American line-ups both finish Tokyo on a winning note, while Britain are left empty-handed after missing out on women’s podium spot.

The USA totally dominated both the men’s and women’s 4x100m relays at the World Championships in Tokyo on Sunday (September 21) as they skipped through the pouring rain to gold.

Great Britain, however, were left with a sinking feeling as the women’s team (the men did not reach their final) were run out of the podium positions by Germany. With no success in any of the 4x400m relays in Tokyo, either, it is the first time in 22 years that Britain have failed to win a relay medal at a world championships.

There were no such troubles for the US quartet of Twanisha Terry, Kayla White, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Sha'Carri Richardson, who clocked 41.75 and denied Jamaica by just 0.04. The margin between third and fourth was close, too, as Germany ran 41.87 to pip the British line-up by 0.2.

The American victory handed Jefferson-Wooden, champion in the 100m and 200m, her third gold of the championships, while there was no fairytale ending – albeit a silver lining – to the career of Jamaican great Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is retiring at the end of this season.

Dina Asher-Smith’s opening leg of 11.27 had given Britain a marginal lead at the first changeover, which they managed to just hold over the USA thanks to Amy Hunt’s second leg of 9.95.

Tina Clayton of Jamaica produced a brilliant third split of 10.16 to give Jamaica the edge at the final changeover, though, with the fight for the medals looking incredibly close. Sha’Carri Richardson’s anchor leg of 10.08 proved just enough for the US to successfully defend their title while a superb run of 9.85 from Gina Luckenkemper catapulted her past Daryll Neita and took Germany to the bronze.

In the final track race of these championships, the US team took men’s 4x100m world gold for a tenth time thanks to a world lead of 37.29 that gave them a clear win over Canada and the Netherlands.

Christian Coleman, Courtney Lindsey, Kenny Bednarek and 200m champion Noah Lyles led from start to finish as they combined to keep Canada (37.55), anchored by Andre de Grasse, at bay, while Elvis Afrifa completed the Dutch record-breaking job of securing bronze in 37.81.