Yegorova
Number Three in Women's Overall as Szabo Loses 5000 Metre Top Spot and
Montgomery Threatens Greene in Men’s Overall Rankings
IAAF Release
4 September 2001
– MONTE CARLO – Monaco – In the latest edition of the IAAF World Rankings
released this afternoon, Russia’s Olga Yegorova has made a dramatic improvement
in her positioning. After successfully securing a share of the IAAF Golden
League Jackpot and establishing a new European record in the 5000 metres of
14:29.32, just 1.23 seconds short of the World Record of 14:28.09 owned by
China’s Bo Jiang since October 1997, Yegorova has taken over the top spot in the
5000-10,000 metre event rankings and becomes number three in the women’s Overall
Rankings.
The previous incumbent, Romania’s Gabriela Szabo has fallen to number 4 in both the 1500 and the 5000-10,000 event categories after a frustrating season in the longer distance events and has dropped to number five overall from her previous third place.
The women’s Overall Standings are currently headed by American pole vaulter Stacy Dragila with 1462 points, her compatriot, sprint queen Marion Jones, is in the number two spot with 1445 points and Yegorova currently totals 1427 points. With Marion Jones’ season now concluded with an excellent performance in the 100 metres at the Goodwill Games (10.84), and barring a World Record performance by Yegorova at the IAAF Grand Prix Final in Melbourne next Sunday, these places look unlikely to change as we approach the end of the 2001 outdoor athletics season.
In the men’s Rankings, the World’s fastest man, Maurice Greene of the USA, who is currently sidelined through injury is gradually dropping points and after losing his top spot in the Overall Rankings to Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) in the previous edition, he now looks seriously threatened in the number two spot with just 6 points separating him from the very in-form Tim Montgomery, also from the USA.
Full Rankings by event and Overall are available on the IAAF web site.
ENDS
