Great Britain's 4x100 metre relay team were delighted to land bronze at the World Championships in Osaka after posting their country's third-fastest time in British history to finish behind the USA and Jamaica at the Nagai Stadium.

The Olympic champions and bronze medallists two years ago in Helsinki came within a hundredth of a second of snatching silver as Mark Lewis-Francis was edged out by Jamaica's Asafa Powell, after the joint world record holder stormed down the home straight after trailing the Birchfield Harrier at the final changeover.

The United States, who failed to make the final in Helsinki after dropping the baton in their heat, clocked a world leading time of 37.78secs to land gold, while Jamaica set a national record of 37.89 to claim silver.

Christian Malcolm, Craig Pickering, Marlon Devonish and Lewis-Francis had all completed smooth changes, but Powell proved too strong down the final straight as Great Britain posed 37.90 seconds - second on the all-time list behind the 37.73 clocked in Seville in 1999.

"We were nervous and we knew we would have to go out there and run the fastest time we have done all year with the American guys there and Asafa Powell on the last leg for Jamaica, the pressure was on. But we went out there, enjoyed it and finished third," said Lewis-Francis.

"I didn't see Asafa until the last five metres, I was expecting him to run past me a lot sooner than he did.

"The changeovers were amazing and to finish where we finished and to run a time like we ran, for me it was the best relay I have ever ran in.

"I think we were second at the last changeover and I tried to maintain it and catch up to the American, I tried to stay relaxed but Asafa came on my shoulder and I got a little tense.

"I was chasing first and I thought we got second, but when it came through that we got third I realised we had run 37.90, and I have got to be happy with that because that is the fastest I have ever run in a relay team.

"In the individual events the Americans and the Jamaicans dominated, so for us to finish third is amazing. We ran the second-fastest (British) time in recorded history - and to do that is amazing."

Lewis-Francis, who held off a surging Maurice Greene to grab gold in Athens three year ago, is excited my the prospect of the Great Britain team defending their Olympic crown in Beijing next year after the quartet landed bronze in only their second race together.

"This is a young and exciting team, there is a lot more to come out of this team," he added. "There is still a lot of work to do but this has given us confidence more than anything else.

"We knew we would have to come out and perform 110% and we came out here and we did it. We have got an amazing young team with so many prospects in the team."

Great Britain's women's sprint team also came within a whisker of snatching bronze in their earlier final as Laura Turner, Montell Douglas, Emily Freeman and Joice Maduaka finished fourth in 42.87secs.

The quartet were left wondering what might have been as Belgium produced a national record 42.75secs to claim bronze behind USA and Jamaica.

They had emerged from the morning heat confident after posting a seasons best 42.82secs, the third fastest on the timesheet, from a tough lane one, but were forced to settle for fourth after being handed another inside lane this evening.

"We came fourth from lane two, if we had another lane who knows what could have happened," said Maduaka.

"But at the end of the day we were that close and we beat Russia and Belarus who people see as world-beaters."

Team-mate Turner added: "We put everything in to it, is wasn't good enough, but we will be back next year."