Captain Richard Kilty helps to lift the trophy as Europe beat USA at inaugural head-to-head duel in Minsk

Impressive wins by world champion Johannes Vetter and world silver medallist Yuliya Levchenko helped Team Europe to victory at the inaugural edition of The Match in Minsk on Tuesday.

After two evenings of track and field action in the Belarusian capital, Team Europe achieved 724.5 points to beat Team USA’s 601.50.

A number of British athletes were also in action, with Ben Williams and Beth Dobbin among the runners up.

In the men’s javelin, Germany’s Vetter moved to second on this season’s world rankings with a third-round throw of 90.03m to gain full points as world leader Magnus Kirt placed second with 88.91m.

Three of Vetter’s five valid throws were beyond 88 metres.

Back over 90 metres again! ?

Johannes Vetter (@jojo_javelin) produced his best throw of the season so far to win maximum points for Team Europe at #TheMatch with 90.03m. pic.twitter.com/PAMnldv37y

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) September 10, 2019

An exciting women’s high jump competition was won by Ukraine’s Levchenko after she managed a perfect record from 1.87m up to her winning PB height of 2.02m.

Her compatriot Iryna Herashchenko was second and world champion Mariya Lasitskene third, both with a best of 1.98m.

The men’s triple jump saw British champion Williams leap a best of 16.71m for second in a competition won by USA’s Chris Benard with 17.01m, while Dobbin was runner up to USA’s Brittany Brown in the women’s 200m, clocking 22.92 behind the American’s 22.61. Dobbin’s team-mate Ashleigh Nelson was fourth in 23.22.

In the men’s 200m, world champion Ramil Guliyev claimed a dominant victory, running 20.16. GB’s Richard Kilty – who was Team Europe captain in Minsk – clocked 21.04 in sixth, a few days after racing the 150m at the Great North CityGames.

Reigning world and European champion Ramil Guliyev was in unstoppable form for Team Europe in the 200m! ?

Watch #TheMatch LIVE nowhttps://t.co/r4eIiLO0Mh pic.twitter.com/eKQioMOTBD

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) September 10, 2019

Team Europe athletes dominated the men’s pole vault, filling the first four spots led by European champion Mondo Duplantis with a 5.85m clearance ahead of world silver medallist Piotr Lisek with 5.80m.

Europe had gained a one-two in the first track final of day two as Orlando Ortega won the 110m hurdles in 13.21 ahead of Sergey Shubenkov with 13.39. Freddie Crittenden was third for Team USA in 13.43 and GB’s Andrew Pozzi fourth in 13.59.

USA’s Kate Grace ran a PB to take full points in the women’s 1500m as she crossed the finish line clear in a time of 4:02.49 ahead of her team-mate Shannon Osika’s 4:04.92.

GB’s Eilish McColgan was third for Europe in 4:05.58 to match her position in the 3000m the day before, while Melissa Courtney finished fifth in 4:06.78.

The men’s 800m was won by Amel Tuka in 1:46.77 with GB’s Jamie Webb fourth in 1:47.13 and Kyle Langford seventh in 1:47.85, while Tuka also stormed to success in the mixed medley relay, anchoring his European quartet to a time of 3:21.13.

There was drama in the women’s 400m hurdles as American Ashley Spencer knocked the final barrier and fell when leading, leaving the way for a Europe one-two-three as Anna Ryzhykova won in 55.32 ahead of Léa Sprunger and GB’s Meghan Beesley.

David Kendziera took top points for USA in the men’s event, clocking 48.99, as GB’s Chris McAlister finished equal fifth in 49.49.

USA’s Sharika Nelvis won the 100m hurdles in 12.80 ahead of Karolina Kołeczek and Elvira Herman.

USA’s Mel Lawrence claimed victory in the steeplechase, clocking 9:33.24 as GB’s Elizabeth Bird was fifth in 9:47.62, while there was another American win by Ben Blankenship as he finished first in the 3000m in 7:57.48 ahead of Adel Mechaal’s 7:57.55.

Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova claimed a long jump win on home soil as she leapt 6.74m in a close final, with Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk placing second, just one centimetre off the winning mark, and USA’s four-time world champion Brittney Reese third with 6.71m.

Poland’s Joanna Fiodorow won the hammer for Team Europe thanks to her final throw of 74.34m with Hanna Malyshchyk of Belarus second with 72.70m, while Maggie Ewen won the shot put with a PB throw of 19.47m ahead of Fanny Roos’ Swedish record of 19.06m.

The men’s discus was won by Lukas Weißhaidinger with a throw of 67.22m ahead of Piotr Małachowski’s 64.89m.

A day one report can be found here.