NEWPORT'S Team GB sprinter Christian Malcolm leapt to the defence of team mate Adam Gemili after last night's baton error in the 4x100 metres relay.

Great Britain's team were gearing up for further heavy criticism today after another baton blunder cost them a place in the Olympic final.

Christian Malcolm and Dwain Chambers, the two experienced members of the team, were quick to defend Adam Gemili, whose unfortunate mistake led to their disqualification.

The 18-year-old set off too fast as he was about to take the baton from Danny Talbot, 21. He slowed down dramatically, but the changeover still occurred outside the designated zone. However, Malcolm, 33, and Chambers, 34, defended the decision to put the two youngest runners on the last two legs.

"We know we're going to get the snipers on us now for not getting the baton round but you have to take the positives from this," Malcolm said. "We have two exceptional youngsters on the team who did an exceptional job. It was just unfortunate.

"Adam didn't go off early - he went off on the check mark, but whatever you do in training you can't mimic when you get in that arena. You can't blame a lack of experience. To come in here in the biggest race of his life and be asked to run the last leg is a big burden, but he is the best guy to do the job right now. He will learn and be better in the future."

Chambers said: "We had to put experience first and let the youth try to deliver. We asked a big task of them and they are disappointed as you can see."

There was disappointment of a different sort for the 4x400m relay quartet of Conrad Williams, Jack Green, Dai Greene and Martyn Rooney fell just short of a medal in fourth. Rooney attacked round the final bend and on the home straight passed Russia's Pavel Trenikhin and was closing on Trinidad's Deon Lendore, but was held off.

Rooney, whose split was an impressive 44.09secs said: "It doesn't matter if you come eighth or fourth - it's the same place if you don't get a medal. I am gutted for the guys. I genuinely thought I was going to catch the guy and I should have caught him."

Lisa Dobriskey's hopes of completing a fairytale return with an Olympic medal were ended as she never got into contention in the 1500m. After looking so impressive in the rounds, she could only come home 10th in a slow race.

Laura Weightman, in her first major championship, was 11th. Steve Lewis had to settle for joint fifth place in the pole vault. Sophie Hitchon finished 12th in the hammer final, while Jo Pavey and Julia Bleasdale finished seventh and eighth respectively in the 5,000m final.