Ahmed tops among Canadians on final day of Continental Cup

Mo Ahmed topped the Canadian contingent on the second and final day at the IAAF Continental Cup track and field meet, finishing second in the men's 3,000 metres on Sunday in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

The 27-year-old had left last week's Diamond League final with "mixed emotions" after running a season-best 13 minutes 3.08 seconds in the 5,000 to place ninth of 13 finishers.

• Canada's Matt Hughes 2nd in Continental Cup steeplechase
• PROFILE | Shawn Barber just wants to 'jump big bars' again

On Sunday, Ahmed finished in seven minutes 57.99 seconds, while Americas teammate Paul Chelimo of the United States crossed the line at the City Stadium in 7:57.13.

Watch Mo Ahmed go for silver in the 3,000m:

Mo Ahmed finishes 2nd in men's Continental Cup 3000m

6 years ago

Duration 10:27

The Americas finished 1-2 to earn 15 points, as Ahmed finished with a time of 7:57.99, just 0.86 back of American Paul Chelimo at the 2018 IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

That effort spurred the Americas team to a 29-point victory over Europe, which was attempting back-to-back titles at the quadrennial event after prevailing in 2014 at Morocco. Team Americas was also victorious in 2010, defeating the Europeans 425.5-402 in Croatia.

The highlight of the Somalian-born, St. Catharines-Ont.-raised Ahmed's season is a Canadian title and Commonwealth Games silver medals in the 5,000 and 10,000 in April.

Fellow Canadian Shawn Barber was third in men's pole vault in Ostrava, while fellow Canadians Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (fourth in the 1,500) and Christabel Nettey (seventh in women's long jump) also competed.

Matt Hughes, who was frustrated with his 11th-place showing at the recent Diamond League final, rebounded with a second-place finish in the men's 3,000 steeplechase to open the weekend event in the Czech Republic on Saturday.

Barber, 24, cleared 5.65 metres a week after placing third (5.83) in Brussels for his first Diamond League podium finish in nine attempts this season.

A Canadian/American citizen who calls Toronto home, Barber ends his 2018 competitive campaign with a season-best vault of 5.92, set at the Texas Relays on March 31.

Watch Shawn Barber vault to bronze:

Shawn Barber vaults to 3rd-place finish in Ostrava

6 years ago

Duration 0:40

The 24-year-old Canadian completed a trio of vaults including his first attempt at 5.30 and his day's best of 5.65 to finish 3rd in the men's pole vault competition at the 2018 IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

The recent addition of a significantly stiffer 5.2-metre pole has only fuelled Barber's excitement for what could be achieved in the near future.

"It could put me into a range where I could [envision] some personal bests, performances such as [5.85] and being able to keep up with the people at the top [of the podium]," the 2015 world champion told CBC Sports recently.

Philibert-Thiboutot's clocking of three minutes 40.90 seconds earned Team Americas five points. The Quebec City runner was fresh off a 3:56.62 effort on Wednesday at the HOKA ONE ONE Long Island Mile (1,609m) in New York.

Watch Philibert-Thiboutot run the men's 1,500m:

Philibert-Thiboutot just misses podium in men's 1500m

6 years ago

Duration 7:07

The Quebec City native's time of 3:40.90 was just 0.10 back of 3rd-place in the men's 1500m event at the 2018 IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Kenya's Elijah Motonei Manangoi won in 3:40.00 to earn eight points for Africa.

Recent struggles

Looking to next season, Philibert-Thiboutot is hoping a recent tweak to his leg turnover to get his feet on the ground faster rather than lengthening his stride over the final 100 metres will lead to faster times.

Nettey's recent struggles continued on a sunny, warm afternoon in Ostrava as the 27-year-old managed a best jump of 6.31 metres.

At the Diamond League final, Nettey topped out at 6.52 for a seventh-place performance.

The Surrey, B.C., native ends the season with seven victories in 15 events, but never regained her early-season form after returning from a month-long absence due to exhaustion on Aug. 18 at the Müller Grand Prix in Birmingham, England.

Nettey jumped 6.54 that day and followed with efforts of 6.52 and 6.22 leading up to Ostrava after averaging 6.80 over a 10-week stretch from late March through mid-June.

Formerly known as the IAAF World Cup, the Continental Cup was the first senior global track and field competition held in the Czech Republic. Team Americas, comprised of athletes from North America, South America and the Caribbean, battled Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific, with each represented by two athletes or one relay team in each discipline at the quadrennial event.

Athletes tried to collect team points for their continental teams — not win individual medals — and were ranked according to their finishing position (one to eight), with teammates' placings added together to determine a team ranking.