Does anyone know some background information on relay races??

Im doing a paper on How to run a relay race and to start it off i need some background information about it i have its used in the olypics and its also knows as a road race also i found it originated in Japan but i need some more


Any help here??|||I can't help you with the origin but how to run the race is easy. A team of 4 athletes work together to transport a baton around a specified distance. There are a number of relay races that cover a variety of distances. In some events all 4 athletes run the same distance. In others, called medley relays, each athlete will run a different distance. There are sprint medley and distance medley races.


The most important aspect of the relay is the hand off. The goal is to have the baton travel the entire distance at max speed. For example, athlete number 1 must pass the baton to athlete number 2 while they are both running at their max speed. This takes tremendous timing and practice. The hand off must occur within a set zone on the track and if it does not, disqualification will take place.


The relay is an exciting event to compete in and watch. The most popular events are the 4X100 and 4X400 meter relays. Hope this helps!