How to implement Relay Teams in a Track & Field Database - sql

Question

I have a track and Field Database with these tables (simplified):
Performance Table
Row Athlete Event Mark Meet
1 1 3 0:55 A
2 2 2 2:25 A
3 3 3 0:54 A
4 4 4 4:10 A
5 2 2 2:11 A
6 3 2 2:12 B
7 1 1 10 C
Athlete Table
Row Name Age Sex
1 Joe 13 M
2 Amy 15 F
3 John 16 M
4 Tim 17 M
So I understand how to implement this for an event with only 1 athlete (e.g. 100 m dash), but how would I include a relay event with 4 athletes. So, for example a 4x400 relay would need 4 athletes. In other words, some events have only 1 athlete and some have more than one. I am not sure if I should use:
Linking Table
Add 4 Columns
Do a table like below.
Other
Option 3 Table
Performance Table (Event 5 is a relay)
Row Athlete Event Mark Meet
1 1 3 0:55 A
2 2 2 2:25 A
3 3 3 0:54 A
4 4 4 4:10 A
5 2 2 2:11 A
6 3 2 2:12 B
7 1 5 9:34 C
8 2 5 9:34 C
9 3 5 9:34 C
10 4 5 9:34 C

Answer 1

Are you going to have events in the system before they are finished? For example, today's meet will include a 4x400 and here are the runners...
If that's the case then you'll need the linking table that you referred to because you want to be able to have that data stand on its own. It would just have the event_id and athlete_id in it so that you could have that set up. That would also be the PK (Primary Key) for the table and you would then use those two columns as the FK (Foreign Key) to the Performance table that you have at the end. If the data will never exist without times then you could just skip the link table and have the Performance table, although having the link table still wouldn't hurt in that case.