Official 2014 Continental Cup - Marrakech, Morocco 9/13-14 - Discussion Thread

Don't be surprised if there are many Europeans. It's an easy flight to Morocco from the continent and there is plenty of top-tier talent on Team Europe to justify the flight.

Get good seats for that 5k final, it's gonna be a barn-burner!

It should be a good meet. Continental Cup is the only "team" championship in pro track & field that makes any sense. I hope it gets good coverage here.

Hopefully a lot of Europeans make the trip. The same stadium was empty during the African Champs but obviously there's a much bigger draw for this meet. We got the more expensive of the two types of seats that were for sale - I think it'll be hard to have a bad seat. I agree that this meet is a good one and I think it'll get good coverage - it's overlooked in a lot of ways but it's hard to ignore given some of the competitors that are entered. I put together some thoughts which I'll post in a moment.

very mini previews of some of the events with an obvious bas towards the athletes I follow more intently. I believe most of my knowledge to be accurate but don't be shocked if there are mistakes

WOMEN

800m

Sahily Diago (CUB), Ajee Wilson (USA)

Tigist Assefa (ETH), Eunice Sum (KEN)

Marina Arzamasova (BLR), Lynsey Sharp (GBR)

Tintu Luka (IND), Angela Smit (NZL)

Sharp has been doing well. Sum is prolly the favorite with her Comms and African titles. Wilson ftw.

1500m

Mimi Belete (BRN), Selma Kajan (AUS)

Sifan Hassan (NED), Renata Plis (POL)

Hellen Obiri (KEN), Dawit Seyaum (ETH)

Shannon Rowbury (USA), Nicole Sifuentes (CAN)

Hassan v Obiri v Rowbury.

3000m

Belete, Yuika Mori (JPN)

Meraf Bahta (SWE), Susan Kuijken (NED)

Genzebe Dibaba (ETH), Janet Kisa (KEN)

Gabe Grunewald (USA), Jessica O’Connell (CAN)

I’m excited to see Dibaba race in person after becoming a world beater indoors, but her outdoors has been less much marvelous than her indoor so we’ll see if someone challenges her.

5000m

Tejitu Daba (BRN), Eloise Wellings (AUS)

Almaz Ayana (ETH), Joyce Chepkirui (KEN)

Brenda Flores (MEX), Katie Mackey (USA)

Clemence Calvin (FRA), Jo Pavey (GBR)

Can Pavey continue her awesome season?

3000m SC

Ruth Jebet (BRN), Stella Radford (AUS)

Charlotta Fougberg (SWE), Sviatlana Kudzelich (BLR)

Salima Alami Alouali (MAR), Hiwot Ayalew (ETH)

Emma Coburn (USA), Jessica Furlan (CAN)

Emma ftw, her season has been magnificent but she had a tough race in the DL final.

Shot Put

Cleopatra Borel (TTO), Michelle Carter (USA)

Auriol Dongmo Mekemnang (CMR), Chinwe Okoro (NGR)

Evgeniia Kolodko (RUS), Christina Schwanitz (GER)

Valerie Adams (NZL), Gong Lijiao (CHN)

Valerie Adams is amazing, let’s see her make it 57 in a row after her SB in Brussels.

MEN

100m:

Femi Ogunode (QAT), Zhang Peimeng (CHN)

James Dasaolu (GBR), Christophe Lemaitre (FRA)

Mark Jelks (NGR), Hua Wilfred Koffi (CIV)

Mike Rodgers (USA), Richard Thompson (TTO)

200m

Rasheed Dwyer (JAM), Alonso Edward (PAN)

Koffi, Isaac Makwala (BOT)

Lemaitre, Serhiy Smelyk (UKR)

Masafumi Naoki (JPN), Ogunode

Watered down sprints, but I’m excited to the GWH Lemaitre in the 100 and 200

400m

Martyn Rooney (GBR), Donald Sanford (ISR)

Makwala, Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)

LaShawn Merritt (USA), Luguelin Santos (DOM)

Yuzo Kanemaru (JPN), Yousef Ahmed Masrahi (KSA)

Merritt ftw

800m

Abdulrahman Musaeb Bala (QAT), Jeffrey Riseley (AUS)

Mark English (IRL), Adam Kszczot (POL)

Mohammed Aman (ETH), Nijel Amos (BOT)

Duane Solomon (USA), Wesley Vazquez (PUR)

This will be phenominal. Amos vs Kszcot vs Aman. Amos on top.

1500m:

Benson Seurei (BRN), Nick Willis (NZL)

Henrik Ingebrigtsen (NOR), Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (FRA)

Asbel Kiprop (KEN), Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI)

Leo Manzano (USA), Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (CAN)

This has the potential to be great. Kiprop faltered in Brussels but… he is Kiprop. + Souleiman and Willis and maybe Manzano if he’s on fire. I wish Benabbad was in the steeple but I’m excited to see him in the 1500 as a consolation..

3000m

Aweke Ayalew (BRN), Willis

Bernard Lagat (USA), Carlos Antonio dos Santos (BRA)

Hayle Ibrahimov (AZE), Richard Ringer (GER)

Abrar Osman Adem (ERI), Caleb Ndiku (KEN)

This can go a lot of ways but in my mind it‘s Ndiku vs Lagat. Against the stats and probably the odds I pick Lagat. The M1500 is on Saturday while this 3k is Sunday so Willis might be tired but if it’s slow he should be in there.

5000m:

Zane Robertson (NZL), Albert Rop (BRN)

Ali Kaya (TUR), Bouabdellah Tahri (FRA)

Isiah Koech (KEN), Amlosom Tesfalset Nguse (ERI)

Andrew Bumbalough (USA), Ivan Lopez (CHI)

Koech ftw.

3000m SC

Ivan Lukyanov (RUS), Krystian Zalewski (POL)

Jairus Birech (KEN), Chala Beyo Techo (ETH)

Ali Abubaker Kamal (QAT), John Koech (BRN)

Matt Hughes (CAN), Evan Jager (USA)

Hard to go against Birech after his recent sub8 and domination of the DL circuit. It’ll prolly be slow so Jager, fresh off his AR, will get some good practice closing fast.

High Jump

Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT), Zhang Guowei (CHN)

Bogdan Bondarenko (UKR), Ivan Ukhov (RUS)

Fernand Djoumessi (CMR), Kabelo Kgosiemang (BOT)

Derek Drouin (CAN), Erik Kynard (USA)

Wow this is going to be good - Barshim vs Ukhov vs Bondarenko. Maybe a WR? This is probably the best event all around.

Pole Vault

Joel Pocklington (AUS), Xue Changrui (CHN)

Renaud Lavillenie (FRA), Pawel Wojciechowski (POL)

Cheyne Rahme (RSA), Amine Mohamed Romdhana (TUN)

Augusto Dutra (BRA), Mark Hollis (USA)

Excited to see Lavillenie in competition

Shot Put

Sultan Abdulmajeed Al-Hebshi (KSA), Tom Walsh (NZL)

Tomasz Majewski (POL), David Storl (GER)

Orazio Cremona (RSA), Franck Elemba (CGO)

Joe Kovacs (USA), O’Dayne Richards (JAM)

Let’s see if Kovacs can defend his world lead against an on-fire Storl.

bias*

You'll have a great time, enjoy Marrakech it's a decent city, try getting lost among the many small shops in the medina, soukhs they're called

But the highlight should be the athletics, I predict there won't be too many spectators so you should have a decent chance to get close to the athletes and Aldo people like hicham el guerroj

Wasn't Levins originally selected in the 5000m? Is he hurt or sick?

Prize money is pretty good. Why no Mo or Rupp?

This meet traditionally doesn't draw all the biggest names and competitors - the lineup looks to be on par with past editions. As for the money - I guess the athletes make the call on whether their season extends this late or not and whether it's worth it.

hereforalaugh:

Thanks - we're staying within the Medina and will be there for 5 days so beyond the meet we'll be getting out to see the sights.

Seeing El G would be spectacular. Ideally the stadium would be packed and rowdy but (since it probably won't be) I'll take advantage of the light crowds and get good seats for sure.

Did you manage to run substantially while there at all? Whereabouts?

Where are you live tweeting results from?

You have to go outside the medina but right outside the main entrance to it there is a forest with soft surface paths you can run on. If you don't mind running in circles of you can stay away from concrete the whole time while going for 1-1,5hrs run without it getting too boring.

Also went for a long run of 20k where we ran on the roads including around the airport so there are plenty of possibilities. If you don't mind running on asphalt you can go forever and ever.

That soft surface area is if they haven't done anything about it, development often happens quickly in places like that but it was the same in both 2009 and 2010.

Also went camel back riding there, not all that great fun to be honest but scored some top pictures!

Much trouble with jihadists in Marrakech? I've strolled souks in Saudi Arabia before, but now am hesitant to wander if there are terrorists around.

did wrote:

I'm going to Morocco and attending the Continental Cup. ... Getting past the fact that it's my first time in Africa - it's also my first international track meeting.

Sounds great... have fun!

#jelly

I'm going to Morocco and attending the Continental Cup. Getting tickets was a pain (see

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=5782686

) but it's done and I'm amped. Getting past the fact that it's my first time in Africa - it's also my first international track meeting. Even though it's not the oly's or Worlds I'm still excited for a championship style meet. Lagat, Amos, Ndiku, Kiprop, Bodharkeno, Uhkov, Lavauille, Manzano, Willis, Adams, Jager - it's gonna be damn good.

Anyone else going? Thoughts? I'm guessing there won't be too many non-Africans so it'll be cool to be in a completely different atmosphere.

Full team releases here:

Africa:

http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-continental-cup/news/africa-team-2014-iaaf-continental-cup

Asia / Pacific:

http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-continental-cup/news/asia-pacific-team-continental-cup-2014

Europe:

http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-continental-cup/news/european-team-continental-cup-2014

The Americas:

http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-continental-cup/news/americas-team-continental-cup-2014

meet schedule:

http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-continental-cup/iaaf-continental-cup-2014-4953/timetable/byday

Bumbi going in the 5k next. Nice shot for a big payday.

Only stream I can get working:

http://watchathletics.com/page/865/live-stream-2-iaaf-world-continental-cup-marrakech-2014

Does Bumbalough have a chance at a medal?

Also, I bet it's going to be REALLY slow with this small of a field. When the field is so small no one really has to stretch it out or fight for position.