Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce secured their third gold medals of the Moscow world championships when the two 100m and 200m sprint champions anchored Jamaica to victory in the 4x100m relays today.
Bolt's task was made easier when American Justin Gatlin, running the anchor leg, fluffed his start, stumbling and veering into the Jamaican's lane.
The Jamaican quartet of Nesta Carter, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Nickel Ashmeade and Bolt secured the Caribbean nation a hat-trick of world titles in a time of 37.36.
Gatlin brought home the U.S. in 37.66 with Canada upgraded to bronze after Britain were disqualified, continuing their relay woes of past championships in which they have often failed to get the baton around a full lap.
The Britons were penalised after a changeover mistake between Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and James Ellington who minutes earlier had told the BBC that the team had "got the changeovers down to a tee now".
The Jamaican women regained the world title from the U.S., again helped by a costly error. The quartet of Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert and Fraser-Pryce streaked to gold in 41.29, the second fastest time ever run.
A mishap on the second and third interchange between Alexandria Anderson and English Gardner who started her run too soon and had to halt to grasp the baton, effectively ended U.S. victory hopes.
France grabbed silver in 42.73 and it was only a storming final leg from Octavious Freeman that secured an unlikely American bronze, Freeman eating up ground down the home straight with a sizzling run to get into to a medal position.
The U.S. set a stunning world record of 40.82 at the London 2012 Olympic Games but none of that victorious quartet featured in the Moscow final, notably Allyson Felix who tore a hamstring in the 200m final and 100m bronze medal winner Carmelita Jeter who was left out.
