Nigerian women lived up to their billings at the maiden IAAF/VTB Continental Cup in Split, Croatia last weekend.

Blessing Okagbare won a bronze in the 100m and she teamed up with the women=s 4x100m relay featuring Damola Osayomi, Agnes Osazuwa and Ruddy Zang Milama.

Sade Abughan together with the African 4x400m team featuring Amantle Montsho, Amy Mbacke Thiam and Soumah Ndeye won the bronze.

Overall, Europe won the event with 429 points to defeat the Americas (419.5 points), who held a narrow ascendancy at the halfway stage. African was third.

The participation of Blanka Vlasic in her hometown created a rousing atmosphere and buoyed by the phenomenal support, the two time world champion delivered her best performance of the season. Vlasic cleared a season’s best and championship record of 2.05m to seal maximum points for her continent.

The Olympic silver medallist, who cleared her PB of 2.08m on home soil in Zagreb last year, used this occasion to attempt a world record but 2.10m eluded Vlasic on all three attempts.

In a repeat of the result at the European Championships, Emma Green claimed the runner up spot with a 1.95m clearance.

Two time Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen was the clear victor of the javelin. Unbeaten expect for two competitions in 2010, the Norwegian set a championship record of 89.26m in the final round to cement victory ahead of Gerhardus Pienaar, who improved his season’s best to 83.17m.

Former world record holder Tatyana Lysenko from Russia prevailed in a keenly fought hammer competition at the start of the programme. Lysenko snatched maximum points with a final round effort of 73.88m to deny China’s Zhang Wenxiu (73.69m), who had led from the first round.

European silver medallist Marian Oprea from Romania won the triple jump with 17.29m from Alexis Copello (17.25m) and Phillips Idowu (17.24m), which was his first competition since Crystal Palace on August 13. Tosin Oke jumped 16. 72m to finish sixth.

Yuliya Zarudneva defeated a strong African cohort in the 3000m steeplechase setting a championship record of 9:25.46, while Hind Dehiba Chahyd won maximum points in the 1500m.

Steve Hooker has been inauspicious in recent weeks but the Australian returned to his best with a noteworthy victory over European champion Renaud Lavillenie from France. Hooker cleared a world leading height of 5.95m on his third attempt for a five centimetre victory over the Diamond League winner.

This competition also saw world and Olympic shot put champion Valerie Vili return close to her peak. The New Zealander improved her season’s best to 20.86m to defeat world indoor champion Nadzeya Ostapchuk for the first time this season. Ostapchuk could only manage 20.18m for the runner up spot.