Previews05 Sep 2018


Preview: men's 200m – IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018

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Alonso Edward wins the 200m at the IAAF Continental Cup Marrakech 2014 (© Getty Images)

Europe will be expecting maximum points to be delivered here by Turkey’s world and European champion Ramil Guliyev, although he will need to maintain all the sharpness he showed at the European Championships and at last week’s IAAF Diamond League final in Zurich to hold off the challenge of the Americas, in the form of the hugely experienced Alonso Edward, and Alex Quinonez.

The 28-year-old won the world title in London last year and lowered his personal best to 19.76 as he ran a championship record to win the European title in Berlin last month.

He indicated that he is still in full competitive mode as he chased him Noah Lyles in the 200m at last Thursday’s IAAF Diamond League final in Zurich, clocking 19.98, but since then he finished a distant sixth over 100m in 10.36 at the ISTAF meeting in Berlin and fourth over 200m in 20.79 at the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Zagreb.

The 28-year-old Panamanian, Edward, has a personal best and Area record of 19.81. That time dates back to 2009, but he is still a class act and is seventh on this year’s world list with 19.90, run at Lucerne in July. The 2014 Continental Cup winner also won in Zagreb earlier this week in 20.17, comfortably beating Guliyev.

Ecuador's Quinonez has performed consistently this season and is only one place behind Edward on the world list with a best of 19.93.

Guliyev’s European teammate Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, a member of Britain’s world champion 4x100m squad in London last summer, took European silver behind Guliyev in a season’s best of 20.04.

South Africa’s Ncincihli Titi, who has run 20.00 this season, looks as if he will be in the mix.

Japan’s Yuki Koike has run 20.23 this year.

Mike Rowbottom for the IAAF

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