Monte Carlo - With outstanding performances on both sides of
the Atlantic over the past week, the IAAF World Rankings has
experienced a number of changes in the Top-10 of the various Event
Rankings.Derek Miles of the United States of America completed a rare hat-trick.
By overtaking Russia's Igor Pavlov and moving up one place in the
Men's Pole Vault Event Ranking to third, Miles completed a sweep for
USA vaulters, as compatriots Tim Mack and Toby Stevenson are ranked
first and second respectively. This is the first time in the history of the
IAAF World Rankings that for Men's Pole Vault three USA athletes top
the Event. The 32-year-old Miles won in New York last week with 5.70m
(1268 points).
In the Men's High Jump, Jaroslav Baba of the Czech Republic set a
national record and equalled the world indoor season's lead while
strengthening his third place in the Event Ranking. The 20-year-old
Olympic bronze medallist finished second at the Arnstadt in Germany
with 2.37m (1248 points). On the other side of the Atlantic, Jamie Nieto
kept up the pressure on Baba by winning in New York with 2.27m (1228
points). Nieto is fourth in the Event Ranking only 15 points behind Baba.
World, Olympic and European Heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft
moved up two places in the Women's Long Jump Event Ranking after
comfortably winning in Gothenburg with a world season's lead of 6.84m
(1185 points). Kluft is now tied for 7th in the Event Ranking with Britain's
Jade Johnson.
French sprinting provided some world leading times in Gent over the
weekend. 2003 World 4 x 100m relay gold medallist Christine Arron
clocked 7.14 (1289 points) for the win and the fastest time in the world
this indoor season, while her compatriot Ronald Pognon set a national
record and also a world leading time for the men with 6.51 (1304
points). Two days earlier, Pognon also ran 6.57 (1187 points) to win in
Eaubonne. With the win in Gent, Arron broke the tie for 5th place with
American Lauryn Williams in the Event Ranking and moved within one
point of Bulgaria's Ivet Lalova. Pognon stepped up 8 places to 22nd in
the Men's 100m (60m) Event Ranking.