What is a 200 medley relay?

Answer 1

A medley relay consists of four teammates doing a 50m of each stroke (backstroke followed by breastroke followed by butterfly and finally freestyle).

This differs from the 200 Individual Medley, which has a different order for the strokes: butterly, backstroke, breastsroke, freestyle. The primary reason for the change in order is that backstrokers start in the water as opposed to on the blocks. This makes it difficult (if not downright impossible) for a backstroker to start in the middle of a relay when another swimmer is trying to finish his/her leg. So, for relays, backstrokers are moved into first position.

Answer 2

The 800 medley relay is a race swim/run by a team of 4.

The first leg will swim or run 100 meters.

The next will swim/run 100 meters.

The third will swim/run 200 meters.

The last person will swim/run 400 meters.

In total, 800 meters.