Posted: September 13, 2005

Athletics: Six New leaders in IAAF Rankings

Following The World Athletics Final There Are Six New Event Leaders In The Latest IAAF World Rankings

Monte-Carlo - The 3rd IAAF World Athletics Final in Monaco resulted in a weekend of strong performances with a number of athletes moving up to number one status in their respective Event Ranking. Six new athletes have become leaders, although three are sharing the top spot with the previous outright holders.

World and Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin opted to run only the 200m in Monaco, for no other reason than to try and grab first place in the Event Ranking from compatriot Wallace Spearmon. Gatlin ended up missing the podium in fourth (20.25 – 1339 points) and therefore had no chance to fulfil this ambition. Instead, Tyson Gay (USA) formerly in 3rd place, won in 19.96 (1443 points), moving into the outright lead ahead of Spearmon and Gatlin. Gay, 23, has had a strong season in the 200m, not only winning the NCAA Championships and finishing second at the USATF Championships, but also running sub 20-seconds wind legal on three occasions.

Although Sanya Richards did not win the World Championships, that was only one of her two losses this season, the other being in early June in Eugene. The 20-year-old has won 10 races (finals) altogether, beating the World and Olympic Champion Tonique Williams-Darling on four occasions – and three of those coming since the Helsinki final. Richards took the last of those wins over the Bahamian in Monaco, edging her with 49.52 (1418 points), thereby taking the Event Ranking lead away from her too.

Bahrain has its first women’s Event Ranking leader ever. Maryam Yusuf Jamal took control of the 1500m Ranking after winning in Monaco with 3:59.35 (1411 points). The Ethiopian born athlete moved up from 4th position to replace the previous leader Olga Yegorova of Russia, who finished a disappointing 7th in Monaco.

Please click here for the latest IAAF World Rankings: .