By Brian Homewood
DOHA (Reuters) - Allyson Felix won her 12th world title as the United States claimed the inaugural world championship 4x400 metres mixed relay on Sunday.
Felix ran the second leg as the U.S. team also featuring Wilbert London, Courtney Okolo and Michael Cherry won in three minutes 9.04 seconds -- a world record for the new event -- to finish ahead of Jamaica and Bahrain.
The team draped themselves in U.S. flags as they celebrated their win but, with almost no spectators in the Khalifa stadium, went straight down the tunnel instead of completing a lap of honour.
Seven of the eight teams choose to run the first and fourth legs with men while Poland went for men in the first two legs and women in the last two.
That meant the Poles finished the second leg with a healthy lead which was cut back in the third leg and obliterated within the first 100 metres of the fourth as Justyna Swiety-Ersetic was overtaken by Cherry. Poland eventually finished fifth.
Felix, 33, has also won three world titles in the women's 200 metres, one in the 400 metres, three in the women's 4x100 metres relay and four in the women's 4x400 metres relay.
(Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Christian Radnedge)