Teams are beginning to take shape for the IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018 with the start of the two-day competition, set for 8-9 September in the eastern Czech city, now just 30 days away.
While the final entries are still to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), the team for Africa will largely be based upon the finishes at the 21st African Championships which concluded in Asaba, Nigeria, on Sunday.
Several freshly-minted continental champions, including 100m and 200m winner Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, 400 and 800m winner Caster Semenya of South Africa and men’s 800m champion Nijel Amos of Botswana, are expected to compete.
For Team Europe, the defending Continental Cup champions, selection will be primarily based upon the results at the European Championships that are taking place this week at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
Women’s 100m champion Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain has already confirmed that she’ll accept the team spot, setting up an intriguing duel with Ta Lou as the pair share the 2018 world lead at 10.85.
Composition of the Asia-Pacific and Americas teams will be based upon athletes’ positions on the 2018 performance lists.
Each team will enter two athletes for each individual event and one team for each relay (maximum six athletes). Unlike the 2014 edition, there are no limits on the number of athletes entered from any one country.
Additionally, at least three athletes from the host country shall form part of their continental team. Each team may also enter up to a maximum of three overall reserve athletes. The deadline for final entries in 29 August.
Additional information about scoring, lane draws and competing order can be downloaded here.
This year marks the third edition of the IAAF Continental Cup, the successor to ten editions of the IAAF World Cup in Athletics whose inaugural edition took place in Dusseldorf from 2-4 September 1977.
The IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018 will be the largest sporting event hosted by the Czech Republic this year.
The two-day event, held on 8-9 September, will be the first senior global track and field competition held in the Czech Republic.
“The IAAF Continental Cup is the only athletics competition in which athletes represent entire continents,” says IAAF President Sebastian Coe.
“The event has evolved over the years and the 2018 edition will bring with it some exciting changes to the competition format.”
