Olympics-Athletics-US a class apart in women's 4x400m relay

By Lori Ewing

PARIS (Reuters) -The United States blazed to the gold medal in the Olympic women's 4x400 metres relay on Saturday, clocking the second quickest time in history and stretching the country's remarkable victory streak in the event to eight in a row.

Fielding a star-studded foursome featuring Olympic champions Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas, the Americans clocked three minutes 15.27 seconds, narrowly missing the world record set by the former Soviet Union in 1988.

A week after Femke Bol led the Dutch to victory in the mixed 4x400 relay with a remarkable anchor leg, the gap was too great for her to make up and the Netherlands had to settle for silver in 3:19.50. Britain claimed bronze in 3:19.

Jamaica were in third spot after the opening leg, but Andrenette Knight dropped the baton after bumping Ireland's Rhasidat Adeleke on the second leg.

Shamier Little put the U.S. in front before handing off to McLaughlin-Levrone, who put 30 metres on the field with her sizzling 47.71 seconds lap and the only question from that point was who would win silver.

Thomas handed off to Alexis Holmes about 40m ahead clear and she led her team home.

(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Ed Osmond)