Due to the depth of the US 
track team, Americans have 
dominated the 4X100 Relay 
since its inception at the 1912 
Olympics.  In fact, the only time 
the US has not won this event 
is when they have been 
disqualified for an illegal baton 
pass, which happened in 1912, 
1960 and 1988, and when the 
US boycotted the Moscow 
Olympics in 1980.  

With the fastest sprinters in the 
world, the hard part is handing 
off the baton from one runner 
to the next.  The favored 1988 
team was disqualified in the 
opening round when Lee 
McNeill failed to receive the 
baton from Calvin Smith until 
he was over 5 meters beyond 
the passing zone.  In 1992, the 
US men redeemed themselves 
and won the 4X100 relay in 
World Record Time.

The American women have 
been only slightly less 
dominant in this event.  Since 
1928, when women first began 
competing in the track and field 
events, the US women have 
won the relay 8 times, including 
the last 3 Olympics.