Abderrahman Samba en route to the Continental Cup 400m hurdles title (© Getty Images)
There was no surprise in the men's 400m hurdles race, as the year's dominant man Abderrahman Samba of Qatar took a clear win, his ninth of the season in as many races. His time of 47.37 not only beat the closest contender by over a second, it also equalled the World/ Continental Cup record set by Edwin Moses in Rome 37 years ago.
Samba's race completes his remarkable series this season, in which he broke 48 seconds in every final he has run, scored victories in six IAAF Diamond League races and took gold at the Asian Games.
European champion Karsten Warholm of Norway started the race strongly and appeared to hold a slim lead over Samba until 250 metres, but once Samba started his move, nobody had a response. The Qatari's lead kept growing, and the only remaining doubt was who would finish in second and third.
Annsert Whyte of Jamaica was the runner-up in the end with 48.46, a season's best, and he was followed home by the two representatives of Europe: Warholm in 48.56 and Yasmani Copello of Turkey with 48.65. The African champion Abdelmalik Lahoulou of Algeria finished next in the order with 49.12
This was the second event of the day in which Europe used the joker card, and just as in the women's hammer throw, they tied for first place, this time with the Asia-Pacific team. That joint victory meant another 14 points for their overall point tally in the overall standings.
Pawel Jackowski for the IAAF
