AMERICAS LEAD OVERNIGHT AT IAAF CONTINENTAL CUP OSTRAVA 2018

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With well-played jokers and a handful of surprise performances, the Americas team find themselves in the leading position at the end of the first day of the IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018 on Saturday (8).
Runners-up in 2014, Americas have amassed 135 points at the half-way stage to lead from defending champions Europe (123). Africa sits in third with 89 points while Asia-Pacific is fourth with 74 points.
On a day full of drama and careful calculations as athletes adjusted to the new formats for various events, the first track event of the weekend set the tone as Jamaica’s 2015 world champion Danielle Williams led an Americas 1-2 from world record-holder Kendra Harrison in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Harrison, the world indoor champion, got off to the best start but Williams was close behind throughout. While Harrison lost a bit of momentum in the latter stages, Williams came off the final hurdle best and hurtled towards the line in 12.49, just 0.02 shy of the competition record. Harrison was second in 12.52 while Germany’s Pamela Dutkiewicz, representing Europe, was third in 12.82.
More victories for the Americas team soon followed.
Panama’s Alonso Edward retained his Continental Cup title in the 200m, overtaking world champion Ramil Guliyev in the closing stages to win in 20.19.
In the women’s hammer, Deanna Price of the Americas upset Europe’s world record-holder Anita Wlodarczyk. In the new format for horizontal field events, the top four athletes from each team after three rounds had an additional attempt. The top two athletes from that fourth round went on to have one further attempt, the results of which would be used to determine the final standings.
Price and Wlodarczyk dominated each stage of the hammer, Price throwing 75.13m to the Pole’s 73.45m in round three. Both women came close to those marks in the fourth round to guarantee their place in round five. Wlodarczyk ended with 73.20m while Price sent her hammer flying out to a competition record of 75.46m.
There was some consolation for Wlodarczyk and her Europe teammate Alexandra Tavernier, however, as their team captain had played their joker, meaning the duo picked up double points.

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