Nov 22-23, 12:00 PM UTC
Elemental Automation
Apr 17-19, 2025, TBD
Bryan Clay Invitational
IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018

Semenya Dominates 800m, PRs In 400m At Continental Cup

Semenya Dominates 800m, PRs In 400m At Continental Cup

Shaunae Miller-Uibo got the better of Dafne Schippers and Caster Semenya capped the fastest season of her career over two days at the Continental Cup.

Sep 9, 2018
Semenya Dominates 800m, PRs In 400m At Continental Cup

Shaunae Miller-Uibo got the better of Dafne Schippers, Abderrahman Samba completed a perfect season in the 400m hurdles, Noah Lyles pulled out another comeback win and Caster Semenya capped the fastest season of her career over two days at the Continental Cup. The meet in Ostrava served as the conclusion of the 2018 season, closing out the non-championship year in a team-based competition among four continents--Americas, Asia-Pacific, Africa and Europe. 

In that competition, America prevailed. From the individual perspective, the meet reinforced many of the themes of the past six months on the track.  

Semenya Breaks 1:55 Again, Sets South African Record In The 400m

In her two individual races, Caster Semenya showed something new as well as something we’ve grown accustomed in 2018. In Sunday’s 800m, Semenya charged to the front from the gun--proving once again that she doesn’t need pacemakers to run a fast time. A 200m split of 26.45 gave Semenya a healthy lead. She passed 400 meters in 55.93 and all attention was on the clock. Her finishing time of 1:54.77 was well ahead of Ajee Wilson and Natoya Goule who ran 1:57.16 and 1:57.36, respectively.

Semenya’s run was her third time under 1:55 this year and the third fastest mark of her career. But it wasn’t her only race of the weekend. 

On Saturday, she ran a strong second place to Salwa Eid Naser in the women’s 400m. Naser finished in 49.32, while Semenya ran a lifetime best of 49.62 (a mark that only three women have exceeded this year) to set the South African record. 


Lyles' Late Race Rush Enough For 100m Win

It was a familiar scene in the men's 100m. 

50 meters into the race, Noah Lyles faced a big deficit with seemingly not enough distance to make up the gap. China's Bingtian Su was in command since the opening meters, riding a good start out of the blocks to noticeable advantage over the rest of the field. But then Lyles began to cut into Su's lead. In the final strides, Lyles flew past, taking the win in 10.01 ahead of Su's 10.03.


In the women's 100m Marie Josee Ta Lou got back to her winning ways. Ta Lou was previously undefeated on the year until placing third at the Diamond League final last week. On Saturday, she was able to hold off Dina Asher-Smith, Jenna Prandini and Dafne Schippers, running 11.14 to end her season on a high note.   

Samba Goes Nine-For-Nine In 400m Hurdles

Abderrahman Samba ended his year the same way it began---with a dominant win and sub-48-second clocking. The Qatari who had one of the most remarkable breakout seasons in all of the sport, ran 47.47 in the 400m hurdles to win by over a second and cap a perfect season where he went nine for nine in 400m hurdle finals. The mark is Samba’s second fastest ever, behind only his 46.98 from Paris that put him second all-time in the event. 

Annsert Whyte finished second in 48.46, besting the rest of a deep and talented field. 

Miller-Uibo Holds Off Schippers In 200m

With as little as 30 meters remaining in the women’s 200m, it looked as if Dafne Schippers could reverse her fortune against Shaunae Miller-Uibo. Schippers was winless in her three appearances against Miller-Uibo this year, but Schippers had never led this late in the race. 

But then, Miller-Uibo demonstrated why nobody has been able to touch her this year in either the 200m or 400m. 

Miller-Uibo glided past Schippers in the final strides, winning the race in 22.16. Schippers, who struggled this year to produce her marks of the past three years, took second in 22.28. 

Sifan Hassan Ends Season With A 3000m PR

The elimination set-up (the runner in last place with four, three, two and one laps remaining were dropped from the race) ensured that the pace of the women’s 3000m stayed honest. With two laps remaining, the all of the favorites remained with Sifan Hassan, Hellen Obiri and Senbere Teferi in contention. But Hassan dominated the last kilometer, splitting a 2:40 to run a 8:27.50 and win the race by five seconds. Teferi was second in 8:32.49, while Obiri was third in 8:36.20. The time is a personal best for Hassan in a year where she set PRs in the mile, 3000m and 5000m.


Paul Chelimo prevailed in the men’s 3000m, where the elimination set-up also wreaked havoc. At the bell, Chelimo and Mo Ahmed were at the front and were unchallenged in the final lap. Chelimo saluted as he crossed the line in 7:57.13 with Ahmed finishing in 7:57.99.