The U.S. track and field team celebrates winning the platinum trophy at the Athletics World Cup on July 15, 2018 in London.
The United States ran away with the Athletics World Cup platinum trophy in the inaugural event that pitted eight of the world’s top countries in track and field against one another in a two-day competition in London.
By the time Sunday’s events wrapped the U.S. had 219 points, beating second-place Poland’s 162 points, while the joint team from Great Britain and Northern Ireland were third with 155 points.
The second day of competition saw an additional five individual gold medals and a victory in the men’s 4x400-meter for the Americans.
There was no surprise in the men’s pole vault as Sam Kendricks walked away with the top prize after his best jump clearing 5.83 meters. The 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and reigning world champion has now won nine of 12 outdoor meets this season after his win at the Diamond League stop Friday in Rabat, Morocco.
“I love this stadium, I love London and I love to compete here,” Kendricks said. “They make it so easy for me to come here. And fun too. The crowd are so close to the boards and they really want us to jump well, too, which is great.”
Paul Dedewo ran the men’s 400 in a personal-best time of 44.48 seconds to beat second-place finisher Derrick Mokaleng of South Africa, who ran exactly one second slower.
Kenny Selmon added another gold for Team USA in the men’s 400 hurdles, finishing in 48.97 seconds, ahead of Poland’s Patryk Dobek (49.02).
Raevyn Rogers won the women’s 800-meter with a time of 2:00.20.
Olympian Vashti Cunningham, who is just 20 but already has national indoor and outdoor titles to her name, earned the win in the women’s high jump with a season-best 1.96 meters, edging Morgan Lake of Great Britain, whose best was 1.93.
“I am feeling so really good — what a feeling being up there with the whole team holding the flag and trophy,” Cunningham said. “It was a good meet for me. I came and executed well and am so grateful to be here — it feels like such a great event.”
Closing out the two-day event, the U.S. men’s 4x400 team, consisting of Nathan Strother, Obi Igbokwe, Paul Dedewo and Kahmari Montgomery, took first with a season’s best time of 2:59.78.
Keturah Orji helped the U.S. efforts with a second-place finish in women’s triple jump with a top distance of 14.60 meters, just off Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts’ winning jump of 14.61.
Maggie Ewen earned bronze in women’s shot put with a top throw of 18.23 meters and Valarie Allman was third in women’s discus throw with a best toss of 61.10 meters.
U.S. national champion and 2016 Olympian Jenna Prandini, who was third in the women’s 200 in Rabat, finished second in London with a time of 22.45 seconds, faster than the 22.60 she ran Thursday.
2008 Olympian and three-time U.S. silver medalist in the 400 hurdles Queen Harrison, who served as team captain, took third in the women’s 100 hurdles after clipping a hurdle. She ran it in 12.99 seconds.
Zack Bazile took second place in men’s long jump with a best of 8.30 meters and Kendal Williams took second in the men’s 100, finishing in 10.05 seconds. His time was just off that of Jamaica’s Tyquendo Tracey, who ran a personal-best 10.03 seconds.
Curtis Thompson took third in the men’s javelin with a throw of 75.47 meters.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
