After the first day of competition at the inaugural IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup in Split, Croatia, the team of the Americas has a slight lead over Europe, 219 points to 210. Africa is sitting in third place with 148 points, and the Asia-Pacific team is last, 12 points behind the Africans.
Europe would be leading the two-day competition, which replaced the old IAAF World Cup, but a botched final baton pass between Frenchmen Pierre-Alexis Pessonneaux and Teddy Tinmar in the 4 x 100m relay caused their team to be disqualified. The Americas, with Tyson Gay running the third leg, won in 38.25 to score 15 points and secure the first day lead.
The small crowd of 12,000 in Poljud Stadium got to see some tactical distance races, including the men's 5000m where the Americas' Bernard Lagat (USA) ran the final kilometer in 2:24.77 to sprint away from Africa's Moses Kipsiro (UGA) in the final 100m and win in 13:58.23. Like all event winners in this competition, he'll take home USD 30,000.
"It felt very comfortable," said Lagat who will also run tomorrow's 3000m. "It was special that I could hear my son all through the race, I dedicate this win to him and of course I'm glad I won maximum points for Team Americas."
Africa's Amine Laalou (MAR) timed his sprint perfectly in the men's 1500m, just edging his teammate Mekonnen Gebremedhin (ETH), 3:35.49 to 3:35.70. The Americas' Leonel Manzano passed European champion Arturo Casado (ESP) to finish third in 3:36.48.
"It was a very good race, I felt well and just went out on the track," said Manzano, the former University of Texas star. "The season was very long and it's hard to stay fresh."
Not surprisingly, the women's 800m went to the overall Samsung Diamond League champion, Janeth Jepkosgei (KEN) of the African team. Off of a fast pace set by India's Tintu Luka (58.04 at 400m), Jepkosgei pulled away from the pack in the homestretch, clocking 1:57.88 on the line. The Americas' Kenia Sinclair (JAM) held off Europe's Mariya Savinova (RUS) to take second. Luka set a national record of 1:59.17 in fifth place.
In the women's 3000m, Africa's Meseret Defar (ETH) controlled the pace throughout the race, leading at both the 1000m (3:17.63) and 2000m (6:16.54) intermediate points. She was challenged in the final 250 meters by the Americas' Shannon Rowbury (USA), who was shoulder to shoulder with Defar on the backstretch. But Defar was simply too strong in the final 200m, pulling away from Rowbury and Europe's Alemitu Bekele (TUR) to get the win in 9:03.33. Bekele passed Rowbury to get second (9:04.08), and the American got third (9:04.82).
"The race was slow so it was really easy for me to get another win," Defar explained. "My plan was to finish first here. This is a fantastic place, the atmosphere is great, the weather too, and I'm very happy about it."
The competition concludes tomorrow. Presumably, the crowd will be larger given that European high jump champion and Croatian star Blanka Vlasic will be competing.
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