PHILADELPHIA, USA — A strong anchor leg run from IAAF World Championships and Olympic games 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce led Jamaica to a rare win in the women’s 4x100m USA vs The World series at the Penn Relays at Franklin field yesterday.

The Jamaican team of Sherone Simpson, Kerron Stewart, Anniesha McLaughlin and Fraser-Pryce ran 42.42 seconds, the second fastest in the world so far this year. Three of the women who ran yesterday, with the exception of McLaughlin, ran in the London Olympics last summer, as the Jamaicans beat the USA Blue and USA Red.

The women’s sprint relay team was the only winners of the four Jamaican squads that competed, as the men’s 4x400m team, behind a brilliant anchor leg from Errol Nolan, was a close second to the USA.

The women had previously won in 2002 with the team of Tanya Lawrence, Merlene Frazer, Beverly McDonald and Juliet Campbell, and were awarded the 2004 victory after the USA team that included disgraced sprinter Marion Jones, was disqualified later.

Yesterday, Simpson gave the team a decent start, handing over to Stewart, who ran brilliantly to hold off Allyson Felix, giving the baton in front to McLaughlin.

Fraser-Pryce, who was beaten in her previous appearance here, then held off the fast-charging Jeneba Tarmoh, who anchored the USA Red team.

Afterwards Fraser-Pryce told reporters she knew the USA, even without Carmelita Jeter, who sat out the meet, would be strong. “I knew they were strong, the world record holders and favourites, but we had no fear, we came in here relaxed and everyone was in good shape.”

She added. “When I got the baton in front there was no way I was going to allow her to catch me.”

The men’s 4x100m team of Nesta Carter, Dexter Lee, Rasheed Dwyer and Jason Young was second to the USA Red in 38.65 seconds with USA Blue third.

The USA Red’s winning time of 38.26 seconds is a new world leading time.

Nolan, who had represented the USA as a junior and who missed his chance to compete at the Olympics last year when Jermaine Gonzales stopped in the 4x400m relay heats, turned in a solid performance, splitting 44.3 seconds on the anchor leg to take Jamaica back from third place to a close second to the USA Red in 3 minutes 01.15 seconds, as the winners ran 3 minutes 00.91 seconds.

Nolan, who attends the University of Houston, chased Tony McQuay, but just failed to pass him at the line.

Allodin Fothergill led off, handing over to Riker Hylton, while Leford Green took the team from fourth to third with a storming run.

The women’s 4×400 of Shericka Williams, Novlene Williams-Mills, Christine Day, and Kaliese Spencer clocked 3 minutes 24.11 seconds to finish third behind the USA Red and Great Britain.