Posted: May 30, 2006

Athletics: Davis Triples To Event Top, While Gatlin Extends Overall Command In Latest IAAF World Rankings

Monte-Carlo - It is only a week since Justin Gatlin became the top male athlete in the Men’s Overall Rankings, and the World and Olympic 100m champion has now increased his lead by a single point after clocking 9.88 (1393 points) over the weekend to win the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, USA, and so is now five points clear of second placed Kenenisa Bekele.

But in the Men’s 100m Event Ranking, joint-World record holder Asafa Powell edged closer to Gatlin by recording the second fastest time overall in Eugene when running in a separate heat in 9.93 (1346 points).

World champion Walter Davis only allowed a single week for his rival Marian Oprea to sit atop the Triple Jump Event Ranking. Davis recaptured the lead this week as Oprea was forced down into second. Davis won in Eugene with 17.40m (1330 points) and also moved into 24th place in the Men’s Overall Ranking.

Another US athlete to do well in the Rankings this week is World Decathlon champion Bryan Clay. The 26-year-old won in Götzis, Austria, with 8677 points (1314 points) and stepped up to 17th in the Men’s Overall Ranking, increasing his lead in the Event Ranking.

In the women’s Heptathlon, Sweden’s Carolina Klüft also returned home victorious from Austria, however the 23-year-old dropped points in the process. Klüft could not repeat last year’s winning performance of 6824 points (1357 points), her 6719 points (1337 points) dropping her out of the Top-10 of the Women’s Overall Ranking into 11th place.

Swapping places with Carolina Klüft this week in the Women’s Overall Rankings is Michelle Perry of the United States. The World 100m Hurdles champion jumped from 11th to 9th after winning in Eugene with a world leading time of 12.63 (1335 points).

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

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