BY JAY COHEN
She knew exactly what to do with it.
Jeter powered down the stretch and pointed the baton at the clock as she crossed the finish line, celebrating a world-record time of 40.82 seconds that gave the Americans their first victory in the event since 1996.
Tianna Madison, 200-meter champion Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Jeter combined for a perfect trip around the track that ended a string of disappointments for the U.S. in the marquee relay. At the 2008 Beijing Games, the Americans didn't even reach the final because Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams bobbled the last exchange in the semifinals.
Their final time cut more than a half-second off the old record of 41.37 run by East Germany in 1985.
Jamaica won the silver medal in a national record of 41.41 seconds, with 100 champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart bringing the baton around.
The American team was in control in the men's 4x400 relay until Ramon Miller of the Bahamas chased down Angelo Taylor on the anchor leg to grab his country's first gold in a race won by the U.S. in every Olympics since 1984.
But the silver helped the United States run its lead in the medals table to 94-81 over China.
The South African team, anchored by double-amputee “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius, fell behind well before Pistorius received the baton and was eighth.
