Mitchell runs final championship race

Dennis Mitchell, a former Olympic and world 100 metres bronze medallist, ran his final championship race on Sunday as the United States retained the world 4x100 metres relay title.

Mitchell, 35, was almost denied the gold medal after Jon Drummond was disqualified for running out of lane in Saturday's first round heats.

The U.S. were eventually reinstated but Drummond, who sprained his right hamstring in Saturday's first leg, was unable to take part on Sunday. Maurice Greene pulled out of the relay after getting injured retaining the 100 title last Sunday.

"The last two days have been sweet, sour, bitter," Mitchell said. "But in the end somehow we got four guys out on the track that got the job done."

The U.S. quartet's celebrations were muted by comparison with the antics of the American team at the Sydney Olympics last year, where they posed, postured and incurred deserved criticism for not showing the dignity of Olympic champions.

"We are not denying the fact that a mistake was made last year," said Mitchell. "So we knew we were going to have do something a little less outlandish,

"We were trying to show we are a mature team. We have still got a lot to learn about being ambassadors for our country."

Reflecting on his career, Mitchell said his greatest moment had come after winning at the 1996 Olympic trials, one of four national titles.

"Carl Lewis saw me in the warm-up zone and he said 'Dennis, you can take it from here'. That meant a lot to me," Mitchell said.

PETTIGREW RETIRES

Another American veteran, 1991 world 400 metres champion Antonio Pettigrew, also announced he would not be running seriously again after helping the 4x400 team to victory.

Pettigrew, 33, who has been on five U.S. 4x400 world relay teams, said he was retiring from the relay and would run the individual event at low-key meetings only.

"This is my last 4x400 for the United States," he said. "It's time for me to retire. It's a good feeling, now it's time for the young guys to carry on."

A botched baton change on the final leg cost the United States the world women's 4x400 metres title.

With the Americans well clear, Michele Collins handed off to Suziann Reid who juggled the baton then grasped unavailingly as it fell to the track.

Reid recovered the stick but had too much ground to make up and the Americans finished out of the medals for the first time since the inaugural 1983 championships in Helsinki.

Jamaica, anchored by world individual silver medallist Lorraine Fenton, seized the advantage to take the gold followed by Germany and Russia with the U.S. fourth.

"I am very disappointed," Collins said. "I know the fourth leg (Reid) was pretty devastated. She switched hands and she bobbled it and it just went down on the track.

"We do believe we were the better team. We were clearly going to get the gold medals."