by Alfonz JuckWell, Americas won over Europe by 29 points, taking the win back after losing in 2014 in Marrakesh. Here’s how EME News saw this:
Americas won for 2nd time
OSTRAVA (CZE, Sep 9): After losing to Europe in Marrakesh Americas secured the second win after 2010 at the IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava. They scored 262 points over Europe 233. Asia-Pacific for first time beat Africa 188 to 142.
Event by event
Men
100m – The Americas’ Noah Lyles produced an excellent final 20 metres to pip Asia-Pacific’s Su Bingtian, 10.01 to 10.03. Yohan Blake pulled up injured, crossing the line in eighth in 11.99.
400m – Asia-Pacific’s Abdelelah Haroun was the only athlete to break the 45-second mark, winning comfortably in 44.72 ahead of Africa’s Baboloki There in 45.10.
1500m – Africa’s Elijah Manangoi won in 3:40.00, holding off a late challenge from Marcin Lewandowski in 3:40.42. 17-year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen was third in 3:40.80.
3000m – With both African athletes eliminated in the early stages and not using their joker, Paul Chelimo led a one-two for the Americas in 7:57.13 ahead of Mo Ahmed (7:57.99).
110m hurdles – Sergey Shubenkov maintained his unbeaten streak since the European Championships with victory in 13.03 ahead of the Americas’ Ronald Levy (13.12) and European champion Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (13.31). Europe used succesfully the joker.
Triple jump – Christian Taylor had the longest jump of the competition with 17.59 (-1.9) and also won top points for the Americas, defeating Africa’s Hugues Fabrice Zango in the fifth round head-to-head – 17.31m to 16.46m. Americas got another succesfull joker.
Pole vault – Sam Kendricks claimed maximum points for the Americas with 5.85m ahead of Renaud Lavillenie (5.80m), Shawn Barber (5.65m) and Timur Morgunov (5.65m).
Javelin – Thomas Rohler saved his best throw for the final round, improving to 87.07m to defeat the Asia-Pacific’s Chao-Tsun Cheng (81.81m).
Hammer – Olympic champion Dilshod Nazarov produced his best throw of his series with 77.34m in the final round to take maximum points for Asia-Pacific ahead of Africa’s Mostafa El-Gamel (74.22m) in the head-to-head format.
Mixed relay – Already assured of victory, the Americas concluded the programme by winning the mixed relay in 3:13.01 from Africa (3:16.19) and Asia-Pacific (3:18.55, all Australians so new Ocenian and national record). Team Europe was DQ’d.
Women
200m – Shaunae Miller-Uibo completed an unbeaten season with victory for the Americas in 22.16 ahead of Dafne Schippers who was just outside her season’s best with 22.28. Americas good in joker here.
800m – Caster Semenya delivered another gun-to-tape win in 1:54.77 (55.93 at 400m), just missing Ana Quirot’s championship record of 1:54.44. The Americas’ Ajee Wilson (1:57.16) and Natoya Goule (1:57.36) also finished their seasons with fast times.
3000m steeplechase – Beatrice Chepkoech won for Africa in a gun-to-tape championship record of 9:07.92 ahead of Courtney Frerichs (9:15.22) and Winfred Yavi (9:17.86). But no points for Chepkoech as her team-mate was not going from the race after elimination in due time.
400m hurdles – The Americas’ Janieve Russell produced the second fastest time of her career with 53.62 ahead of teammate Shamier Little (53.86) with Anna Ryzhkyova third in a season’s best of 54.47.
Long jump – Caterine Ibarguen completed another horizontal jump double, improving her Colombian record to 6.93m in the last round for maximum points for the Americas. Malaika Mihambo had the second best mark of the competition with 6.86m in round two.
High jump – Mariya Lasitskene cleared 2.00m on her first attempt before three attempts at 2.05m, winning by two clear heights from the Asia-Pacific’s Svetlana Radzivil (1.95m).
Shot put – Asia-Pacific’s Gong Lijiao defeated the Americas’ Raven Saunders in the final round – 19.25m to 18.39m. Saunders did have a better performance earlier in the series with 19.74m to Gong’s 19.63m.
Javelin – Lyu Huihui had the best throw of the competition with 63.88m and also won the head-to-head against Christin Hussong in the final round, 57.88m to 55.05m.
