Before proceeding to know the meaning of the term post race, we must discover the etymological origin of the two words that give it shape:
-Career comes from Latin. Specifically, it emanates from "carraira" and this from "carrus", which can be translated as "car."
-Posta, on the other hand, also derives from Latin, exactly from the vulgar word "postum."
The concept of race can refer to competitions in which each participant tries to reach the finish line before the rest. The objective is to travel the established route in the shortest amount of time possible: that is, at the highest speed.
The so-called relay races , relay races or relay races are carried out by teams . The members of each group must pass to each other an element known as a testimony or witness : otherwise they cannot continue the race.
A 400-meter relay race , for example, may involve teams of four. Each athlete must cover a distance of 100 meters , where a teammate awaits them, to whom they must hand the baton. Once he received the baton, this second runner can start his race and complete his 100 meters. In this way, athlete 1 runs 100 meters carrying the baton and gives it to athlete 2 , who runs another 100 meters and hands the baton to athlete 3 . After another 100 meters, athlete 3 passes the baton to athlete 4 , who is responsible for crossing the finish line . The team that completes the relay race first is the winner.
When it comes to relay races in athletics, you have to know that there are very specific rules in this regard. Specifically, there are various rules that must be followed because otherwise you will be disqualified: you cannot make a false start, you must not drop the baton, you cannot prevent the passage of another runner, you cannot impede voluntarily the move to another rival...
The world record in the 4 x 100 meter relay is held in the men's category and was achieved by the Jamaican team on August 11, 2012 in the city of London. 36.84 seconds was what it took the team made up of athletes Michael Frater, Nesta Carter, Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt to complete that relay race.
It should be noted that, beyond athletics, relay races are also popular in cross-country skiing and swimming . In all disciplines the way the competition works is similar: each participant runs a route and then enables a teammate to do the same.
As far as swimming is concerned, we can establish that, currently, there are several Olympic categories of relay races. We are referring, above all, to the 4 x 100 meter freestyle, 4 x 200 meter freestyle and 4 x 100 meter medley. Tests in which four swimmers are forced to swim the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and front crawl styles.