Lightning Bolt strikes again
Updated on 22 August 2008
Usain Bolt collected his third Olympic gold medal when he helped Jamaica smash the world record to win the men's 4x100m relay.
The Lightning Bolt, who won the 100m and 200m finals in world record times, teamed up with Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Asafa Powell to clock a time of 37.10 seconds, slashing 0.30 off the previous record set by the US at the 1993 world championships.
Fellow Caribbean islanders Trinidad and Tobago finished second in 38.06 seconds and Japan third in 38.15 seconds.
Britain, the US and Nigeria, who finished first, second and third at the 2004 Athens Olympics, all missed out on the final after mistakes in the heats, leaving Jamaica as overwhelming favourites for gold.
While Jamaica's men cruised to victory, their women's 4x100m relay team missed out on a medal after failing to get the baton round, a mistake shared by the British runners who were hoping for a medal, allowing Russia to take a surprise gold.
Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart, joint silver medallists in the individual 100m , over-ran the second changeover and with the US failing to make the final the race was suddenly wide open.
Russia charged through to win in 42.31 seconds with Belgium grabbing an unlikely second and Nigeria picking up the bronze.
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