Posted: May 31, 2005

Athletics: Ivanova Captures Race Walking Top Spot In Latest IAAF World Rankings

Monte-Carlo - With the outdoor athletics season in full swing around the globe, the IAAF World Rankings return to their weekly edition until further notice. Competitions over the past fortnight have resulted in two new event leaders and several other significant changes.

Russia’s Olimpiada Ivanova is the new leader of the Women’s Race Walking Event Ranking after having won the European Race Walking Cup in Miskolc, Hungary, with 1:28:18 (1274 points). Ivanova is a new entry into the Rankings this week, as the reigning European champion and Olympic silver medallist has only finished her third race since October 2002. Furthermore, Ivanova will not stay long at the head of the Ranking unless she produces another result in the next two weeks, as her oldest performance will turn 365 days-old on 12 June, and then once again she will not be eligible for the World Rankings. In the meantime, Ivanova can also enjoy the pride of taking 50th place in the Women’s Overall Ranking.

The other new event leader this week is reigning Olympic Javelin Throw champion Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway. While the 23-year-old is yet to compete this season, previous leader Breaux Greer of the United States has dropped 5 points for not backing up his second place performance from last year’s Belém Grand Prix in Brazil, thereby allowing Thorkildsen to take the lead.

The past weekend marked one of the most famous annual multi-event competitions in the small western Austrian town of Götzis. Despite having problems with his fitness, Roman Sebrle proved once again to be the best in the Decathlon. The Event leader won the competition with 8534pts (1292 points) and held onto his first place, but his training partner Attila Zsivóczky of Hungary finished a close second with 8480 (1263 points) and improved four places to 3rd in the Event Ranking. Russia’s Aleksandr Pogorelov finished third in Austria with 8429 (1246 points), and rose three places to 5th.

In the women’s competition it was no surprise that Carolina Klüft prevailed over the others with 6824pts (1357 points) and held on to her leading position in the Event Ranking. The surprise performance of the meet came from Hyleas Fountain of the United States. The 24-year-old improved her personal best by nearly 500 points to 6502 (1264 points) to finish third, just ahead of Margaret Simpson from Ghana who set an African Record with 6423 (1239 points). Fountain rocketed from 23rd to 10th in the Event Rankings, while Simpson improved four places to 5th.

Complete rankings are available from the IAAF.