Jamaica beat USA to women's 4x400m relay gold in thrilling finish, Britain take bronze

The United States quartet, who struck a Charlie's Angels pose prior to the race, looked comfortable after three legs but Jamaica's Novlene Williams-Mills chased down Francena McCorory on the final straight.

Christine Ohuruogu, Annika Onuora, Eilidh Child and Seren Bundy-Davies combined to come a distant third for Britain.

Jamaica had held a 15-metre lead over the United States at half-way, after strong runs by Christine Day and Shericka Jackson, only to see America's individual 400m champion, Allyson Felix deliver an astonishing leg to chase down and catch Stephenie Ann McPherson and hand over the stick for the anchor leg with a slight lead.

Felix's leg of the relay was timed unofficially at 47.7sec but it was to prove in vain as Novlene Williams-Mills ran a shrewd final lap to overhaul a tiring Francena McCorory and win Jamaica's third relay gold medal of the Beijing championships, and her nation's seventh of the week.

Jamaica clocked 3min 19.13sec, to the United States' 3:19.44 with Britain taking bronze in 3:23.62.