Former three-time World champion sprint Hurdler Gail Devers (USA) has taken over the number one spot in the Women’s Overall IAAF World Ranking this week following an impressive win at the Zurich Weltklasse Golden League meet last Friday. Devers crossed the line in 12.50 (1386 points Performance Scores) improving her ranking’s average by eight points and rising two places to first in the Overall Ranking.

Climbing to second place in the Overall Ranking is South Africa’s World champion High-jumper Hestrie Cloete. The 24-year-old is in outstanding form, jumping over two-metres for the fourth time in two weeks. To follow up last week’s victory in Berlin where she set a new African Record, Cloete won again at the Zurich with 2.03m (1411 points P.S.) and is only four points behind Devers.

Last week’s leaders – Yamile Aldama (CUB) and Marion Jones (USA) – dropped to third and sixth respectively. The triple-jumper simply did not improve on her average, and Jones lost eight points because of the 365-day-rule.

Marion Jones, the five-time Olympic medallist who gave birth to her first son at the end of June has not been able to compete and so had already dropped out of the 100m Event Ranking and will be unranked entirely by next week because of not having at least six results in the past 365 days.

Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas is the new Event Rankings leader. Sturrup earned her top position by finishing second in Zurich with 10.97 (1347 points P.S.) behind Chryste Gaines (USA) who ran a wind-legal season’s best of 10.89 (1387 points P.S.) and rose to third in the Event Ranking. Sturrup improved her average by fifteen points and also jumped up eight places to 11th in the Overall Ranking.

European record-holder Christine Arron edged up three places to sixth in the Women’s 100m Event Ranking. The 29-year-old finished third behind Gaines and Sturrup with a season’s best of 11.05 in Zurich (1318 points in P.S.) and is looking set not only for a strong performance in Paris this weekend, but also to qualify for the inaugural World Athletic Final in Monte-Carlo in September.

Also losing his number one spot in the men’s 100m Event Ranking is World Record holder Tim Montgomery (USA). The partner of Marion Jones has not been competing enough this season to compensate for his outstanding results from last year, and because of the 365-day-rule, Montgomery lost 27 points this week as he slid to third behind new event leader Dwain Chambers (GBR) and Kim Collins (SKN).

While reigning World Indoor 60m Champion Justin Gatlin (USA) has not been able to make the national team for the World Championships in Paris, the 21-year-old broke the 10second barrier for the first time in his life when winning the Zurich Weltklasse in 9.97 (1389 points P.S.). Compatriot John Capel ran a dead-heat with Gatlin for the win (9.97seconds also for 1389 points P.S.) as both rose through the Event Ranking. Gatlin jumped five places to 4th, while Capel rose six spots to 7th. It will be difficult for Gatlin and Capel to maintain these positions until the World Athletic Final in September, as neither will be competing in the shortest sprint in Paris.

Sureyya Ayhan is back in the rankings, and she is back with a bang. The young Turkish runner competed in only her third meet of the year setting a new national record of 3:55.60 (1411 points P.S.) in the 1500m, also clocking the World’s fastest time of the season by nearly five seconds. The 24-year-old re-entered the Event Ranking in first position well ahead of former number one Suzy Favor-Hamilton (USA). Ayhan also made a statement in the Overall Ranking where she re-joined the field in 11th place.

World and Olympic Champion Jan Zelezny is also back in the IAAF World Ranking this week. The 37-year-old claimed his fourth victory in six competitions this season in Zurich with a throw of 87.95m (1362 points P.S.) and moved into third place in the Event Ranking.

Steeplechaser Ezekiel Kemboi (KEN) set his second personal best of the season when finishing second at the Zurich Weltklasse last week. The 21-year-old clocked 8:02.49 (1399 points P.S.) and became the best in the event for this week by overtaking compatriot Paul Koech. Kemboi is nine points ahead of Koech in second, and is forty points clear of Misoi Kipkurui (KEN) in third.

Amy Mbacke Thiam of Senegal ran not only a season’s best in Zurich, but finished with her second fastest time ever. Mbacke Thiam set her personal best and national record two years ago when she won in Edmonton. The reigning World 400m champion came second at the Weltklasse last week in a time of 50.14seconds (1342 points in P.S.) and moved up three places to 4th in the Event Ranking.

Finishing third behind Mbacke Thiam in Zurich was Tonique Williams (BAH) with 50.24 (1323 points P.S.) – her second personal best of the season. The 27-year-old moved up four places into 8th position. Prior to this year Williams has run under 52 seconds just once – a feat she has accomplished in four out of her five outdoor competitions this season.

18-year-old Alex Kipchirchir of Kenya ran a personal 1500m best in Zurich to finish fourth with 3:32.35 (1331 points P.S.). The World Junior Champion from Kingston last summer rose four places to 5th in the Men’s 1500m Event Ranking practically switching places with former World Indoor Champion Rui Silva of Portugal. Silva dropped to 9th because of the 365-day-rule as he was unable to repeat his performance from last year’s Zurich meet.

Similarly to Silva, American hurdler James Carter also lost points this week and dropped three places to 5th in the Event Ranking. Compatriots Joey Woody and Eric Thomas however stepped up immediately to take Carter’s place. Woody ran 48.46 (1331 points P.S.) to finish third in Zurich, just ahead of Eric Thomas who ran the same time but was out leaned on the line and finished fourth (1321 points P.S.). Two days later Woody won the Helsinki Asics GP in 48.43seconds (1302 points P.S.) and consequently stepped up two places to second in the Event Ranking while Thomas rose four spots to 4th.

In the women’s High Jump Vita Palamar has been as consistent as anyone this season. The 25-year-old from the Ukraine finished on the podium in every outdoor meet this year, improving her personal best first to 2 metres, and now in Zurich to 2.01m finishing second to Hestrie Cloete (1363 points P.S.). Palamar also jumped up in the Event Ranking rising two places to 3rd.

Romanian Triple Jump medal hope Marian Oprea has every reason to feel confident before the start of the World Championships this weekend. The 21-year-old improved his national record earlier this year, and easily won the Zurich Weltklasse with 17.24m (1349 points in P.S.). Oprea’s result moved him up two places to 4th in the Event Ranking.

World Athletics Final
Monaco 13-14 September 2003 (Hammer: Szombathely, 7 September 2003)
Athletes ranked in the top 7 positions in each event (11 positions for the races of 1500m and over) in the IAAF World Rankings will automatically qualify.