Posted: February 8, 2005

Athletics: USA Vaulters Dominate Event In The Latest IAAF World Rankings

Monte Carlo - With outstanding performances on both sides of the Atlantic over the past week, the IAAF World Rankings has experienced a number of changes in the Top-10 of the various Event Rankings.

Derek Miles of the United States of America completed a rare hat-trick. By overtaking Russia's Igor Pavlov and moving up one place in the Men's Pole Vault Event Ranking to third, Miles completed a sweep for USA vaulters, as compatriots Tim Mack and Toby Stevenson are ranked first and second respectively. This is the first time in the history of the IAAF World Rankings that for Men's Pole Vault three USA athletes top the Event. The 32-year-old Miles won in New York last week with 5.70m (1268 points).

In the Men's High Jump, Jaroslav Bába of the Czech Republic set a national record and equalled the world indoor season's lead while strengthening his third place in the Event Ranking. The 20-year-old Olympic bronze medallist finished second at the Arnstadt in Germany with 2.37m (1248 points). On the other side of the Atlantic, Jamie Nieto kept up the pressure on Bába by winning in New York with 2.27m (1228 points). Nieto is fourth in the Event Ranking only 15 points behind Bába.

World, Olympic and European Heptathlon champion Carolina Klüft moved up two places in the Women's Long Jump Event Ranking after comfortably winning in Gothenburg with a world season's lead of 6.84m (1185 points). Klüft is now tied for 7th in the Event Ranking with Britain's Jade Johnson.

French sprinting provided some world leading times in Gent over the weekend. 2003 World 4 x 100m relay gold medallist Christine Arron clocked 7.14 (1289 points) for the win and the fastest time in the world this indoor season, while her compatriot Ronald Pognon set a national record and also a world leading time for the men with 6.51 (1304 points). Two days earlier, Pognon also ran 6.57 (1187 points) to win in Eaubonne. With the win in Gent, Arron broke the tie for 5th place with American Lauryn Williams in the Event Ranking and moved within one point of Bulgaria's Ivet Lalova. Pognon stepped up 8 places to 22nd in the Men's 100m (60m) Event Ranking.

IAAF World Rankings.