Team GB’s men’s 4x100m relay team have been disqualified after the final changeover between Danny Talbot and Adam Gemili took place outside of the designated box.

Former Dagenham & Redbridge footballer Gemili went off hard as Talbot approached but the baton was exchanged too late, meaning despite a second place finish in the race, the squad will not take part in tomorrow’s final.

The quartet was completed by Dwain Chambers and Christian Malcolm, who refused to blame any of his team mates for the unfortunate turn of events.

Malcolm explained: “I know we like to play the blame game in our country, but as far as I am concerned there’s no one to blame.

“We have gone out there with two exceptional youngsters and we have run a 37.9. I think that is only the fourth time we have ever run sub 38 seconds in the whole history of British relay running.

“If you have got two youngsters in the team that can gain from this experience now, it all bodes well for the future of British sprinting if you ask me.”

He continued: “He (Gemili) went off exceptionally hard – he didn’t go off early – he went off very hard which we wanted him to do. Unfortunately, Danny couldn’t catch him, but both guys, Danny and Adam, ran an exceptional leg.

“The question will be asked “Was he too young to run the last leg?”, no he wasn’t, because at the end of the day, he was the best guy to do the job in our country right now.

“As you could see when he got the baton in his hand, he was absolutely motoring. At the moment, there is no one else in the country running like that.”