BAHRAIN’S Edidiong Odiong set a new 200m national record of 22.62 seconds yesterday representing the Asia-Pacific Team on the final day of the IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018 in the Czech Republic.
Odiong, who completed a sprint double and was also part of the gold medal winning 4x100m and silver medal winning 4x400m Bahrain relay teams at the recently concluded Asian Games in Jakarta, posted a new Bahraini best in finishing fifth in the women’s 200m.
Meanwhile, compatriots Winfred Yavi, Aminat Yusuf Jamal, Noora Jasim and Birhanu Balew had mixed results in their respective events for Asia-Pacific.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas representing the Americas won the 200m race in 22.16s while Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands running for Europe was second in 22.28s. Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast put Africa in third place in 22.61s.
Odiong’s Asia-Pacific teammate Viktoriya Zyabkina of Kazakhstan was classified eighth in 24.34s.
With their results, Odiong and Viktoriya registered four points for Asia-Pacific Team.
In the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, Yavi did well to pace herself behind Africa Team leader Beatrice Chepkoech from Kenya. She eventually finished third in nine minutes 17.86 seconds. Chepkoech won in 9:07.92 while Courtney Frerichs of US representing the Americas was just ahead of Yavi in 9:15.22.
Sudha Singh of India was the other Asia-Pacific competitor. She did not finish, but was still awarded two points to add to Yavi’s six.
Hurdles
Meanwhile, Jamal was ranked fifth in the women’s 400m hurdles in 55.65s and earned four points for her efforts. Asia-Pacific teammate Eri Utsunomiya added a point finishing last in 58.92s.
Janieve Russell of Jamaica led a one-two for the Americas in 53.62s, ahead of compatriot Shamier Little (53.86s). Europe’s Anna Yaroshchuk-Ryzhykova from Ukraine was third in 54.47s.
Bahrain’s Jasim, who won the bronze at the recently concluded Asian Games in Jakarta, was seventh in the women’s shot put and earned two points. Her best mark of the evening was 16.01m.
Asia-Pacific teammate Lijiao Gong of China clinched first place and eight points with a best mark of 19.63m. Raven Saunders of the US was second for Americas Team. She had a better mark than Gong of 19.74m, but Gong got the better result in the final round. Christina Schwanitz of Germany was third for Europe with a mark of 19.73m.
In the men’s 3,000m, Balew did not finish but still came away with a point for Asia-Pacific Team. Stewart McSweyn from Australia added five points as he ranked fourth in 8:02.01. Paul Chelimo (7:57.13) from the US and Mohammed Ahmed (7:57.99) of Canada earned a one-two for the Americas. Henrik Ingebrigtsen of Norway finished third in 7:58.85 representing Europe.