A valiant effort from a young British team saw Andrew Steele (Trafford), Rob Tobin (Basingstoke & Mid Hants) Richard Buck (City of York) and Martyn Rooney (Croydon Harriers) come sixth in 3:02.94.

With an average age of just 21, the quartet looked to the future as they battled in a race dominated by a USA team that won in 2:55.56 and included individual gold medallist Jeremy Wariner.

The GB squad was in a bunch of four teams behind the runaway Americans when a physical third change-over saw Buck stumble as two athletes fell.

He recovered to run 47.08 before handing over the baton to Rooney on the last leg, who ran a fast 44.29 to bring the team home.

After the race Rooney said: "It was an eventful race to say the least. We have remained very positive throughout both rounds and everyone did their job, which was great.

"The oldest in the team is 23. We are very young and there is a lot to come. It's a big jump from junior to senior level and we have learnt a lot by being here and running here."

Steele said: "We are looking to the future and there's no doubt we are a young team. It would good for us to be peaking in five years time, in time for London."