Bahamas take relay gold

The Bahamas squad celebrates gold

World champions Bahamas blasted to 100m relay glory with a blistering performance in the Olympic Stadium.

Jamaica came home in second ahead of the US team anchored by Marion Jones.

Jones took the baton 10 metres back in fourth place and was unable to run down Debbie Ferguson and veteran Merlene Ottey.

The Bahamas line-up of Sevatheda Fynes, Chandra Sturrup, Pauline Davis-Thompson and Debbie Ferguson led from the first leg and finished in 41.95secs, 18/100s of a second ahead of the Jamaicans.

Fumbled

The Americans' chances went on the second hand-over where Torri Edwards and Nanceen Perry fumbled and stuttered as their rivals went away.

Perry set off far too soon and Edwards was nearly left with no one to hand over the baton to.

"Wait, wait," she screamed as Perry shot off down the track. Perry eased up but the damage had been done.

By the time Perry took off with the baton in her hand she was firmly in third place.

Slow

Jones, unlike Perry, went off too slow and even the fastest woman in the world could not catch Ferguson and the 40-year-old Ottey, in her last Olympics.

"It was a disaster out there," said Chryste Gaines, who ran the first leg.

"When you make mistakes like that then you have no chance."

Pauline Davis-Thompson of the Bahamas, running her last race, was thrilled to go out with gold.

"The Americans never respect us. Marion Jones was in their team and we beat them. Now they will have to show us some respect," she said.