Europe edged a tight battle with the Americas to secure the IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup in Croatia, Europe amassed 429 points, 9.5 points ahead of Tyrone Smith and his Americas Teammates who finished with 419.5 points. Africa finished with 292 points and the Asia-Pacific finished with 286.5 points.
In the Men’s Long Jump, Dwight Phillips produced just one legal jump in the four-round Long Jump competition in Split, but it proved more than enough to secure the fourth straight US or Team Americas’ victory in the event.
The reigning World champion landed at 8.34m with his first round leap, the third farthest ever in World Cup/Continental Cup history. Only competition record holder Larry Myricks (8.52m, 1979) and Cuban Ivan Pedroso (8.37m, 1998), have sailed farther in variations of this competition.
Phillips fouled his remaining three leaps but setting the tone early, his big opener put the competition well out of reach.
“I was disappointed with my performance in Zagreb couple days ago and I wanted to jump over eight metres for the Croatian crowd here,” said Phillip, the Samsung Diamond League winner in the event this season. “And the fans were outstanding.”
Over all, the competition was on the modest side. European silver medalist Kafetien Gomis of France was second with an 8.10m best which didn’t come until the final round, the sole jump other than Phillips’ to stretch beyond the eight-metre line.
European champion Christian Reif, the world leader at 8.47m, struggled with consistency and finished third at 7.99m. Li Jinzhe of China and Team Asia-Pacific, was fourth with a 7.92m best, just ahead of Smith (Bermuda, AME), who reached 7.91m.
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