Posted: September 5, 2005

Athletics: Moreno Is New Event Leader In Latest IAAF World Rankings

Qualification Ends For The 3rd World Athletics Final

Monte Carlo – For the third consecutive year, the Hammer Throw World Athletics Final was held in Szombathely, Hungary, last Saturday and produced a notable change at the top of the Women’s Event ranking, while the rest of the events of the World Athletics Final will take place in Monaco on 9-10 September. The qualification procedure for the Final ended this weekend with some athletes managing to make it at the very last moment.

Former double World champion Yipsi Moreno of Cuba won in Szombathely with 74.75m (1379 points) - the best mark ever on Hungarian soil - and moved into first place ahead of World record holder Tatyana Lysenko. The Russian finished just 12 centimetres off the podium in 4th with 72.34m (1278 points) and rose from 5th into 2nd.

For all remaining events the top 7 athletes (top 11 in all distance races) in each Event Rankings automatically qualify for the two-day event in Monaco.

With the qualification coming to an end on Sunday 4 September, a number of athletes made a last minute effort at the ISTAF Golden League meeting in Berlin to earn their ticket to Monaco. Jamaica’s Dwight Thomas won the Men’s 100m in 10.01 seconds (1378 points), which would have been a new personal best just over a week ago for the 25-year-old. With the win Thomas moved into a sure qualifying position, by rising from 9th to 5th, thereby squeezing his compatriot and World Championships silver medallist Michael Frater down to 9th place.

Olympic 100m champion Yuliya Nesterenko also left it late to guarantee her place at the Stade Louis II next week-end. Nesterenko finished only 6th in Berlin with 11.22 (1252 points), but it was enough to allow the Belarussian to step up two places to 7th and become eligible to compete in the Mediterranean Principality.

Former World Championships silver medallist Christopher Williams also earned his invitation to Monaco at the ISTAF Golden League meeting. The Jamaican won the 200m in 20.33 (1345 points), which was just 0.01 seconds off his season’s best set exactly a week before in Rieti. With the result Williams moved up four places to 7th in the 200m Event Rankings, ensuring his qualification for the season-ending event.

India’s Anju Bobby George won the Asian Championships in Incheon with 6.65m (1289 points), and stepped up just enough to guarantee her place in the line-up next weekend, as she is currently 7th in the Rankings.

For the latest IAAF World Rankings, visit: IAAF.org.