Melissa Jefferson-Wooden emulated the achievement of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in finishing the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 with three world sprint golds as she helped the United States win the women’s 4x100m title in a rainswept final where Fraser-Pryce signed off on her illustrious career in the silver medal-winning Jamaican team.

Jefferson-Wooden, already the 100m and 200m champion, ran the opening leg for the United States in torrential conditions, and the 2023 world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson completed the job as she brought the baton home in 41.75.

Barring accidents – and the tempestuous weather conditions hugely increased the chances of this – the United States were always fancied to retain their title, having earned Olympic gold in the interim.

There was no hesitation from a quartet also featuring Twanisha Terry and Kayla White as they delivered another gold to the United States’ record World Championships total of 16.

But the wider world of athletics was eager to see the 38-year-old Fraser-Pryce finish her career by taking a final World Championship medal 18 years after collecting her first – also women’s 4x100m silver – at the 2007 Osaka edition.

This she did in characteristically brilliant fashion as she clocked 11.32 for her opening leg – 0.06 faster than the time recorded by the double individual champion.

This was the ebullient Jamaican athlete’s 17th world medal, 10 of which have been gold – including 100m titles in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2022. She leaves the sport, additionally, with eight Olympic medals including the 2008 and 2012 100m titles.

It was at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow where, somewhat reluctantly, she was persuaded to enter the 200m as well as her more familiar 100m and 4x100m events – and won gold at all three.

Twins Tia and Tina Clayton kept the momentum going before Jonielle Smith’s anchor leg saw the team through in 41.79, with bronze going to the fast-finishing German quartet in 41.87.

A Great Britain team including the individual 200m silver medallist Amy Hunt and led off by an 11.27 clocking by Dina Asher-Smith looked ready to maintain its medal-winning tradition, but a poor final hand-over between Desiree Henry and Daryll Neita resulted in fourth place in a time of 42.07.

Spain were fifth in 42.47, ahead of France in 42.81, with Canada taking seventh place in 42.82. Poland were disqualified for passing the baton outside the takeover zone.

Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics