That was the judgement of Lamine Diack, President of the IAAF, after a concluding day which saw the United States earn the Golden Baton for overall performance having won half of the 10 finals.

"The IAAF's faith in the innovative IAAF World Relays, a new event with a new presentation concept, and the Bahamas' ability to deliver a top global sports entertainment product have been richly rewarded this weekend," said Diack.

"In the 'sun, sea and sand paradise' that the Bahamas markets itself, we have experienced a true sporting paradise which has excelled beyond our expectations.

"The people have embraced the IAAF World Relays and the noise of their support will be left ringing in our memories for many years to come."

The dominance of the United States was confirmed with four wins out of six on a second day when only Kenya and Jamaica, whose 4x100m team was anchored to victory by former world 100m champion Yohan Blake, defied the trend to finish respectively third and second overall.

Kenya's men celebrate their world 4x1,500m record at the IAAF World Relays in Nassau, the Bahamas ©Getty Images

Kenya's 4x1,500m quartet of Collins Cheboi, Silas Kiplagat, James Magut and double world champion Asbel Kiprop took 14 seconds off the record set by their compatriots in Brussels five years earlier, clocking a time of 14 min 22.22sec, to earn a $50,000 (£29,701/€36,683) bonus on top of their $50,000 first-place prize money.

Kenya's Kiplagat set the fastest lap of the race, 53.50, in the course of taking the lead ahead of the second changeover to Magut, who was able to hand a comfortable lead to Kiprop, despite the latter appearing momentarily surprised by his appearance with a baton in his hand.

Kiprop took the bell at 13:26.00 and completed the last lap in 56.22 to set the world record.

Leonel Manzano of the United States held off the challenge of Ethiopia's Aman Wote on the final leg to secure second place in a national record of 14:40.80, with Ethiopia also clocking a national record of 14:41.22.

Australia, fourth, also set a national record of 14:46.04, as did seventh-placed Qatar (15:10.77).

The men's 4x100m final was Jamaica's to lose, and they managed to avoid that fate with victory in 37.77, with Blake's final leg - from a running start - being clocked at 9.07.

Trinidad and Tobago were second in 38.04, their last leg runner Richard Thompson, the Beijing 2008 silver medallist, overhauling Britain's anchor runner Dwain Chambers.  

Brazil (fourth) and Japan (fifth) were credited with identical 38.40 timings.

The Bahamas and the United States failed to reach the final after being disqualified for passing out of the zone.

LaShawn Merritt provided the capacity 17,000 crowd in the Thomas A Robinson stadium with the worst moment of the night when he overhauled home runner Michael Mathieu in the final 10 metres to win the 4x400m event in 2:57.25.

The Bahamas, who had been put into a narrow lead by a 44.20 leg from their veteran performer Chris Brown, finished in 2:57.59 ahead of Trinidad and Tobago, who clocked a national record of 2:58.34.

Home runner Chris Brown (left), Machel Cederico of Trinidad and Tobago and the US Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor set off on the third leg of the 4x400m final in Nassau ©Getty Images

In the absence of Russia's world champion quartet - which made a late withdrawal from the competition - the United States won the 4x400m title, and automatic qualification for next year's World Championships, without undue alarm in 3:21.73.

The US women led the 4x800m final from start to finish, clocking a national record of 8:01.58 as they held off the challenge of Kenya.

World indoor champion Chanelle Price gave the United States a lead of more than 10m on the first leg, and the advantage was maintained by Geena Lara and Ajee Wilson, who held her own against Kenya's former world champion Janeth Jepkosgei.

World bronze medallist Brenda Martinez ran a swift first lap, not wanting to offer Kenya's world champion Eunice Sum an opportunity to close, and her 57.4 was the fastest one-lap split of the day.

Kenya ran a national record of 8:04.28 and Russia were third in 8:08.19.

The United States won the fifth and last women's relay final with a 4x200m time of 1:29.45 ahead of Britain, who clocked a Commonwealth record of 1:29.61, and Jamaica, who were anchored to third place by world and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in a national record of 1:30.04.

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