Three-time world champion Maurice Greene failed to make the 100m final while neither Tim Montgomery nor Bernard Williams managed to make the podium leaving the USA bereft of medals in the event for the first time since 1995.

Their pole vault world champion Stacy Dragila also failed to step up to the plate as the 32-year-old former world recordholder finished in fourth spot.

Off the track the Americans fared little better.

The sport's governing body, the IAAF, set them an ultimatum for administering a suitable punishment to Jon Drummond and an American official for bringing the sport into disrepute.

The veteran sprinter refused to leave the track for 20 minutes on Sunday after being disqualified from his 100m quarterfinal over the false start rule introduced this year.

Dragila and Greene were joined on the losing champion's list by triple jump world recordholder Jonathan Edwards who retired for good from the sport after just two attempts with his ankle problem still worrying him - but his anointed successor Christian Olsson didn't disappoint as he took the title.

South Africa won only their third world title since their return from the political wilderness as Jacques Freitag won the men's high jump.

Collins won in a pretty average time of 10.07sec - from Trinidadian Darel Brown - to add the world crown to the Commonwealth one he won last year and the tight finish reflected the decline in standards from previous years.

However, Collins was not surprised at the absence of the Americans from the podium.

"They've been bad all year," he said.

"I like the fact it was a close race because you had eight men lining up who had all beaten each other at some time."

The 27-year-old said he was delighted to have honoured his promise to put the tiny Caribbean island of St Kitts and Nevis on the map and thought there would be a huge party to celebrate his victory.

"This is the biggest thing that has happened to St Kitts since they gained independence in 1983," he said.

"It's going to be a little bit crazy there tonight, whoever is going to be drinking will be drinking, whoever will be smoking will be smoking and if they're not doing either of those things they will be partying."

There will be no such scenes in the hotel room of Greene as he shares his misery with fellow stablemates Ato Boldon, who also failed to make the final, and Drummond.

Whether Drummond will ever grace another major championships is questionable as he turns 35 next month and faces a likely suspension from the 4x100m relay following his antics on Sunday.

"If the IAAF is not satisfied with the American authorities' decision it has the right according to IAAF rules to impose its own sanctions."

Both the favourites for the women's 400m hurdles Russian world record holder Yuliya Pechonkina and Australian star Jana Pittman won their respective semi-finals to set up a mouthwatering duel on Thursday.

American hope Raasin McIntosh, though, failed to make it as she fell at the third last hurdle and lay prostrate on the ground mouthing 'no, no' as she saw her medal hopes disappear.