USA complete relay double

Britain took bronze in the men's relay, but just missed out on a medal in the women's event.

Gay became just the second man to win the sprint treble at a single world championships when he helped the United States to gold in the 4x100 metres relay.

The 24-year-old teamed up with Darvis Patton, Wallace Spearmon Jr. and Leroy Dixon for his third title to add to the 100 and 200 metres, matching compatriot Maurice Greene's feat at the 1999 championships.

Gay ran the penultimate leg in his ninth race in Osaka as the U.S. clocked a season's best 37.78 seconds.

Jamaica's Marvin Anderson, Usain Bolt, Nesta Carter and Asafa Powell won silver in 37.89, just edging the British quartet of Christian Malcolm, Craig Pickering, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis, who won bronze in 37.90.

The United States held off Jamaica in a thrilling finish to win the women's 4x100 metres relay at the world championships.

The American quartet of Lauryn Williams, Allyson Felix, Mikele Barber and Torri Edwards tore around the Nagai stadium track in 41.98 seconds to pip the Jamaicans by little more than the thickness of a vest.

The Jamaican team of Sheri-Ann Brooks, Kerron Stewart, Simone Facey and Veronica Campbell took the silver in 42.01, just 0.03 behind the Americans, and bronze went to Belgium's Olivia Borlee, Hanna Marien, Elodie Ouedraogo and Kim Gevaert in 42.75.

Britain finished fourth and Russia fifth.

Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic confirmed his status as the world's best all-round athlete by winning the decathlon.

The 32-year-old Sebrle completed his collection of gold medals when he captured the major event to have eluded him with a combined total of 8,676 points, 350 less than the world record he set in 2001.

Maurice Smith of Jamaica finished second with 8,644 points after leading with just two events to go and Dmitriy Karpov of Kazakhstan was third with 8,586 points.

Defending champion Bryan Clay pulled out of the event after injuring himself on Friday while his fellow American, 2003 world champion Tom Pappas, also withdrew on Saturday with a foot injury.

Ethiopia's Olympic champion and world record holder Meseret Defar clinched her first outdoor world title with a decisive victory in the 5,000 metres.

The 23-year-old was left as the ovewhelming favourite for the race after team mate Tirunesh Dibaba decided to skip the 5,000 metres because of illness following her 10,000 metres triumph.

Biding her time in the humid conditions, Defar toook the lead on the penultimate lap and kicked on the final run down the back straight to leave the field for dead, crossing the line in 14 minutes 57.91 seconds.

Vivian Cheruyiot of Kenya was second in 14.58.50 with her fellow Kenyan Priscah Jepleting Cherono pipping a third compatriot, Sylvia Jebiwott Kibet, at the line for bronze in 14.59.21.

Brad Walker of the United States beat Romain Mesnil of France on a countback to win the men's pole vault.

Both men vaulted 5.86 metres but the American won the gold because he cleared the height at his first attempt while Mesnil took two goes.

Danny Ecker of Germany won the bronze, also on countback, after six men finished level on 5.81.

Walker finished second in the event at the 2005 world championships in Helsinki and won the world indoor title last year.

So another really exciting day in Osaka comes to a thrilling close. Thank you for joining us for our coverage - we hope you join us again tomorrow.