Ukraine's world champion cleared 2.37 metres to defeat his rival in winning at the final big event of the season, the International Association of Athletics Federation's Continental Cup in Marrakech.

The Ukrainian's efforts helped Europe take first-day lead of 31.5 points over the Americas, who have 191 points.

Africa are third with 164 ahead of Asia-Pacific, who have 137.5 points.in what is the second running of a competition which has evolved from the World Cup series first held in 1977.

Bondarenko did the job with a first-time clearance of 2.37m after Barshim - whose winning effort of 2.43 in Brussels on September 5 put him second on the all-time list behind world record holder Javier Sotomayor - had bowed out wearily after three failures at that height.

Russia's Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov withdrew after two failed attempts at 2.37m, but took second place through having fewer failures than the Qatari.

Having secured victory, and a superior head-to-head record to Barshim this year, Bondarenko made three unsuccessful attempts to match his rival's best of 2.43m.

The pity of it was that this top class action was witnessed by a disappointingly sparse crowd at the Le Grande Stade.

Barbora Spotakova, the double Olympic and European javelin champion, helped Team Europe take a commanding halfway lead in the IAAF Continental Cup as she produced an African All-Comers' record of 65.52m ©Getty Images

Other highlights of day one included an African All-Comers' record in the women's javelin of 65.52m from the Czech Republic's double Olympic and European champion Barbora Spotakova, and a women's 100m victory by Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown in 11.08sec, ahead of Americas team-mate Michelle-Lee Ahye in 11.25 and the European 100/200m champion Dafne Schippers, third in 11.26.

In the men's 100m, Britain's James Dasaolu took the honours in 10.03, 0.01sec ahead of Mike Rodgers of the United States.

Femi Ogunode of the Asia-Pacific team also clocked 10.04, a personal best, in third.

Djibouti's world indoor 1500m champion Ayanleh Souleiman won a slow, tactical race in 3min 48.91sec with a final surge which moved him ahead of Kenya's world outdoor champion Asbel Kiprop in 3:49.10 and France's European champion Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad with 3:49.53.

Ayanleh Souleiman (right) prepares to move past Team Africa colleague Asbel Kiprop, Kenya's world champion, to take maximum points in the men's 1500m in Marrakech ©Getty Images

Genzebe Dibaba, the world indoor 3,000m champion from Ethiopia, earned maximum points with a time of 8:57.53 ahead of Sweden's Meraf Bahta, who clocked 8:58.48.

There was a shock in the women's discus as Croatia's world and Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic could only manage third - her worst placing since 2010 - with an effort of 62.08m in a competition won by Gia Lewis-Smallwood of the United States, whose best of 64.55 left her just 16 centimetres ahead of Australia's former world champion Dani Samuels.

Kenya's world and Commonwealth champion Eunice Sum lived up to her favourite billing in the 800m as she won in 1:58.21 ahead of Ajee Wilson of the United States in 2:00.07 and European champion Marina Arzamasova of Belarus in 2:00.31.

Francena McCorory, the world indoor 400m champion from the United States, held off a strong challenge from Novlene Williams-Mills to win in 49.94, with the Jamaican clocking 50.08.

A final sprint from 400m world champion LaShawn Merritt earned him a time of 44.60 and the Americas maximum points.

Ignisious Gaisah of The Netherlands won the long jump with 8.11m, ahead of Will Claye of the United States, who reached 7.98m.

Li Ling of China earned the first ever women's pole vault win by an Asian athlete in this format  of competition, clearing 5.55m.

Britain's James Dasaolu en route to winning the men's 100m for Team Europe at the IAAF Continental Cup ©Getty Images

As expected the women's triple jump went to Colombia's world champion, Caterine Ibarguen, who reached 14.52m.

Germany's world and European shot put champion David Storl dominated his event, producing his best of 21.55m on his fourth and final throw to ensure maximum points.

Twenty-year-old Isiah Koech of Kenya earned maximum points for Africa in the men's 5,000m, holding off the New Zealander he beat to the Commonwealth silver medal in Glasgow this summer, Zane Robertson, to win in 13:26.86 with a kick over the final 200m.

Cornel Fredericks added a third title following his 400m hurdles victories at the African Championships and Commonwealth Games as he brought Team Africa its first win of the day in the first track event of the competition.

The South African held off European 400m hurdles champion Kariem Hussein to win in 48.34, with the Swiss athlete improving his career best from 48.70 to 48.47.

The men's hammer was billed as a battle of the Europeans, and Hungary's Olympic champion Krisztian Pars duly delivered top points for Europe with a best of 78.99m.

But Egypt's Mostafa El Gamel upset the odds by taking second with 78.89 ahead of Poland's world champion Pawel Fajdek who could not get close to his world lead of 83.48, settling for 78.05.

In the women's 400m hurdles, Jamaica's Commonwealth champion Kaliese Spencer strode home in 53.81 ahead of the athlete whom she narrowly beat in Glasgow, Eilidh Child.

The Scot, who subsequently won the European title, added another silver to her season with a time of 54.42.

Bahrain's Kemi Adekoya, the only athlete to have beaten Spencer this season, was third in 54.70.

The women's 4x100m relay was won by the Americas in 42.44sec ahead of Europe, whose time of 42.98 was a best in this format for them.

The Americas also took the final event of the evening, the men's 4x100m, in 37.97 - also a best for them in this format - with Europe second again in 38.62.

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