Jepkosgei wins 800m as Lagat strikes yet again

• Another easy winner was Africa’s Meseret Defar of Ethiopia who proved it once again in the women’s 3,000m after outkicking her opponents

The women’s 800 metres served up one of the races of the day at the IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup in Split, Croatia, on Saturday night as Kenya’s Diamond League winner Janeth Jepkosgei claimed victory in a swift 1:57.88 to finish one place higher than in the last edition of this competition.

The winner was perhaps not such a surprise, but credit should go to India’s Tintu Luka who blasted through 400m in 58.04 and was rewarded with a national record of 1.59.17 for fifth.

Africa also earned first spot in the women’s 400m thanks to an eye-catching run from Amantle Montsho (Africa) of Botswana in 49.89.

Bernard Lagat completed the first half of what he hoped will be a double for the Americas team with victory in the 5,000m.

In a messy, tactical race he unleashed his trademark finishing kick to edge Moses Kipsiro (Africa) and win again. He was back last night in an effort to add the 3,000m.

Another consummate winner Meseret Defar (Africa) proved it once again in the women’s 3000m. The Ethiopian distance star landed victory in the 5,000m in the 2006 edition of this competition and in a slow race outkicked the opposition to win in 9:09.33.

Turkey’s European 5,000m champion Alemitu Bekele finished with a flourish to take second but this was to be Defar’s day....again.
A baton blunder by the European team in the 4x100m proved costly as the Americas sat top of the overall standings after day one.

Europe and the Americas slugged it out like two prize fighters throughout the day but the Americas – who won eight of the day’s 20 events - held a narrow nine-point lead over Europe overnight.

Many would have thought the Americas team with their composite team of differing nationalities might have struggled with their exchanges but they were rock solid. The team of Daniel Bailey, Wallace Spearmon, Tyson Gay and Churandy Martina cruised home to win in 38.25.

By contrast the French quartet – representing the European continent – messed up their final exchange between Pierre-Alexis Pessonneuax and Teddy Tinmar and failed to finish.

The Americas benefited from a 15-point swing and hold a clear, though relatively fragile lead going into day two.

Elsewhere, a crowd of 12.200 inside the Poljud Stadium were greeted to competition records in four events, the triumph of some familiar triumph and one or two new faces emerge in front of a crowd of 12,200 inside the Polijud Stadium.

The most impressive performance of the day came from Olga Rypakova of the Asia/Pacific team in the women’s Triple Jump. (IAAF)