PRAGUE: US sprinter Noah Lyles edged out China’s Bingtian Su in the men’s 100 metres yesterday to help the Americas depose the defending champions Europe in the IAAF Continental Cup.
The 21-year-old Lyles overtook Su near the finish to pip the Chinese by 0.02 seconds, winning in 10.01 to help wrap up the title. South Africa’s Akani Simbine was third.
“This last race of the season was a tough one,” said Miller-Uibo, the 2016 Olympic 400 metres champion who extended her unbeaten streak to 10 races this season. “We were exhausted at the finish line and long after.”
The Americas - who led after the first day - finished with 262 points ahead of Europe with 233 and Asia-Pacific with 188 at the two-day global track and field competition. Africa finished last with 142 points.
Bahamian sprinter Shaunae Miller-Uibo kicked late in the women’s 200 metres to surge past Dutch runner Dafne Schippers with a time of 22.16. Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou - who won the 100 metres a day earlier - finished third.
“This last race of the season was a tough one,” said Miller-Uibo, the 2016 Olympic 400 metres champion who extended her unbeaten streak to 10 races this season. “We were exhausted at the finish line and long after.”
Narrow
Sergey Shubenkov helped narrow the gap for the Europeans by winning the men’s 110 metres hurdles in 13.03 seconds, beating Jamaica’s Ronald Levy who finished second after leading through the first four hurdles. France’s Pascal Martinot-Lagarde was third.
Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya gave the Africans a win in the women’s 800 metres, finishing in 1:54.77 and beating Ajee Wilson of the US and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule who finished second and third.
Olympic and world champion Christian Taylor of the US won the men’s triple jump with a distance of 17.59 metres. Africa’s Hugues Fabrice Zango finished second and Asia-Pacific’s Arpinder Singh third.
Asian champion Abdalelah Haroun pipped Africa’s Baboloki Thebe in the men’s 400 metres, winning in 44.72 seconds while US sprinter Nathan Strother finished third.
In the women’s 400 metres hurdles, Jamaica’s Janieve Russell won in 53.62 seconds, beating team mate Shamier Little of the US who finished in 53.86 seconds. Ukraine’s Anna Yaroshchuk-Ryzhykova finished third in 54.47 seconds.
World champion Elijah Manangoi gave the Africans something to celebrate by winning the men’s 1,500 metres in 3:40.00 to beat European rivals Marcin Lewandowski and Jakob Ingebrigtsen who finished second and third with times of 3:40.42 and 3:40.80 respectively.