World Athletics Championships: Dina Asher-Smith makes history as GB men and women's 4x100m earn silver

Asher-Smith, who earlier this week won 200m gold having taken silver in the 100m, ran the second leg for Britain, who finished strongly to comfortably hold off United States for second place, as Jamaica took gold.

There was nevertheless an element of frustration for Asha Philip, Asher-Smith, Ashleigh Nelson and Daryll Neita, with a sloppy first change handing the initiative to Jamaica who had established a big lead before the final leg.

Their decision to give that leg to Sherika Jackson, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce running against Asher-Smith, proved to be a wise one and from an early stage it was clear they would prove hard to catch.

Jamaica won by 0.41s from Great Britain, with the US a further 0.25s back as they took bronze.

Asher-Smith said: "I think we all handled the pressure between us, which is testimony to how much experience we have got as a squad.

"We almost ran a personal best without practising any of the changes in the warm-up area. It's been a good champs, but obviously it's a team event."

Great Britain also took silver in the men's final as 200m champion Noah Lyles anchored the United States to gold in a national record.

Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake finished strongly to snatch second place from Japan, but this was all about a dominant US team who could afford a series of safe exchanges of the baton, such was their speed dominance.

Adam Gemili, Richard Kilty, Zharnel Hughes and Mitchell-Blake ran 37.36 seconds - a British and European record - despite Hughes suffering a hamstring injury during his handover.

"When I was running, when I handed the baton, I pulled my hamstring," Hughes, who had strapping around his leg, told the BBC.

"I had to give it to Richard whatever because tonight was about getting a medal. We are going home with something around our necks."

Kilty added: "It took an American record and the second fastest time ever to beat us.

"What a warrior Zharnel is. He ran through the zone with a poor hamstring. I heard something happen and I had to slow down my run.

"We came out here like brothers. We are buzzing. We ran an European record. We can get gold in Tokyo (at the 2020 Olympics)."

"It puts the spark in us next year to push on," Gemili said.

Muir delighted despite fifth

Laura Muir came up short in her bid for a medal as she finished a creditable fifth in a gruelling 1500m final.

The Scot, whose preparation had been ruined by a torn calf she suffered at the Anniversary Games in July, ran 3:55.76 in a remarkable race which went to Sifan Hassan, who won emphatically to add to last week's 10,000m gold.

Hassan ran a sensational race from the front, winning in 3:51.95 having ensured a real test of stamina in Doha as she shrugged off the distraction of coach Alberto Salazar's four-year ban for doping violations.

It was the sixth fastest time in the history of the event as Hassan won from Kenya's Faith Kipyegon and Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay, who ran a personal best.

At her peak, such a scenario would have brought out the best in Muir, but after also struggling with a stomach bug and a knee injury recently, she paid the price for trying to go with the winner and lost four places over the course of the final lap.

"I don't know what to say - I was fifth in 3:55," said Muir, visibly delighted despite falling out of the medal positions.

"To run 3:55 when I missed so much training. I'm just speechless. I'm just so proud of myself.

"I couldn't have asked more of myself than to do that.

"If I can run that sort of time off the amount of training I've done, if I'm 100 per cent fit I'm going to be so confident going into next year."

More from Doha

Earlier, Shara Proctor and Abigail Irozuru qualified for Sunday's long jump final, but Jazmin Sawyers missed out.

Proctor said: "The runway feels amazing. Regardless of the crowd, lack of numbers, the atmosphere is electric.

"I enjoyed being out there. I really had to contain myself as I knew I had a job out there.

"It's the first part of the job done, I had one job and that was to come here today and make the final."

Cindy Ofili came through the 100m hurdles heats, finishing third in 12.97s.

She said: "Things have started clicking for me towards the end of this season and I am so ready.

"I haven't competed in three years at a championship so this is a dust-buster and the jitters are out now."

In the women's 4x400m relay heats Zoey Clark, Jodie Williams, Jessica Turner and Laviai Nielsen reached Sunday's final in 3:24.99.

The men's team of Cameron Chambers, Rabah Yousif, Martyn Rooney and Lee Thompson failed to qualify initially, but made the final when Botswana were disqualified.

Additional reporting from the Press Association

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