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News from the Caribbean as of
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Big moves for Caribbean athletes in IAAF World Rankings
Friday, September 15, 2006
by Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannestnews.com
OKLAHOMA, USA: Following the conclusion of the 4th IAAF World Athletic Finals in Stuttgart, Germany, three Caribbean athletes, including Jamaica’s female sprint ace Sherone Simpson, made significant moves in the latest IAAF World Rankings, released by the sport governing body earlier this week.
Simpson, who has been in dominating form this season, charged to the top of the women’s 200m event ranking with a score of 1310 points to add to the 100m first place ranking she’s held up for a couple of weeks now.
Not only is Simpson the world number one in both the short sprints, she’s also the fastest in both events this season with times of 10.82 seconds for the 100m and a sizzling 22.00secs for the 200m.
The Commonwealth Games champion in the half-lap from Melbourne, Australia, also jumped three places from seventh to fourth in the overall female world rankings, with a score of 1389, just 8-points behind Ethiopian distance star runner Meseret Defar.
Following a laid-back finish to the 2006 international campaign, Jamaican star hurdler, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, a former World silver medallist and the 2006 Commonwealth Games champion slipped nine places in the world ranking to 25th. The country’s national 400m champion and record holder, Novlene Williams, who holds a number five place in the event rankings, moved up four places from 31st in the world overall rankings.
Another Jamaican, Shericka Williams (not related to Novlene), climbed to fourth in the quarter-mile ranking. Jamaican-born American Sanya Richards continues to lead the discipline. She’s also the world leader over the distance.
The other Caribbean athlete making a notable move on the world ranking list was Cuban sensation, Dayron Robles, who took over the lead from previous leader Terrence Trammell of the USA in the men’s 110m hurdles.
The 19-year-old World Indoor silver medallist clocked an impressive 13.00 to collect 1425 points, which pushed him two-points adrift of Trammell. Robles is the only Cuban athlete to currently lead any IAAF Event Rankings. He currently sits at 10th place in the Men’s Overall Rankings, jumping three places from 13th.
In the 110m hurdles, Jamaican Commonwealth Games champion Maurice Wignall slipped one place to 9th with 1322-points.
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