Posted: August 16, 2005

Athletics: Gatlin And T. Dibaba Close In On Overall Leaders Following Helsinki Doubles In Latest IAAF World Rankings

Monte-Carlo - Twelve new Event Ranking leaders and a completely reshaped Overall Ranking were the results of great performances at the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Helsinki, Finland.

Athletes who competed at the Olympic Games in Athens last summer had to at least repeat those performances to maintain their score, while those who were not present in the Greek capital had the opportunity to gain a huge points boost from the biggest event of the year.

US sprinter Justin Gatlin and Ethiopian distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba both posted double victories in Helsinki.

Gatlin repeated Maurice Greene’s historical achievement from 1999, claiming both the 100m and the 200m titles with times of 9.88 (1557points) and 20.04 (1525 points) respectively.

Tirunesh Dibaba was crowned World champion in both the Women’s 5000m - 14:38.59 (1529 points) - and 10,000m - 30:24.02 (1547 points).

Gatlin is second in the Men’s 100m Event Ranking and moved up to third in the 200m, while Tirunesh Dibaba is well clear of the field in her Event Ranking for the 5000 – 10,000m.

In the Overall Ranking however, the US champion overtook Kenenisa Bekele for second place behind leader Saif Saaeed Shaheen, while Dibaba replaced Sweden’s Carolina Klüft also in second, behind the leader Yelena Isinbayeva.

The two biggest improvements in the Event Rankings resulting in first positions, came from hurdler Michelle Perry on the women’s side, and Jaouad Gharib in the men’s Marathon.

Perry was the winner of the women’s 100m Hurdles in Helsinki with 12.66 (1508 points) and jumped from 12th position to lead the Event Ranking ahead of her compatriot and former number one Joanna Hayes.

Gharib successfully defended his World Championship title in the men’s Marathon, setting a championship record of 2:10:10 (1426 points), and came from 17th place in the Road Running Event Ranking to take the number one spot.

Please click here for the latest IAAF World Rankings: IAAF.org.