Continental Cup: Ja stars look to lift Americas

A strong Americas track and field squad, with several Jamaican stars in the line-up, will be looking to dethrone defending champions Europe when the two-day IAAF Continental Cup gets under way in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

The Continental Cup, formerly known as the IAAF World Cup, is an international athletics competition and is contested by teams representing entire continents. Champions Europe will compete against teams from Asia -Pacific, Africa and Americas.

Nineteen finals are on today, eleven on the track and eight in the field. Four Jamaicans - Diamond League discus champion Fedrick Dacres, 400m hurdler Andre Clarke, sprint hurdler Danielle Williams and Stephenie Ann McPherson (400m) will see individual action while two, Yohan Blake and Tyquendo Tracey, will be in the relay pool for the men's 4x100 metres .

 

Possible one-two

 

The Americas are strong in the women's 100m hurdles. Williams will team up with World record holder , Kendra Harrison and it could be one-two for the Americas following their second and third finish a week ago in the Diamond League finals. Tobi Amusen, the African and Commonwealth Games champion, will be hoping for an upset.

McPherson will team up with the American Shakima Wimbley who was third in Brussels Diamond League 400m final. The hot favourite is Salwa Ed Naser will be wearing the colours of Asia -Pacific. She clocked 49.33 for a big win in Brussels.

Dacres has had a great season and is expected to give the Americas team maximum points. e will be hoping to continue his dominance over the European duo of Andrius Gudzius, the world and European champion and Daniel Stahl the World leader with 69.72m.

Clarke will have his hands full in the men's 400m hurdles where he will be joined by Kyron McMaster, the Diamond League champion. Following his absence from the Diamond League finals after doing duties for his country at the Asian Games, Abderrahman Samba of Qatar, competing for Asia-Pacific, will be hard to beat. He is the second fastest man ever in the event with 46.98 seconds and dominated eight of the Diamond League meets before taking the Asian Games title.

Europe, with several top Great Britain sprinter sin their line-up, look set to take home the women's 4x100m while on the male side it should be the Americas here led by Noah Lyles, the exciting young sprint star, fellow American Michael Rodgers and Jamaica's Blake.

 

Today's schedule

 

7:30 a.m: W Hammer Throw Final

7:35 a.m: M High Jump Final

7:40 a.m: W 100m Hurdles Final

7:52 a.m: M 200m Final

8:00 a.m: W Triple Jump Final

8:15 a.m: W 100m Final

8:25 a.m: W 1500m Final

8:47 a.m: W 400m Final

8:52 a.m: M Discus Throw Final

8:57 a.m: W Pole Vault Final

8:59 a.m: M 3000m Steeplechase Final

9:14 a.m: M 400m Hurdles Final

9:22 a.m: M Long Jump Final

9:35 a.m: W 3000m Final

9:52 a.m: M Shot Put Final

10:10 a.m: W Discus Throw Final

10:12 a.m: M 800m Final

10:34 a.m: W 4x100m Relay Final

10:56 a.m: M 4x100m Relay Final