Track: Jones sizzles in relay

Marion Jones ran a magnificent third leg for the United States in the women's 4 X 400m relay final on Saturday to set her team up for victory and win herself a third gold medal.

Jones, the Olympic 100m and 200m champion, clocked an unofficial 49.57 seconds for the third leg after a conservative first half and electrifying final 200m.

She handed the baton over to La Tasha Colander-Richardson for the final leg 15m ahead of second-placed Jamaica.

Colander-Richardson had only to hold to win and although Lorraine Graham strove valiantly to close the gap the deficit was too great.

The defending champions clocked three minutes 22.62 seconds, Jamaica were second in 3min 22.25sec and Russia took the bronze in 3min 23.46sec.

Jones, her face wreathed in smiles, jogged a victory lap with her team mates Richardson, Jearl Miles-Clark and Monique Hennagan.

Earlier she anchored the US 4 X 100m team to third place behind the Bahamas.

Jones, who announced before the Games she planned to win five gold medals, finished with golds in the 100m, 200m and 4 X 400m relay and bronzes in the long jump and 4 X 100m relay.

- REUTERS