The distance medley relay is an athletic event in which four athletes compete as part of a relay

Relay

A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to operate a switching mechanism mechanically, but other operating principles are also used. Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal , or where several circuits must be controlled...

. Unlike most track relays, each member of the team runs a different distance. A distance medley relay is made up of a 1200 meter leg, or three laps on a standard 400 meter track; a 400 meter leg, or one lap; an 800 meter leg, or two laps; and a 1600 meter leg, or four laps - in that order. The total distance run is 4000 meters or nearly 2.5 miles. Aside from the 400 meter segment, which is a sprint

Sprint (race)

Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...

, all legs are a middle distance run.

World best

The Kenyan team of Elkanah Angwenyi

Elkanah Angwenyi

Elkanah Angwenyi is a Kenyan runner who specializes in the 1500 metres. He won the bronze medal at the 2006 World Indoor Championships.He started running while at primary school. He was recruited by Kenya Police in 2001...

 in 2:50.8 (1,200 meters), Thomas Musembi in 45.8 (400), Alfred Yego

Alfred Yego

Alfred Kirwa Yego is a Kenyan middle distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres. He is best known for winning the gold medal in the 800 m at the 2007 World Championships....

 in 1:46.2 (800) and Alex Kipchirchir

Alex Kipchirchir

Alex Kipchirchir Rono is a middle distance runner from Kenya.- Career :He graduated from Litein High School. He played football and basketball when still at school and did not take up athletics until December 2001, when he met Moses Tanui who persuaded him to become runner...

 in 3:52.8 (1,600) currently hold the world best with a time of 9:15.56. This mark was set on April 29, 2006, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Villanova University

Villanova University

Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...

 Women's team of Kathy Franey in 3:20.9 (1,200 meters), Michelle Bennett in 52.9 (400 meters), Celeste Halliday in 2:04.7 (800 meters) and Vicki Huber

Vicki Huber

Vicki Huber is a retired American middle distance and cross country runner.-Biography:Vicki Huber was born on May 29, 1967 in Wilmington, Delaware. Huber attended Concord High School where she began running as conditioning for field hockey...

 in 4:29.9 (1,600 meters) currently hold the world best time of 10:48.38. This mark was set over twenty years ago at the Penn Relays

Penn Relays

The Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...

 in April 1988 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

American record

The United States Blue Team of Chris Lukezic

Chris Lukezic

Christopher Lukezic is an American middle distance runner.-High School Years:Lukezic attended Auburn High School in Auburn, Washington and competed in cross country and track & field. In track, Lukezic became known as one of the top distance runners in the nation. While in high school Lukezic won...

 in 2:51.7 (1,200 meters), James Carter in 45.6 (400 meters), Khadevis Robinson

Khadevis Robinson

Khadevis Robinson is an American middle distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres. His personal best time is 1:43.68 minutes, achieved in August 2006 in Rieti. A four-time US champion both outdoors and indoors, he has competed at six consecutive editions of the World Championships in...

 in 1:44.5 (800 meters), and Bernard Lagat

Bernard Lagat

Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...

 in 3:53.8 (1,600 meters) set the Outdoor American Record of 9:15.63 at the Penn Relays on April, 29th 2006 as well, finishing second to the Kenyan World Record team.

The Oregon Track Club

Oregon Track Club

The Oregon Track Club is a running organization based in Eugene, Oregon. Shortened to OTC, the Oregon Track Club has a long history at the pinnacle of American track and field...

 team of Nick Symmonds

Nick Symmonds

Nicholas "Nick" Symmonds is an American middle-distance track athlete from Boise, Idaho, specializing in the 800 meters and 1500 meters distances. He is also the part owner of a tanning salon. In college at Willamette University he won seven NCAA Division III titles in outdoor track. In 2007, he...

 (1,200 meters), Matt Scherer

Matt Scherer

Matt Scherer is an American professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.-Playing career:...

 (400), Tyler Mulder

Tyler Mulder

Tyler Mulder is an American track and field athlete. Mulder was the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Champion in the 800 meter run. -High school career:...

 (800) and Will Leer

Will Leer

Will Leer is an elite American mid-distance runner. He graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, California in May 2007.-High school career:...

 (1,600) currently have the American indoor record with a time of 9:21.77. This record was set on February 12, 2010, at the Husky Classic in Seattle, Washington.