Posted: September 20, 2005

Athletics: Barber Re-Enters In Second Place In The Latest IAAF World Rankings

Monte-Carlo - With the main outdoor track and field season coming to a conclusion, the IAAF World Rankings will be published every other week from now on until further notice. Already there are far fewer changes than in recent weeks, and attention will now turn to road running, especially the 14th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Edmonton.

The most significant changes in this edition of the IAAF World Rankings were made by World Championships Heptathlon silver medallist Eunice Barber (FRA) and double World middle distance running champion Rashid Ramzi (BRN).

Barber re-entered the Heptathlon Event Ranking in second place, behind Carolina Klüft after winning in Talence in front of her home crowd with 6675 points (1303 points). The reason why Barber has been recently absent from the Heptathlon Event Ranking is because she previously had only competed twice this season, winning the IAAF Challenge in June, and placing second in Helsinki. This third result allows her to re-enter, and the French record holder is also in 14th in the Women’s Overall Ranking.

Another returnee this week is Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain, the winner of the 800m and 1500m in Helsinki, who joins the 800m Event Ranking. The Moroccan-born athlete needed a sixth result this year at his shortest distance to be eligible for the Ranking, and despite a disappointing sixth place in Shanghai with 1:47.81 (1109 points), it was enough to lift him into 10th place just behind Frenchman Mehdi Baala.

As already mentioned, the next few weeks are likely to bring a number of changes in the Road Running – Marathon Event Ranking. Ethiopia’s Derartu Tulu has already made the first move, rising from 13th to 5th position after winning the Great North Run in Newcastle, Britain. Tulu covered the Half Marathon course in 1:07:32 (1280 points) and also improved her Women’s Overall Ranking place from 135th to 75th.

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