The final day of athletics action at the 24th Universiade in Bangkok reached its climax with a high quality men’s 4 x 400m relay.

The Australian team of Dylan Grant, Mark Ormrod, Joel Milburn and Sean Wroe went in as favourites, then found themselves in a titanic struggle with the Polish team who eventually prevailed and won the gold medal.

Poland won in 3.02.05 with the Australians taking silver in 3.02.76, surely a new Australian Universiade record time.

Grant ran a superb lead-off, breaking his first 46-second barrier and giving the Australians a narrow lead at the first change. Ormrod continue his good form from the heat run, but Piotr Klimczak proved a formidable opponent and passed him in the final 40m of the leg.

Milburn then ran the race of his life - thriving under pressure - and made enough ground to give the baton to Wroe with a real chance of taking the lead. The Victorian, who won gold in the individual event on Saturday, was impressive down the back straight and made up the difference, passing his opponent with 300m to run. Not to be beaten, Daniel Dabrowski fought back and the two came into the home straight side by side.

Dabrowski prevailed to snatch gold.

“We came onto the straight leading but got pipped for second,” Wroe confirmed. “The boys ran a blinder…we’re absolutely spent.”

The race was a fitting end to six days of terrific track and field action that has showcased some of the world’s best emerging talent.

Day six started at 6am with Tom Barnes finishing the men’s 20km walk in difficult conditions. The field was treated to a large crowd of enthusiastic onlookers and saw China’s Yafei Chu win in 1:24.37. Barnes came home in 17th place, 8.49mins behind the winner in 1:33.26.

The final day of competition also produced the fastest time in the world this year for the women’s 800m. In one of the meet’s highlights, Ukraine’s Yuliya Krevsun won in 1.57.63 with silver earned by Russia’s Ekaterina Kostetskaya in 1.59.52. In another fast and exciting race, the men’s equivalent was won in a line rush by Ehsan Mohajershojaei (IRI) in 1.46.04; bronze was taken in 1.46.19.

Australia’s performance at this year’s games surpasses its best ever result. Two gold (Wroe, Robbie Crowther) and two silver medals (Dani Samuels, 4x400m relay) betters the performances seen in 1967, 1991, 2001 and 2003 - complemented a total of 12 top 10 finishes and more finalists than ever before.

These World University Games have been an outstanding success.