Posted: May 9, 2006

Athletics: Nelson Reclaims Top Spot In Shot Put In The Latest IAAF World Rankings

Monte-Carlo – Helsinki World Champion Adam Nelson (USA) reclaimed his status as the world’s top ranked shot putter this week after beating his compatriot and previous number one Reese Hoffa, and Olympic bronze medallist Joachim Olsen of Denmark. Nelson won the IAAF World Athletics Tour meet in Dakar, Senegal, with 21.28m (1337 points) and rose from third place to take the event lead, two points ahead of Hoffa. Nelson also took a big step in the Men’s Overall Ranking, where he climbed from 66th spot to 37th during the past fortnight.

Most of the results affecting the Top-10 of each Event Ranking over the past two weeks came from the Osaka 2006 IAAF World Athletics Tour meet. Reigning World and Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin started the season in blistering form, setting a world leading time of 9.95 (1373 points) by winning the 100m in Japan. But Gatlin was unable to increase his lead at the top of the Men’s 100m Event Ranking, as World record holder Asafa Powell (JAM) won the Kingston Jamaica Invitational also in 9.95 (1336 points). While both Gatlin and Powell respectively held on to their first and second positions in the Event Ranking, Gatlin edged closer to Kenenisa Bekele in the Men’s Overall Ranking, reducing the Ethiopian’s lead to 15 points, while Powell moved up one spot to 22nd.

In other sprint events, Usain Bolt had a successful fortnight to kick-start his 2006 season. The Jamaican won the 200m at the Fort de France meet in 20.08 (1247 points) before winning in front of his home crowd at the Kingston Jamaica Invitational in 20.10 (1306 points), to improve one spot to 5th in the Men’s 200m Event Ranking, only two points behind his compatriot Christopher Williams. Also in the 200m Event Ranking, Australia’s Daniel Batman rose from 15th to 11th this week, after placing second in Osaka with 20.56 (1256 points)..

On the women’s side, it was another Jamaican, Sherone Simpson, who took advantage of the home track. The 21-year-old won in Kingston with 22.14 (1309 points) and re-entered the Women’s 200m Event Ranking in 11th place.

Full details of the latest changes in the IAAF World Rankings can be found at: IAAF.org.

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