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Great Britain’s men hoping to build on relay gold in London

CJ Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake produced a stunning world-leading time of 37.47 seconds.

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Great Britain’s victorious men’s 4×100 metres relay runners are hoping to build on their success at future major tournaments after taking gold at the World Championships in London.

The British quartet of CJ Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake produced a stunning world-leading time of 37.47 seconds to edge out the United States and Japan after Usain Bolt had pulled up on his anchor leg for Jamaica.

Last man Mitchell-Blake took the baton in the lead ahead of American Christian Coleman and held off the individual 100m silver medallist to clinch Britain’s second gold medal of the tournament.

“Not only was it a victory, it was a European record and British record in front of our home fans,” Ujah, who ran a superb first leg, told BBC 5 Live’s Sportsweek.

“Maybe next year we can go and get the Commonwealth or European title and build on it for Tokyo 2020.

“I just wanted to give the guys a good lead and help them win a medal. We all put in a good shift, a good leg, and I’m proud of these guys. Each one ran a superb leg and we came out with a victory.”

Mitchell-Blake said he wanted to keep BBC commentator Steve Cram’s description of the race as a ringtone.

“I don’t think I’d answer the phone until the last ring,” he said. “Every time you hear it, it’s truly humbling, definitely something we’ll never take for granted. I’m getting goosebumps listening to that.”

Mitchell-Blake added: “It really hasn’t sunk in yet.

“I’m currently in a taxi with the lads now and we’ve been talking about it all morning and we’re still trying to come to terms with the fact we’re actually world champions.

“We keep telling ourselves we’re world champions and saying ‘did we really do that?’ But we always had the belief we could do something special and it came to fruition.”

Mitchell-Blake said he was unaware that Bolt had pulled up down the home straight in his final competitive race.

“I saw CJ get a blistering start out of the blocks, he made up the ground on lane eight so quickly and I saw Adam hammer down the back stretch and I know Danny can run a superb leg.

“You can’t really see the stagger so much on the third leg because at that time I’m trying to get into my position to blast out.

“But I knew we were in the lead or thereabouts and all I had to do was remain relaxed and run through the line.”

Gemili, controversially overlooked for selection in the individual 200m, said: “It’s a dream come true really.

“I don’t actually believe it’s happened. Last night I didn’t want to go to sleep in case I woke up and it was all a dream.

“But it’s reality and it’s something we’ve been working towards and every athlete in the squad wants to become world champion and be the best in the world and for us four lucky guys it’s actually happened. I feel great.”

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