Canada returns as the silver medalists and China as the bronze after the disqualification of second place finisher Great Britain.

Predictions expected USA to break their streak of futility with Jamaica and Italy as top contenders.

GBR, Italy and Japan made similar changes, while Canada, South Africa, China and France stuck with a well practiced order.

Jerome Blake-CAN continued to widen the gap on China's star Xie Zhenye with South Africa's Shaun Maswanganyi gaining behind.

Around the final turn, former World Junior Record holder Yoshihide Kiryū zoomed past everybody, so as the teams evened out after the excellent underhand exchange to Koki Ueyama, Japan was ahead.

A fast turn on the inside by Lorenzo Patta brought Italy about even with Canada's Brendon Rodney.

After the handoffs, SAF's Akani Simbine and FRA Pablo Matéo were even, marginally ahead of GBR's Zharnel Hughes 3 metres down on Ueyama, won on ITA's Filippo Tortu and CAN's six time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse.

Simbine maintained the slight edge on Hughes to give South Africa the silver over Great Britain's bronze, but not enough to catch De Grasse for gold.