US women scorch to world record in sprint relay

Reuters: The United States won the women’s 4x100 metres relay in a world record time at the London Olympics on Friday, completing the lap in a sizzling 40.82 seconds to win the title back for the first time since 1996.

Bungled handovers had denied the Americans gold at the last three Games but Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter combined slickly to beat the world mark of 41.37 set by East Germany in 1985.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart won silver for Jamaica in 41.41.

Olesya Povh, Hrystyna Stuy, Mariya Ryemyen and Elizaveta Bryzgina combined to finish third for Ukraine and claim bronze.