Commonwealth Games: Men's 4x100m relay
Hamilton in 1930 saw the first 4x110 yards relay and though 100 yards champion Percy Williams injured himself in the final, the home nation still won easily in 42.2 with England second as just three teams participated.
In 1934 in London, anchored by double sprint champion Arthur Sweeney, England won gold, their time being matched by silver
medallists Canada. The 1938 race in Sydney saw Canada regain their title in a Games record of 41.6 as England were second again with double individual champion Cyril Holmes not quite able to make up the deficit.
Post-war, Canada didn’t even compete in Auckland in 1950 as Australia won and John Treloar took his third gold. England won their fourth successive medal. Canada were back in force in Vancouver in 1954 and improved their Games record to 41.3, but they were pushed all the way by debutants Nigeria with England only fifth.
In Cardiff in 1958, England were a different proposition and they won the heat in a Games record 40.9 and improved to 40.7 in the final as Nigeria again took second. They also won in Perth in 1962 with Peter Radford the only returnee. They improved to 40.6 but barely held off Ghana as Wales won the first ever non-English British medal with an England (David) in their team. The 40-second barrier was finally breached in Kingston in 1966 as Ghana won from Jamaica in 39.8. Wales, with two Jones’s and two Davies’s were the leading British team in 40.2 in fourth as England with one Jones were seventh.
Edinburgh in 1970 saw the introduction of the 4x100m as the Games went metric and, anchored by double sprint champion Don Quarrie, won in a fast 39.4. England edged Scotland and Wales to win a bronze. Despite Quarrie’s inclusion in 1974 at Christchurch, Jamaica could only finish fourth as Australia won easily in 39.31. Scotland were the leading British team in fifth. Scotland did even better in 1978 in Edmonton as a team containing 200m champion Allan Wells and 400m runner David Jenkins narrowly won in a Games record 39.24 from Trinidad and Jamaica, who were led off by Quarrie.
Wells won the 100m in Brisbane in 1982 and won another medal in the sprint relay as Scotland took third behind Nigeria, who won their first title in a Games record 39.15. Nigeria and Jamaica were among the missing teams in a boycott-affected 1986 Games in
Commonwealth Games Edinburgh. Canada, anchored by Ben Johnson, narrowly won from England, equalling the Games record with Scotland winning their third successive medal.
Nigeria and Jamaica were back in Auckland in 1990, but England won gold in 38.67 with Christie two metres clear at the end. The 1994 race in Victoria saw a clear win for Canada, led off by Donovan Bailey, who had run 10.03 prior to the Games but was omitted from the 100m. They were completed by Bruny Surin as they ran a Games record 38.39 ahead of Australia and England.
England were a far stronger team in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur as Chambers, Marlon Devonish, Julian Golding and Darren Campbell combined to run a Games record of 38.20. Canada had won the previous two world titles in 1995 and 1997 and the Olympics in 1996, but with only Glenroy Gilbert back from their all-conquering team they were second. They also won in Manchester in 2002 but only just as they and Jamaica shared the winning time of 38.62.
Jamaica were a class apart in Melbourne in 2006 to win by six metres in 38.36 as England failed to negotiate the heats. England won a close race again in Delhi in 2010, as Mark Lewis-Francis made up a three-metre deficit on Jamaica to clock 38.74 with India winning their first medals in this event in third.
4x110 yards
1930 Canada 42.2
1934 England 42.2
1938 Canada 41.6
1950 Australia 42.2
1954 Canada 41.3
1958 England 40.7
1962 England 40.6
1966 Ghana 39.8
4x100m
1970 Jamaica 39.4
1974 Australia 39.31
1978 Scotland 39.24
1982 Nigeria 39.15
1986 Canada 39.15
1990 England 38.67
1994 Canada 38.39
1998 England 38.20
2002 England 38.62
2006 Jamaica 38.36
2010 England 38.74
Gold: England (1934, 1958, 1962, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2010), Scotland (1978)
Silver: England (1930, 1938, 1950, 1986)
Bronze: England (1970, 1994), Wales (1962), Scotland (1982, 1986)
Most successful nation: England have won seven gold medals and Canada are the next most successful nation with five titles.
» Find other event-by-event histories here and an overall history of the Commonwealth Games here
