind at the 50m mark can still surge in the second 50 if their pacing is strong. For live coverage, check results pages and the event’s split readouts rather than just final placements.

Use this tag page to find race reports, team news, and post-race analysis. We collect relay stories, results, and tips that matter whether you’re cheering from the stands or coaching from the pool deck. If you want a short checklist before your next meet: rehearse takeovers, decide order with clear roles, and pick a closing strategy for the anchor leg.

Got a specific race coming up or want a breakdown of a recent relay performance? Send the meet details and splits — we’ll help spot where to win or where you lost time.