by Larry EderIn a well contested global event, Europe won the IAAF VTB Cup over the Americas. Some great performances, but on Sunday, the crowd pleaser was none other than World Champ Blanka Vlasic, who entertained her 20,000 Split fans and showed who was the queen of the high jump, ending a very long season! Some great performances, with a double by Bernard Lagat and a strong 100 meter win by Christophe Lemaitre.
EUROPE WINS, BLANKA WAS A GOOD CAPTAIN
SPLIT (CRO, Sep 5): Inaugural
winner of IAAF/VTB Continental Cup was the European team with 9.5 margin over
Americas (429-419.5). Europe was more consistent, Americas had weak points
mainly in throws. In number of wins both teams were equal (each 13 wins).
Interestingly also Africa and Asia-Pacific got each 7 wins, but in overall
score Africa had 292 points
over Asia-Pacific 286.5. In total 11 event bests, 16 stadium records were
registered. On top 3 world leading marks (men pole vault, women triple jump and
high jump) and 2 continental records (women triple jump, men discus). The last
one hour on Sunday was magical also due to the connection Blanka and Split,
with more than 20 000 enthusiastic supporters.
Event by event review
men
200 m: Spearmon delivers
another sub 20 of his career 19.95 and first ever in Split.
800 m: He is very special,
Rudisha paced (50.84, 1:16.77, last 200 m 26.6) himself to excellent 1:43.37, new
event best. Eurochamp Lewandowski confirms his sub 1:45 level.
3000 m: Another respectable win
for Bernard Lagat who is the only individual double winner of the event after
a tactical affair which saw world leader Tariku Bekele only fourth.
SC: Mekhissi tried hard clocked
sub 8:10 but Mateelong and Gari (first sub 8:10 Ethiopian) were faster 8:09.67
and 8:09.87.
110mH: He remains unbeaten
after 13.11 (-1.1) first place, the Americas Captain David Oliver.
PV: Steven Hooker comes in
right time to right shape before New Delhi. In third attempt world leading 595
and first outdoor win of the year over Lavillenie (590).
TJ: Oprea was the surprise
winner with last attempt 17.29, 4
cm ahead of Copello and 5 cm ahead of Idowu.
DT: World Champ Harting 66.85,
unexpected Oceanian record for second Harradine 66.45, Eurowinner Malachowski
only fourth.
JT: Team Captain Thorkildsen
meet record with last throw 89.26, throwers exchanged a funny winter cap.
4×400 m: Americas and Europe
went sub 3 minutes, winners beating the meet record from 1981. Nice fight even
when it was already clear Europe cannot lost the final win (only when losing
the baton).
women
200 m: Europe fought and got 1-2 here with
Fedoriva and Bryzgine being better than Mothersill and Moore.
1500 m: Classic situation. Slow
race and fast finish, Nancy Langat only 8th, win for Dehiba.
5000 m: Another impressive
finish Vivian Cheruiyot clocked 25.2 last 200 m.
SC: Zarudneva despite not
totally healthy managed to beat DL winner Chemos. Meet record as expected.
100H: Closest race of the day.
Top three in 0.03. Pearson over Lolo and Felicien, only then Europeans.
HJ: Emotional and result
highlight of Sunday. Blanka and her Split. First failure of the evening at wr
height, very impressive. It was her evening.
LJ: Non-expected win for Asia-Pacific
but not by Rypakova. Tarasova of Uzbekistan leaped to winning 670 in last round, otherwise
she would be number 6.
SP: Valerie Adams gave
Ostapchuk her first loss of the year. Even more her 20.86 is second best ever
for the New Zealander.
HT: First winner of Sunday was
former WR holder Lysenko. In last throw 73.88 she went over Chinese Zhang
Wenxiu who was leading from first round (73.69). Eurowinner Heidler only
fourth.
4×400 m: Bahamian Amertil was
able to hold the challenge of finishing Eurochamp Firova by 0.21.
Stats (by Ken Nakamura)
WHT: Lysenko’s winning margin
of 19cm is the smallest in the history of the Continental Cup, replacing 85cm
by Kamila Skolimowska in 2006. Heidler’s 72.70m is the best 4th place throw in
the Continental Cup, replacing 71.19m by Zhang Wenxiu from 2006 By finishing third, Yipsi Moreno won
third medal at the WHT at Continental Cup. Earlier she won silver in 2002 and
bronze in 2006. Moreno is the only W hammer thrower with multiple medal at
Continental Cup. Lysenko’s 73.88 is the longest throw in Split, replacing 73.30
by Ivana Brkljacic from 2008. Europe won both men’s (Charfreitag) and women’s
(Lysenko) HT, first time the same team won both men’s and womens’ HT in
Continental Cup.
MTJ: Marian Oprea won his
second medal in the Continental Cup adding to his bronze medal from 2006.
MPV: Not only Hooker’s 5.95m a
new Continental Cup record, but Lavillenie’s 5.90m, Miles 5.75m, and Mazuryk’s
5.65m are best marks for places for second (previously 5.80 by Lobinger from
1998), third (previously 5.70 by Hartwig from 1998) and fourth (5.60 by
Potapovich from 1998) in the Continental Cup. Hooker’s jump of 5.95m is also
the highest in Split, replacing 5.85m by Gataulin from 1990 Euro Champ It was
Hooker’s second gold in Continental Cup (who won in 2006), joining Brits (who
won in 1994 and 2002) and Tully (wonin 1977 and 1979).
W3000mSC: The event was
contested for the second time. The first (9:25.46 replacing 9:29.10 by Turova),
second (9:25.84 replacing 9:31.44 by Kiptum), and third (9:29.53 replaying 9:35.08 by Janowska)
were best ever marks for the place at Continental Cup. The margin of victory,
0.38 seconds, is the smallest ever at Continental Cup, replacing 2.34 by Turova
from 2006.
3000mSC: Not only Mateelong
recorded the Continental Cup record of 8:09.67, replacing 8:19.09 by Shahenn
from 2006, but the best marks for places were recorded by Roba Gari for second
(replacing 8:19.37 by Paul Koech from 2006), by Mekhissi-Benabbad for third
(replacing 8:23.21 by Hagen Melzer from 1989), by B Kiplagat for fourth
(replacing 8:24.13 by R Ponitzsch), by Luchianov for fifth (replacing 8:25.12
by Duhaime from 1981) and by Abdi for sixth (replacing 8:28.65 by Domingues
from 1989). Mateelong ran the fastest time in Split replacing 8:12.66 by
Panetta in the 1990 Euro Champ.
W100mH: The best marks for
places were recorded for second by Jones (12.66 replacing 12.75 by Anisimova
from 1979), third by Felicien (12.68 replacing 12.86 by Tolbert from 1989),
fourth by Yanit (12.84 replacing 12.86 by Adams).
110mH : David Oliver ran the
fastest 110mH in Split, replacing Colin Jackson’s mark of 13.18 recorded in the
1990 European Championships.
3000m :The winning margin of
0.23 seconds by Lagat tied the smallest winning margin recorded by Dieter Baumann
in 1998. The Lagat became the first to win both 3000m and 5000m in the
Continental Cup. Previously, Baumann won 3000m and finished 3rd at 5000m in
1998.
WLJ By winning a bronze medal
in WLJ Olga Rypakova became the second women’s jumper to win a medal in both LJ
and TJ at the single Continental Cup. Previously Devetzi won bronze in LJ and
Silver in 2006, so Rypakova did better by winning gold in TJ and bronze in LJ.
Incidentally, Chistakova won gold at LJ in 1989 and silver in TJ in 1992.
200m:Spearmon’s winning margin
of 0.52 seconds (20.47-19.95) is the largest ever at the Continental Cup,
replacing 0.41 recorded by F Fredericks in 1998. Spearmon who also won in 2006,
became the second man to win 200m more than once at Continental Cup. Robson da
Silva won three times, in 1985, 1989 and 1992.
WSP: Valerie Adams (Villi)
became the third Shot Putter to win the WSP twice in the Continental Cup.
Previously, Slupianek won in 1979 and 1981 and Huang Zhihong won in 1989 and
1994. Lijiao Gong’s mark of 20.13 is the best third place mark in Continental
Cup replacing 20.10 by Losch in 1989.
W5000m :Cheruiyot’s winning
margin of 1.37 seconds (16:07.11-16:05.74) is the smallest winning margin at
the Continental Cup, replacing 1.58 seconds by Olga Yegorova from 2002.
JT: The defending champion
Thorkildsen recorded the longest throw by a new Javelin in the Continental Cup,
replacing 88.71m by Backely from 1998. Thorkildsen also joined Backley as the
second Javelin thrower to win MJT more than once at the Continental Cup.
Backley won in 1989, 1994 and 1998. Europe won both Men’s (Thorkildsen) and
Women’s (Abakumova) JT, which happened twicee before, in 1979 by GDR and 2006
by Europe.
800m :Rudisha’s winning time,
1:43.37, is the Continental Cup record, replacing 1:43.83 by Reina from 2002.
His winning margin, 1.44 seconds, is also a record, replacing 1.15 seconds by
Seb Coe from 1981 as the largest winning margin. The best marks for places were
recorded for third (1:44.92 replacing 1:45.08 by Nixon Kiprotich in 1989),
fourth (1:44.96 replacing 1:45.31 by A Bucher in 2002), fifth (1:44.98
replacing 1:45.34 by Schumann in 2002) and sixth (1:45.91 replacing 1:46.01 by
Osmar dos Santos in 2002). The 400m split of 50.84 is the fastest ever in
Continental Cup replacing 50.96
in 2002. Africa won both men’s (Rudisha) and women’s
(Jepkosgei) 800m, which is the first in Continental Cup.
W4x400mR:
Americas won both women’s 4x100m and 4x400mRelays
M4x400mR: 2:59.00 by Americas
is the Continental Cup record. Americas men’s team won both 4x100m and 4x400m
relays . In short, Americas won all four relay events. Previously in 2002 in Madrid, Americas
team won Men’s 4x400mR, Women’s 4x100mR and 4x400mR, and finished second in
Men’s 4x100mR.
OTHER
RESULTS
TILBURG (NED, Sep 5): Pre-race
favourite Lornah Kiplagat won the Dutch national 10K crown at the Tilburg Ten
Miles in a time of 31:42. Defending champion Merel De Knegt was runner-up,
ahead of Ilse Pol. In the international 10K Ethiopia took the top three
positions with Meselech Melkamu (31:33), Emebet Anteneh (31:40) and Genet Yalew
(31:47). The men’s international 10K race was won by an Ethiopian as well, as
Abera Kuma managed 27:51 over Kenyan John Mwangangi (27:53) and compatriot
Ayele Abshero (28:26). New Dutch 10K champion is Koen Raymaekers in 29:15.
LONDON (GBR, Sep 5): Linet
Masai has won the 13th Adidas Women’s 5K Challenge at Hyde Park. Masai
comfortably scored 15:06 over the 5K and easily beat Kenyan Sylvia Kibet
(15:10) and Stephanie Twell (15:32). Fourth place went to Worknesh Kidane while
fifth was for USA’s Lauren Fleshman. Former champion Sonia O’Sullivan, who won
the event in 2002 and 2004, was competing along with 15,000 others as an
amateur and finished 23rd in 17:46.
SHEFFIELD (GBR, Sep 5):
European 10000 metres
silver medallist Chris Thompson after doing most of the hard work at the front
of the pack saw himself outsprinted by Craig Mottram at the Bupa Great
Yorkskire Run on Sunday. Thompson returning briefly to road running after a
highly successful track season, lost out by a second to his Australian rival
who clinched victory in their 10 kilometres clash on the streets of Sheffield
in 28:50 by one second. Writes David Martin. The fast finishing pair breaking
clear of the field after eight kilometres before Mottram pulled away to score
his narrow victory, stifled the threat of Finn Jussi Utriainen who placed third
in 29:02. Freya Murray with a very strong finish and against a domestic field
was for the second successive year crowned women’s champion holding off a
persistent challenge from Charlotte Purdue who the previous weekend beat her
over 5000m on the track in Cardiff. Her winning 33:01 ahead of Purdue 33:06.
MELBOURNE (AUS, Sep 5): Nikki
Chapple clocked fast 1:10:55 to win the Victorian Half Marathon Championships
at Burnley.
KAMNIK (SLO, Sep 5): Austrian
runner Andrea Mayr won the Mountain Running World Championships in Slovenia. On
track she tried with steeple and on the road with marathon. Men winner was
Samson Gashazghi of Eritrea.
ARANDA DU DUERO (ESP, Sep 4):
At road mile European champion Nuria Fernandez competed for first time since
her Barcelona win and was the best in 5:01 ahead of Zuema Fuentes-Pila 5:03 and
Irene Alfonso 5:04. Diego Ruiz won the men race in 4:10.
ZARAGOZA (ESP, Sep 4): Manuel
Olmedo won another road mile of the weekend in 4:24. Here the female winner was
Spanish Khadija Rahmouni 5:04.
SOSNOWIEC (POL, Sep 5): New
Polish junior shot put record with 6
kg implement by Youth Olympic Games winner Krzysztof
Brzozowski who achieved 20.81
m.
KRAKOW (POL, Sep 5): World
indoor champion Dwain Chambers won a 100 m race at international meet here with
10.45 (-0.6) beating German Alexander Kosenkow (10.58). South African Johan
Cronje won the 1000 m
(2:24.99), in women 1000 m
home win for Evelina Setowska-Dryk (2:40.89).
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