Athletics World Cup: Great Britain third in inaugural staging

United States lifted the platinum trophy believed to be the most expensive in sport

Great Britain finished third in the inaugural Athletics World Cup at London Stadium, thanks in part to a surprise victory in the women's 4x100m relay.

British anchor Shannon Hylton held off fast-finishing Jamaican Tissanna Hickling for the hosts' solitary win on the second day.

Britons Morgan Lake, Nick Miller and Adelle Tracey won silvers in the high jump, hammer and 800m respectively.

The United States came top of the overall standings, clear of Poland.

The winners share a prize pot of almost £350,000.

"We are a diverse country and to see this team be so diverse, I am proud to be American just now," said United States captain Queen Harrison.

"It is fantastic to be the first winners of the Platinum trophy - every other country will have to come and live up to that and try to win it and we will really want to come back and win it again."

Former world champion Dai Greene, representing Britain for the first time since 2013 after a run of injuries, came third in the 400m hurdles.

Ojie Edoburun came fourth in the 100m, while team-mate Beth Dobbin marked her international debut with third in the 200m and Neil Gourley won bronze in the 1500m.

Great Britain had already been announced to the crowd before they withdrew from the 4x400m relay

There was confusion before the men's 4x400m relay, the final event on the track, when Britain were forced to withdraw just before taking to their blocks because of an injury to anchor Cameron Chalmers.

Elsewhere American Sam Kendricks, who won the world title on the same stage last summer, was victorious in the pole vault with a leap of 5.83m.

Coe & Kendricks defend new competition

The new event received criticism for being staged during the World Cup and Wimbledon and a day after the latest Diamond League meeting in Morocco.

World 100m champion Justin Gatlin, world indoor 60m record holder Christian Coleman, Diamond League 100m leader Ronnie Baker and the other joint-fastest man over 100m this year, Noah Lyles, all opted out of the meet.

Leading British athletes Dina Asher-Smith, Adam Gemili, Laura Muir, Zharnel Hughes and CJ Ujah were also absent.

Olympic and world champion Caster Semenya, who was originally listed by South Africa as competing in both the 800m and 1500m, chose the Diamond League instead.

But 50,000 fans attended over the two days, greater numbers than often seen in the Diamond League, and IAAF president Lord Coe hopes the format will prove to be a success.

"I've been very clear that I want new things to be tried," he said. "They are not always going to work out from the word go but that can't [mean] going 'we tried, it didn't do everything so we go back to the same old thing.'

"They've already had interest in this from other cities."

Kendricks told the AFP new agency: "This sport needs one thing and that's more exciting events and this was certainly that.

"I know it conflicted with the soccer World Cup but to have this chance to come together as a national team is really cool.

"Because what is great to have is competition when you have people in different vests competing against one another rather than just individuals in identical vests out there.

"And I think in future editions, you'll see this grow and more people will want to be there. And I know I'd want to be a part of it."

Final Athletics World Cup standings

1. United States 219 points

2. Poland 162 points

3. Great Britain 155 points

4. Jamaica 153 points

5. France 146 points

6, Germany 137 points

7. South Africa 135 points

8. China 81 points