British teamwork shatters US

British teamwork overcame raw American speed on Saturday night in one of the biggest surprises of the Olympic Games.

Britain's win over the United States by one hundredth of a second in the men's 4x100 metres relay, following some sweet baton exchanges and a belligerent last 100 from Mark Lewis-Francis, gave their team of outsiders a gold few had predicted.

"It was confidence and teamwork," said the 21-year-old, Lewis-Francis who put a disappointing season behind him by winning his bare-knuckle duel with Maurice Greene of the US down the home straight.

"We came out today positive. This is a great team and this is the start of many great things for British sport.

"I'm an Olympic champion. This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my whole life.

"I am going to go home with my head up high. This has given me a lot of confidence.

"I wasn't worried about Maurice. I knew I had it won as soon as I got the baton. We are not knocking the Americans but our time has come. We went out there and ran the best run of our lives."

Lead-off man Jason Gardener said: "It is a dream come true. We had amazing faith in each other."

The Americans, beaten across the line in the event for only the second time in Olympic history, muffed their changeovers but were generous in defeat.

"I gave it my all," Greene said. "Britain gave us a great race. That's what the Olympics are all about, to go out and compete against one another and put on a great show."

Awful changeover

Coby Miller, who ran the third leg, admitted his changeover with second-leg man Justin Gatlin had been awful.

"I knew who had the best sticks (changes) would win the gold medal," he said. "Unfortunately we did not tonight.

"The exchanges were not good. Justin and I were really bad. I heard him call 'Stick!' but the crowd was into it and by the time I heard it I was at the end of the zone.

"I didn't want to go out of the zone and not get a medal at all (by getting disqualified)."