2014 Continental Cup Day 1: Souleiman Runs 50.09 Final Lap to Win 1500m over Kiprop, Eunice Sum and Ajee Wilson Entertain Again

by: LetsRun.com
September 13, 2014

The two-day 2014 Continental Cup with $2.9 million in prize money ($30,000 for first in every event) got underway before a sparse crowd in Marrakech, Morocco.

The competition features two runners from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa and is the end of the 2014 international track calendar.

The men’s 1500 and women’s 800 had great match-ups.

Video highlights of Day 1 here.

Men’s 1500: Souleiman Runs Third Fastest Final 400 Ever (50.09) To Take Down Kiprop

This one did not disappoint.

Souleiman And Kiprop on the Homestretch

Ayanleh Souleiman and Asbel Kiprop battled side by side for most of the final lap with Souleiman running a scorching 50.09 final lap to get the win in 3:48.91 as Kiprop had to settle for second in 3:49.10.

The Continental Cup (formerly World Cup) does not have rabbits and is the last race of the season. That often means slow opening splits with a crazy last lap. That’s what we got today.

The field went out in a slow 65.95. Things got slower the next lap as they ran 69.93 and hit 800 in 2:15.88.

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It was soon about to be all about positioning and who had what on the final lap.

Approaching the bell, Asbel Kiprop was content to be in last in the field of eight. Not a good place to be in a slow race. He correctly decided he needed to be up front and made a strong dash to get outside of the leader at the bell.

The final 400 was a battle between Souleiman and Kiprop. The entire field was not out of contention until the final 100m, but Kiprop and Souleiman were battling for the lead the entire final lap. Around the final bend Souleiman had lane 1 with Kiprop on his outside.  Kiprop tried to go by Souleiman the last 100m, but could not do it as Souleiman opened up a slight lead. Finally, Kiprop waved the white flag and looked over his shoulder. It was over as Souleiman was your winner in 3:48.91 with Kiprop .19 back. Mahiediene Mekhissi Benabbad, the European 1500m champ, was a respectable third.

Quick Thought #1: One of the Fastest Final 400s Ever: Souleiman’s final lap is likely the third fastest final 400m ever in a 1500m race. Message board posters point to José Luis González running 49.67 to win the European Cup in 1987 (some dispute the 49.67). At the 2006 World Cup Alex Kipchirchir ran 49.7 to win the 1500 in 3:52.60.

Quick Thought #2: Would Kiprp have won had he not had to make such a big move at 450? We’ll never know. But if a race is very slow at 800, you need to move up then if you want to win.

2015 should be a great one at 1500. Souleiman, Kiprop, Kiplagat, Makhloufi. Four great 1500m runners, all running very well. Interview with Souleiman and Kiprop after the race below.

 Threads: *Men’s 1500 @ Continental Cup Souleiman 50.09! Final Lap, 36.8 Final 300 over Kiprop 
*What’s the fast final 400 in a track race 800 and up?
*Has anyone, in any race 800+, ever run a lap other than lap 1 in under 50.0?

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	562	Ayanleh SOULEIMAN	Africa	DJI	3:48.91		8
	2	601	Asbel KIPROP	Africa	KEN	3:49.10		7
	3	586	Mahiedine MEKHISSI-BENABBAD	Europe	FRA	3:49.53		6
	4	614	Henrik INGEBRIGTSEN	Europe	NOR	3:49.76		5
	5	545	Benson Kiplagat SEUREI	Asia-Pacific	BRN	3:49.91		4
	6	618	Nicholas WILLIS	Asia-Pacific	NZL	3:50.00		3
	7	660	Leonel MANZANO	Americas	USA	3:50.35		2
	8	548	Charles PHILIBERT-THIBOUTOT	Americas	CAN	3:51.97		1

SPLIT TIMES

Splits: 400M 1:05.95 Henrik INGEBRIGTSEN

800M 2:15.88 Henrik INGEBRIGTSEN

1100 Souleiman 2:58.83

1200M 3:12.12 Ayanleh SOULEIMAN

Women’s 800: World #1 Eunice Sum Tops World #2 Ajee Wilson

Eunice Sum, the reigning World Champion, ended 2014 as she began it, with a win. This was a two way battle between the two best 800m runners in the world in 2014, Sum and American Ajee Wilson. Sum sprinted by Wilson with roughly 70 meters to go and got the win in 1:58.21, Sum’s second fastest 800 of 2014, as Wilson coasted in in second in 2:00.07. They were clearly the two best in this one.

Sum and Wilson can give credit for the fast race to India’s Tintu Lukka who took it out in 27 and 57.9. On the backstretch, Sum and Wilson took over and battled for the lead. Wilson led onto the homestretch and then when Sum made her move for the win it was all over.

Eunice Sum Celebrates Her Win

Quick Take: Great Year for Sum

Sum won eleven 800s this year and lost three and won the African and Commonwealth Champs. However, she had lost her last two races (Diamond League finale in Brussels to Brenda Martinez and the 800 in Birmingham), but bounced back nicely with her second fastest time of the year. A nice end to a great and lucrative season.

Nice End to a Great Season for Ajee Wilson as Well

The American’s future is very very bright. Wilson ends 2014 as the US Champion, the world leader (1:57.67), and with her first two Diamond League wins, the first in Monaco which stopped the undefeated season of Eunice Sum. The other thing Wilson had this year was her 20th birthday.

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	212	Eunice Jepkoech SUM	Africa	KEN	1:58.21		8
	2	256	Ajee WILSON	Americas	USA	2:00.07		7
	3	142	Marina ARZAMASOVA	Europe	BLR	2:00.31		6
	4	174	Tigist ASSEFA	Africa	ETH	2:00.57		5
	5	196	Lynsey SHARP	Europe	GBR	2:00.80		4
	6	169	Sahily DIAGO	Americas	CUB	2:00.96		3
	7	227	Angela SMIT	Asia-Pacific	NZL	2:02.37		2
	8	203	Tintu LUKKA	Asia-Pacific	IND	2:03.13		1

SPLIT TIMES

Women’s 3000m: Dibaba Shows Her Speed

Genzebe Dibaba showed her tremendous speed as she got the $30,000 win in 8:57.53.

Dibaba did not wait for the final lap. She pushed hard the final 600. She clocked from 600 to 200 to go in 58.84 seconds, but Meraf Bahta was still close. Dibaba had enough to hold her off for the win.

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	177	Genzebe DIBABA	Africa	ETH	8:57.53		8
	2	238	Meraf BAHTA	Europe	SWE	8:58.48		7
	3	220	Susan KUIJKEN	Europe	NED	9:01.41		6
	4	210	Janet KISA	Africa	KEN	9:01.72		5
	5	145	Mimi BELETE	Asia-Pacific	BRN	9:04.11		4
	6	248	Gabrielle GRUNEWALD	Americas	USA	9:05.58		3
	7	155	Jessica O’CONNELL	Americas	CAN	9:11.04		2
	8	207	Yuika MORI	Asia-Pacific	JPN	9:31.10		1

SPLIT TIME

Men’s 5000m Isiah Koech Runs 54.92 on the Last Lap for the Win

This field was  pretty weak and Isiah Koech had no problem picking up $30,000. Andrew Bumbalough fell off around half way and ended up getting lapped.

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	602	Isiah Kiplangat KOECH	Africa	KEN	13:26.86		8
	2	616	Zane ROBERTSON	Asia-Pacific	NZL	13:29.27		7
	3	565	Nguse AMLOSOM	Africa	ERI	13:31.31	PB	6
	4	544	Albert Kibichii ROP	Asia-Pacific	BRN	13:36.62		5
	5	647	Ali KAYA	Europe	TUR	13:42.45		4
	6	587	Bouabdellah TAHRI	Europe	FRA	13:43.95		3
	7	651	Andrew BUMBALOUGH	Americas	USA	14:51.36		2
		550	Iván LÓPEZ	Americas	CHI	DNF

Women’s 400m: Francena McCorory Caps Great Season With a Sub 50.00 Clocking

Francena McCorory capped a tremendous season with a great win over Diamond League champion Novlene Williams Mills in a quick 49.94. The sub 50 clocking meant McCorory, the world leader in 2014, ends 2014 with three sub 50 clockings, one ahead of Sanya Richards Ross who had two. No one else broke 50 this year besides them.

This one was close down the final stretch but McCorory was too good. McCorory ends the year as the world indoor champ, the world outdoor leader, and with an extra $30,000 for today’s win.

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS	REACTION TIME
	1	112	Francena MCCORORY	Americas	USA	49.94		8	0.177
	2	111	Novlene WILLIAMS-MILLS	Americas	JAM	50.08		7	0.342
	3	179	Libania GRENOT	Europe	ITA	50.60		6	0.156
	4	105	Mupopo KABANGE	Africa	ZAM	50.87	NR	5	0.204
	5	181	Olha ZEMLYAK	Europe	UKR	51.00	PB	4	0.162
	6	101	Folasade ABUGAN	Africa	NGR	51.78		3	0.240
	7	122	Anneliese RUBIE	Asia-Pacific	AUS	54.33		2	0.146
	8	226	Louise JONES	Asia-Pacific	NZL	55.07		1	0.137

Men’s 400m LaShawn Merritt Wins From Behind

Merritt had to come from behind to defeat African champ Isaac Makwala and Yousef Masrahi.

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS	REACTION TIME
	1	513	LaShawn MERRITT	Americas	USA	44.60		8	0.166
	2	502	Isaac MAKWALA	Africa	BOT	44.84		7	0.266
	3	607	Yousef Ahmed MASRAHI	Asia-Pacific	KSA	45.03		6	0.187
	4	504	Wayde VAN NIEKERK	Africa	RSA	45.27		5	0.175
	5	515	Luguelín SANTOS	Americas	DOM	45.34		4	0.190
	6	573	Donald SANFORD	Europe	ISR	45.40		3	0.171
	7	571	Martyn ROONEY	Europe	GBR	45.93		2	0.161
	8	521	Yuzo KANEMARU	Asia-Pacific	JPN	48.08		1	0.492

Women’s 100m: VCB Wins Easily

Wind -1.5mps

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS	REACTION TIME
	1	115	Veronica CAMPBELL-BROWN	Americas	JAM	11.08		8	0.155
	2	119	Michelle-Lee AHYE	Americas	TTO	11.25		7	0.158
	3	221	Dafne SCHIPPERS	Europe	NED	11.26		6	0.158
	4	110	Marie-Josee TA LOU	Africa	CIV	11.28		5	0.187
	5	192	Myriam SOUMARÉ	Europe	FRA	11.36		4	0.185
	6	106	Gloria ASUMNU	Africa	NGR	11.37		3	0.182
	7	208	Olga SAFRONOVA	Asia-Pacific	KAZ	11.60		2	0.177
	8	132	Melissa BREEN	Asia-Pacific	AUS	11.75		1	0.183

Men’s 100m: James Dasaolu Gets Upset Win

Mike Rodgers got a bad start and battled back as this was a very close three way finish. So close that the Eurosport tv crew thought Rodgers won, but Dasaolu got the win.

Wind -.1mps

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS	REACTION TIME
	1	588	James DASAOLU	Europe	GBR	10.03		8	0.170
	2	518	Mike RODGERS	Americas	USA	10.04		7	0.185
	3	631	Femi OGUNODE	Asia-Pacific	QAT	10.04	PB	6	0.186
	4	507	Mark JELKS	Africa	NGR	10.12		5	0.183
	5	585	Christophe LEMAITRE	Europe	FRA	10.13		4	0.148
	6	556	Peimeng ZHANG	Asia-Pacific	CHN	10.18	SB	3	0.135
	7	511	Hua Wilfried KOFFI	Africa	CIV	10.22		2	0.182
	8	519	Richard THOMPSON	Americas	TTO	10.24		1	0.151

Men’s 400m Hurdles

Cornel Fredericks got the win as Diamoond League champ Michael Tinsley was just 7th.

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS	REACTION TIME
	1	500	Cornel FREDERICKS	Africa	RSA	48.34		8	0.156
	2	643	Kariem HUSSEIN	Europe	SUI	48.47	PB	7	0.152
	3	626	Javier CULSON	Americas	PUR	48.88		6	0.192
	4	568	Rasmus MÄGI	Europe	EST	49.23		5	0.197
	5	503	Cristian MORTON	Africa	NGR	49.65		4	0.240
	6	599	Takayuki KISHIMOTO	Asia-Pacific	JPN	49.78		3	0.137
	7	662	Michael TINSLEY	Americas	USA	52.25		2	0.157
	8	615	Michael COCHRANE	Asia-Pacific	NZL	52.93		1	0.173

Women’s 400m Hurdles

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS	REACTION TIME
	1	204	Kaliese SPENCER	Americas	JAM	53.81		8	0.212
	2	193	Eilidh CHILD	Europe	GBR	54.42		7	0.185
	3	148	Adekoya OLUWAKEMI	Asia-Pacific	BRN	54.70		6	0.162
	4	243	Anna TITIMETS	Europe	UKR	55.20		5	0.251
	5	100	Wenda NEL	Africa	RSA	55.80		4	0.296
	6	102	Amaka OGOEGBUNAM	Africa	NGR	55.83		3	0.234
	7	245	Kori CARTER	Americas	USA	56.80		2	0.135
	8	120	Lauren WELLS	Asia-Pacific	AUS	57.09		1	0.222

Men’s High Jump

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	648	Bohdan BONDARENKO	Europe	UKR	2.37		8
	2	642	Ivan UKHOV	Europe	RUS	2.34		7
	3	629	Mutaz Essa BARSHIM	Asia-Pacific	QAT	2.34		6
	4	546	Derek DROUIN	Americas	CAN	2.31		5
	5	658	Erik KYNARD	Americas	USA	2.31		4
	6	555	Guowei ZHANG	Asia-Pacific	CHN	2.27		3
	7	557	Fernand DJOUMÉSSI	Africa	CMR	2.23		2
	8	538	Kabelo KGOSIEMANG	Africa	BOT	2.18		1

Women’s Pole Vault

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	158	Ling LI	Asia-Pacific	CHN	4.55		8
	2	234	Angelina ZHUK-KRASNOVA	Europe	RUS	4.45		7
	3	198	Lisa RYZIH	Europe	GER	4.30		5.5
	3	131	Alana BOYD	Asia-Pacific	AUS	4.30		5.5
	5	258	Becky HOLLIDAY	Americas	USA	4.30		4
	6	214	Nisrine DINAR	Africa	MAR	3.95	SB	3
	7	241	Syrine EBONDO	Africa	TUN	3.95		2
		144	Fabiana MURER	Americas	BRA	NM

Men’s 4×100

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS	REACTION TIME
	1	AME	AMERICAS	Americas	AME	37.97	PB	15	0.156
	2	EUR	EUROPE	Europe	EUR	38.62		11	0.133
	3	AFR	AFRICA	Africa	AFR	39.10		7	0.152
	4	APA	ASIA-PACIFIC	Asia-Pacific	APA	39.50		3	0.160

Women’s 4×100

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS	REACTION TIME
	1	AME	AMERICAS	Americas	AME	42.44		15	0.150
	2	EUR	EUROPE	Europe	EUR	42.98	PB	11	0.129
	3	APA	ASIA-PACIFIC	Asia-Pacific	APA	45.40		7	0.158
		AFR	AFRICA	Africa	AFR	DQ R170.7			0.139

Men’ s Hammer

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	594	Krisztián PARS	Europe	HUN	78.99		8
	2	563	Mostafa ELGAMEL	Africa	EGY	78.89		7
	3	620	Pawel FAJDEK	Europe	POL	78.05		6
	4	644	Dilshod NAZAROV	Asia-Pacific	TJK	77.06		5
	5	609	Ali Mohamed AL-ZANKAWI	Asia-Pacific	KUW	72.24		4
	6	559	Roberto JANET	Americas	CUB	71.98		3
	7	634	Chris HARMSE	Africa	RSA	71.71		2
	8	656	Kibwe JOHNSON	Americas	USA	71.36		1

Women’s Triple

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		WIND	POINTS
	1	166	Caterine IBARGÜEN	Americas	COL	14.52		-0.5	8
	2	232	Ekaterina KONEVA	Europe	RUS	14.27		-0.2	7
	3	242	Olga SALADUKHA	Europe	UKR	14.26		+0.3	6
	4	205	Kimberly WILLIAMS	Americas	JAM	13.93		+0.1	5
	5	159	Yanmei LI	Asia-Pacific	CHN	13.37		0.0	4
	6	165	Joelle MBUMI NKOUINDJIN	Africa	CMR	13.34		-0.4	3
	7	201	Nadia EKE	Africa	GHA	13.28	PB	+0.1	2
	8	136	Linda LEVERTON	Asia-Pacific	AUS	13.10		-0.1	1

Men’s Shot

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	592	David STORL	Europe	GER	21.55		8
	2	598	O’Dayne RICHARDS	Americas	JAM	21.10		7
	3	657	Joe KOVACS	Americas	USA	20.87		6
	4	617	Tomas WALSH	Asia-Pacific	NZL	20.70		5
	5	622	Tomasz MAJEWSKI	Europe	POL	20.35		4
	6	632	Orazio CREMONA	Africa	RSA	19.96		3
	7	549	Franck ELEMBA	Africa	CGO	19.72	NR	2
	8	606	Sultan Abdulmajeed ALHABASHI	Asia-Pacific	KSA	19.09		1

Women’s Discus:

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	250	Gia LEWIS-SMALLWOOD	Americas	USA	64.55		8
	2	139	Dani SAMUELS	Asia-Pacific	AUS	64.39		7
	3	168	Sandra PERKOVIC	Europe	CRO	62.08		6
	4	191	Mélina ROBERT-MICHON	Europe	FRA	61.89		5
	5	170	Yaime PÉREZ	Americas	CUB	59.38		4
	6	162	Yanbo YANG	Asia-Pacific	CHN	55.98		3
	7	223	Chinwe OKORO	Africa	NGR	52.30		2
	8	216	Amina MOUDDEN	Africa	MAR	49.07		1

Men’s Long Jump

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		WIND	POINTS
	1	664	Ignisious GAISAH	Europe	NED	8.11		-0.7	8
	2	652	Will CLAYE	Americas	USA	7.98		+0.3	7
	3	638	Zarck VISSER	Africa	RSA	7.96		+0.8	6
	4	552	Jinzhe LI	Asia-Pacific	CHN	7.82		0.0	5
	5	593	Robert MARTEY	Africa	GHA	7.76		+0.4	4
	6	610	Luis RIVERA	Americas	MEX	7.75		+0.3	3
	7	531	Henry FRAYNE	Asia-Pacific	AUS	7.69		+0.5	2
	8	583	Kafétien GOMIS	Europe	FRA	7.67		+1.5	1

Women’s Javelin

	POS	BIB	ATHLETE	TEAM	COUNTRY	MARK		POINTS
	1	171	Barbora ŠPOTÁKOVÁ	Europe	CZE	65.52		8
	2	230	Sunette VILJOEN	Africa	RSA	63.76		7
	3	153	Elizabeth GLEADLE	Americas	CAN	61.38		6
	4	137	Kimberley MICKLE	Asia-Pacific	AUS	61.33		5
	5	200	Linda STAHL	Europe	GER	60.14		4
	6	163	Li ZHANG	Asia-Pacific	CHN	59.27		3
	7	253	Kara PATTERSON	Americas	USA	52.22		2
	8	202	Zuta Mary NARTEY	Africa	GHA	49.84		1

Video highlights of Day 1 here. *Post race interviews here

Day 2 is Sunday.  Viewing info here.