4th September 2014

CONTINEnTAL CUP SELECTIONS

04 September 2014

Several British European medallists have been selected to represent Europe at the end of season finale, the IAAF Continental Cup in Marrakesh, Morocco on September 13-14.

14 British gold medal winners from the European Championships in Zurich will take on teams from the Americas, Asia/Pacific and Africa in an event which is held every four years and considered the world cup of athletics.

Jo Pavey (coach: Gavin Pavey) will make her return to the track over 5000m in Marrakesh. The 40 year old made history in Zurich as she became the oldest ever gold medalist at the European championships and won the hearts of a nation on the first night of competition. That night she competed in the 10,000m but she will half the distance in Marrakesh in her last track event before she hits the roads.

The British record breaking 4x100m relay team will go again hoping to match their achievements in Zurich. The team broke the longstanding record at the European championships but lowered the mark to 42.21 at the Zurich Diamond league last month. The same quartet will race in Morocco including Asha Philip (Christine Bowmaker), Ashleigh Nelson (Michael Afilaka), Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider) and Desiree Henry (Reider). They will face some of the best sprinters in the world which will be ideal preparation ahead of the World Championships next year in Beijing.

European 100m champion James Dasaolu (Steve Fudge) lines-up alongside the French athlete, Christophe Lemaitre who he beat in Zurich, as he looks to end his injury disrupted season on a high. The European gold medal winning 4x100m relay team will also take part in the grand finale. James Ellington, Richard Kilty, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (all Reider) and Danny Talbot (Dan Cossins) form the quartet for Europe.

Martyn Rooney (Reider) will compete in northern Africa as the European champion but will face a strong field including two-time world champion, LaShawn Merritt from America. Rooney will return to the track as part of Europe’s 4x400m relay team, alongside fellow Brit, Conrad Williams (Linford Christie), who led off the victorious 4x400m GB & NI team at the European Championships. Donald Sanford, the Israeli bronze medalist in Zurich and Jakub Krezewina of Poland form the rest of the team.

Great Britain & Northern Ireland have representatives in the hurdles events. Tiffany Porter (Reider) and Eilidh Child (Malcolm Arnold), who both claimed their first senior individual gold medals last month, will aim for victory in the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles respectively. William Sharman, (Jerzy Maciukiewicz) silver medalist at the European championships and Commonwealth Games this summer, has been selected for the men’s 110m hurdles.

European and Commonwealth champion Greg Rutherford (Jonas Taiwah-Dodoo) will compete in the long jump. After admitting he wasn’t happy with his recent performance at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix, the Olympic champion will be hoping to finish his season in style. Lynsey Sharp (Reider) will aim to continue her recent form which has led her to breaking her personal best this year and winning two senior silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships.

The IAAF Continental cup is a team competition between the international regions and team standings will be determined by the overall total of men’s and women’s points combined. As far as scoring is concerned, in individual events the first athlete will receive 8pts; second: 7pts; third: 6pts; and so on. The athlete in the 8th position will just get 1pt. The scoring differs in the relays where the winner will pocket 15pts; 2nd: 11pts; 3rd: 7pts; 4th: 3pts.