The British women's 4x400m team produced an impressive performance to book their place in Sunday's final.

Despite being star runner Katharine Merry being absent from these championships and Allison Curbishley pulling out late on with a knee injury, the team was still able to finish second in their heat to Germany.

The quartet of Lee McConnell, Lesley Owusu, Catherine Murphy and Donna Fraser led for much of the race, but Fraser was passed on the final leg by German star Grit Breuer.

Still, she hung on for second ahead of the Russians in a time of 3.27.25. All three qualified for the final.

Fraser said: “We can't complain. We needed to run hard to get into the final. Now we want to take our opportunity and do our best (in the final).”

Murphy added she was not surprised by the display.

“It was on the cards. The team's got strength in depth this year, everyone's done 52 (seconds) or under.”

The effort Owusu had put in resulted in her being dehydrated in the searing heat and she left the track in a wheelchair, although she is expected to be fit for the final.

In the other heat, hot favourites USA set by far the fastest qualifying time, winning in 3.21.97 ahead of Jamaica and Canada who remain hopeful of ending their medal drought after setting a national record.

France and Poland also qualified as fastest losers to complete the final line-up.