London 2012 Athletics: Fraser-Pryce retains women's 100m title

Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won a thrilling women's 100m duel to retain her Olympic crown on Saturday, holding off a lunging Carmelita Jeter to win by just 0.03sec.

Fraser-Pryce, the fastest woman in the world this year, exploded out of the blocks and opened up a gap over the world champion, crossing the line in 10.75sec, ahead of Jeter who clocked 10.78sec.

Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown took bronze in a time of 10.81 to add to her bronze in Athens in 2004, as the Caribbean nation once again asserted its superiority in the shortest sprint event.

Jeter, the fastest living woman over the distance, qualified fastest for the final as the United States tried to end a 16-year drought in the event.

The last American to win a gold in the women's 100m was Gail Devers, who triumphed in Atlanta in 1996, illustrating how the Americans have slipped behind the Jamaicans in both men's and women's sprinting in recent years.

The top three 100m times are held by the late Florence Griffith-Joyner, who was dogged by rumours of drug abuse.