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Athletics

Britain claim relay bronze

01/09/2007

Great Britain’s 4x100m men’s team secured a bronze medal in the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan, today, as their female counterparts finished a credible fourth in their final.

The quartet of Christian Malcolm, Craig Pickering, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis finished behind favourites USA who won the race, with Jamaica coming second.

Although they ran the third fastest ever 4x100m time by a British team – coming home in 37.90 seconds – Lewis-Francis was in contention on the last leg to grab the silver medal before he was passed towards the end by Jamaica’s world record holder Asafa Powell.

"I could feel Asafa Powell breathing down my neck," said Lewis-Francis. "Our coach just told us to dig in and focus on our race.

"I just thought 'carry on running down the home straight and try and hold them off'. I was getting a bit tight but the big chest helped in the end."

Britain’s women’s 4x100m team did well to come in fourth behind winners USA, runners-up Jamaica, and bronze medallists Belgium.

Laura Turner, Montell Douglas, Emily Freeman and Joice Maduaka ran a smooth race and were only a couple of yards behind the Belgium team.

Maduaka was proud of the team’s performance and believes they will be a bigger threat in next year’s Olympics in Beijing.

"We are a world-class team and we have worked really hard. This will inspire us for Beijing," said Maduaka

"We will work on our flat speed and our baton skills and we will come back stronger."