Statisticians have analysed athlete form from last year to create rankings based on merit with Yulimar Rojas, Laura Muir and Valarie Allman among the event leaders

For the 22nd year, Athletics International has collaborated with AW to produce an annual statistical review including world top 10 merit rankings.

The selection panel – consisting of Athletics International co-editors Peter Matthews and Mel Watman, with Stuart Mazdon (UK), Mirko Jalava (FIN), Alfons Juck (SVK), A Lennart Julin (SWE) and Ed Gordon (USA), plus Elliott Denman for walks – assessed the year’s records of the leading contenders and the ranking order was determined by consensus. The criteria are the traditional ones of honours won, win-loss records and sequence of marks.

Following each athlete’s name in these event-by-event rankings are: date of birth (day.month.year), and in brackets: number of years ranked and 2019 top 10 ranking. Then their five/six best marks in 2020 and details of placings and performances in significant competitions. In these results marks in brackets were in qualifying, marks after w/ are best ‘wind legal’ marks in that competition.

Below we list the top three in each women’s event. The men’s international rankings can be found here, while UK merit rankings for men are here and women are here.

The full top 10 lists for every event, including the details of athletes’ seasons and more in-depth explanations, appear in our December end-of-year review special issue, which is available to buy and read digitally here or order in print here.

100m

1. Elaine Thompson-Herah JAM
28.6.92 (6y, 4)
1 Kingston 18/7 11.19
1 Kingston 25/7 10.73w
1 Kingston 8/8 11.41/10.89
1B Kingston 22/8 10.92
1 Rome 10.85
1 Doha 10.87

2. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce JAM
27.12.86 (10y, 1)
1 Kingston 11/7 11.00
1 Kingston 8/8 10.87/11.28
1 Kingston 22/8 10.86

3. Sha’Carri Richardson USA
25.3.00 (2y, 5)
1 M’verde 4/7 11.05 (10.94w)
1 Fort Worth 10.79w
1 Montverde 10/8 10.83w (10.95w)

The two great Jamaicans did not meet, but Thompson-Herah added clear wins in Europe to the fast times in Kingston.

200m

1. Shaunae Miller-Uibo  BAH
15.4.94 (5y, 1)
1 Montverde 4/7 22.61
1 Clermont 21.98

2. Elaine Thompson-Herah JAM
28.6.92 (4y, 3)
2 Kingston 11/7 22.98
1 Kingston 9/8 22.19
1 Kingston 29/8 22.79

3. Lynna Irby USA
6.12.98 (2y, -)
2 Montverde 4/7 23.06
3 Clermont 22.47
1 Székesfehérvár 22.55
1 Des Moines 22.52w

Uncertainty over whether we should rank Battle and Steiner on their good indoor form.

400m

1. Beatrice Masilingi NAM
10.3.03 (1y, -)
1 Swakopmund 52.19
1 Nairobi 50.99A
1 Pretoria 50.44A & 50.42A
1 Nat. Yth G 51.07A

2. Lynna Irby USA
6.12.98 (2y, -)
1 Monaco 50.50

3. Shaunae Miller-Uibo BAH
15.4.94 (6y, 2)
1 Montverde 50.52

This presented us with our biggest problems. How to compare Masilingi, who ran only at high alttiude, with athletes with just one race at 400m, who would not normally be ranked, but Irby and Miller-UIbo ran much faster times than all but Masilingi and Irby was far ahead of Jonathas at Monaco.

800m

1. Faith Kipyegon KEN
10.1.94 (1y, -)
1:59.66+ in 1000m Monaco
1:59.19+ in 1000m Brussels
1 Doha 1:57.68

2. Jemma Reekie GBR
6.3.98 (1y, -)
1 Glasgow 1:57.91i
1 Liévin 2:00.34i
1 Trieste 1:59.52
–  Monaco 2:00.0+ in 2:31.11 1000m
1 Stockholm 1:59.68
1 Chorzów (Kus) 1:58.63
4 Bellinzona 1:58.87
1 Rome 1:59.76

3. Hedda Hynne NOR
13.3.90(1y, -)
1 NOR Ind Ch 2:04.79i
1 Ulsteinvik 2:03.53i
2 Espoo 2:03.54
4 Luzern 2:03.63
1 Karlstad 2:03.71
2 Bern 2:00.72
3 Trieste 1:59.94
3 Stockholm 2:01.44
1mx Trondheim 1:59.57
1 Rovereto 1:59.15
1 Bellinzona 1:58.10
2 Rome 2:00.24
1 NOR Ch 2:03.64 (2:01.08)

Kipyegon had only one race at 800m but this win in Doha was in the year’s fastest time, and when she won three times at 1000m she was under two minutes twice at 800m. Making great breakthroughs were Reekie and Hynne (two Norwegian records) for 2nd and 3rd.

1500m

1. Laura Muir GBR
9.5.93 (6y, 5)
1 Stockholm 3:57.86
1 Chorzów (Skol) 3:58.24
1 Berlin 3:57.40

2. Faith Kipyegon KEN
10.1.94 (7y, 2)
1 Ostrava 3:59.05

3. Laura Weightman GBR
1.7.91 (3y, -)
2 Stockholm 4:01.62
1 UK Ch 4:09.76
2 Ostrava 4:01.96
2 Berlin 4:00.09

Muir had a brief but outstanding season, with the year’s three fastest 1500m times.

3000m

1. Hellen Obiri KEN
13.12.89
In Monaco 5000m c.8:41+
1 Doha 8:22.54

2. Agnes Tirop KEN
23.10.95
2 Doha 8:22.92

3. Beatrice Chepkoech KEN
6.7.91
3 Doha 8:22.92
in Valencia 5000m 8:31.85+

Just one significant race outdoors, but that, at Doha, was top-class with the best ever times for 6th and 7th.

5000m

1. Letesenbet Gidey ETH
20.3.98 (4y, 7)
2 Monaco 14:26.57
1 Valencia 14:06.62 WR

2. Hellen Obiri KEN
13.12.89 (5y, 1)
1 Monaco 14:22.12
1 Nairobi 15:06.36A

3. Shelby Houlihan USA
8.2.93 (2y, -)
1 Portland 14:23.92
1 San Juan Capistrano 15:02.55

Is Gidey’s great world record enough to overcome her loss to Obiri in Monaco? The panel voted 5-2 for Gidey.

10,000m

1. Sifan Hassan NED
.93 (2y, 1)
1 Hengelo 29:36.67

2. Hitomi Niiya JPN
26.2.88 (4y, -)
1 JPN Ch 30:20.44

3. Rosemary Wanjiru KEN
9.12.94 (2y, 4)
1 Abashiri 30:38.18

The Hengelo race was the most important, with good races in Japan culminating in an excellent championship race, and a fast end-of-year race in California.

Half-marathon

1. Peres Jepchirchir KEN
27.9.93
dnf RAK
1 Prague 65:34
1 World Ch 65:16

2. Yalemzerf Yehualaw ETH
22.7.91
6 RAK 66:35
3 World Ch 65:19
1 Delhi 64:46

3. Ababel Yeshaneh ETH
3.8.99
1 RAK 64:31
5 World Ch 65:41
3 Delhi 65:21

Yeshaneh set a world record in Ras Al Khamah, but was 4th at the Worlds, won by Jepchirchir, who also won in Prague, while Worlds 3rd Yehualaw had a big win in Delhi.

Marathon

1. Peres Jepchirchir KEN
27.9.93 (1y, -)
1 Valencia 2:17:16

2. Brigid Kosgei KEN
20.2.94 (4y, 1)
1 London 2:18:58

3. Lornah Chemtai Salpeter ISR
12.12.88 (1y, -)
1 Tokyo 2:17:45

As for the men it is difficult to compare times from the top races and the top four women each ran one marathon. Conditions were tougher for Kosgei’s clear win in London than in Tokyo or Dubai.

3000m steeplechase

1. Hyvin Jepkemoi KEN
13.1.92 (9y, 3)
1 Berlin 9:06.14
2 Nairobi 9:34.07A

2. Beatrice Chepkoech KEN
6.7.91 (5y, 1)
2 Berlin 9:10.07
1 Nairobi 9:29.05A

3. Yekaterina Ivonina RUS
14.6.94 (1y, -)
1 RUS Ch 9:16.84
2 RUS Ch 9:23.86

Although Chepkoech beat her in Nairobi, Jepkemoi was first in the year’s top race, in Berlin.

100m hurdles

1. Nadine Visser NED
9.2.95 (1y, -)
12.68, 12.72, 12.79, 12.85, 12.87, 12/90
1 Papendal 4/7 12.99 (12.90) & 18/7 12.95 (13.03)
1 Turku 12.68 (12.87)
1 Leverkusen 12.85 (12.97)
1 Székesfehérvár 12.68
1 NED Ch 13.10 (12.97)
2 Chorzów (Skol) 12.95
1 Bellinzona 12.79
1 Rome 12.72

2. Luminosa Bogliolo ITA
3.7.95 (1y, -)
12.79, 12.82, 12,83, 12.88, 12.90, 12.91; 12.86w
1 Rieti 12.93 (12.93)
1 Savona 12.86w
1 Trieste 12.91
2 Turku 12.79 (12.93)
1 Stockholm 12.88
1 ITA Ch 13.02 (13.04)
1 Rovereto 12.90
2 Bellinzona 12.82
2 Rome 12.83

3. Elvira German BLR
9.1.97 (1y, -)
12.73, 12.80, 12.81, 12.85, 12.87, 12.87
1 Minsk 12.73 (12.81)
1 Brest 12.80
1 BLR Ch 12.87 (13.04)
3 Székesfehérvár 12.96
3 Chorzów (Kus) 13.02
2 Marseille 13.13
1 Chorzów (Skol) 12.87
1 Dessau 12.85 (12.94)

None of the 2019 top 10 women raced significantly outdoors in 2020. In 2019 there were 70+8w performances under 12.70, in 2020 there were just 2! That left Visser as the clear No.1, losing just once – to German, with the top four all racing regularly.

400m hurdles

1. Femke Bol NED
23.2.00 (1y, -)
1 Papendal 54.47/53.79
1 Székesfehérvár 54.67
1 Stockholm 54.68
1 Bellinzona 54.33
1 Rome 53.90
300mh: 1 Ostrava 38.55

2. Anna Ryzhykova UKR
24.11.89 (3y, 8)
2 Székesfehérvár 55.86
2 Stockholm 55.19
1 Samorín 55.21
2 Rome 54.54

3. Viktoriya Tkachuk UKR
8.11.94 (1y, -)
1 UKR Ch 55.60 (56.23)
3 Bellinzona 55.15
3 Rome 54.93
1 Balkan Ch 55.58

Standards were well down and no top Americans attempted the event, but Bol made a fine breakthrough from 55.32 in 2019.

High jump

1. Mariya Lasitskene RUS
14.1.93 (7y, 1)
2.05i, 2.04i, 2.00i, 1.97, 1.92
1 Moscow 1/2 2.04i
1 Moscow 9/2 2.05i
1 RUS Ind Ch 2.00i
1 RUS Ch 1.92
1 RUS Team 1.97

2. Yaroslava Mahuchikh UKR
19.9.01 (2y, 3)
2.02i, 2.01i, 2.01i, 2.00, 1.98, 1.98i
1 Lviv 2.01i
1 Cottbus 1.98i
1 Karlsruhe 2.02i
1 Banská Bystrica 1.96i
1 Glasgow 1.93i
1 UKR Ind Ch 2.01i
1 Ulsteinvik 1.96i
1 Dnipro 1.95i
1 Monaco 1.98
2 Bydgoszcz 1.97
1 Stockholm 2.00
2 Dessau 1.96
2 Rome 1.95

3. Yuliya Levchenko UKR
28.11.97 (4y, 2)
2.00, 2.00, 2.00i, 1.99i, 1,98, 1,98
1 Kiev 2.00i
2 Cottbus 1.96i
2 Karlsruhe 1.99i
3 Banská Bystrica 1.93i
1 Kiev 23/7 2.00
2 Monaco 1.98
1 Bydgoszcz 2.00
2 Stockholm 1.98
1 Chorzów (Skol) 1.92
1 Dessau 1.96
1 Rome 1.98

Lasitskene was top for the fifth time and the 2019 top three were again easily the best with Mahuchikh and Levchenko swapping places – the former 3-0 up indoors and the latter 3-2 outdoors.

Pole vault

1. Anzhelika Sidorova RUS
28.6.91 (6y, 1)
4.95i, 4.92i, 4.86i, 4.80, 4.80i, 4.75
1 Moscow 4.80i/4.86i
1 RUS Ind Ch 4.92i
1 Moscow 29/2 4.95i
1 Moscow 4.80/4.70
1 Bryansk 4.75
1 RUS Ch 4.70

2. Sandi Morris USA
8.7.92 (6y, 2)
4.91i, 4.90Ai, 4.83, 4.83i, 4.81, 4.80i
1 Fayetteville 4.71i
1 New York 4.91i
1 USA Ind Ch 4.90Ai
1 Liévin 4.83i
1 Clermont-Ferrand 4.80i
1 Bradenton 4.66 (Insp G.)
1 Piedmont 4.81
1 Marietta 22/8 4.70
1 Des Moines 4.65
1 Greenville 4.83

3. Katie Nageotte USA
13.6.91 (4y, 5)
4.92, 4.83, 4.81, 4.71, 4.70, 4.40Ai
3 Reno 4.40Ai
1 Marietta 4.70/4.83/4.92
2 Piedmont 4.81
1 Mooresville 4.71

The panel were split on the merits of the top two, both unbeaten. Nageotte ended her season early and Suhr only competed indoors.

Long jump

1. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk UKR
18.7.95 (2y, 2)
6.96i, 6.92i, 6.91, 6.90i, 6.90i, 6.87
1 Karlsruhe 6.92i
1 Torun 6.96i
1 Glasgow 6.90i
1 Liévin 6.90i
2 Székesfehérvár 6.76
1 Stockholm 6.85
1 Chorzów (Kus) 6.78
1 UKR Ch 6.81
2 Innsbruck 6.82
2 Dessau 6.85
1 Berlin 6.87
1 Doha 6.91

2. Malaika Mihambo GER
3.2.94 (6y, 1)
7.07i, 7.03, 6.83i, 6.77, 6.77i,  6.71
2 Karlsruhe 6.83i
1 Berlin 7.07i
1 GER Ind Ch 6.77i
1 GER Ch 6.71
1 Dessau 7.03
2 Berlin 6.77

3. Anastasiya Mironchik-Ivanova BLR
13.4.89 (5y, 5)
6.94, 6.93, 6.81, 6.77w/6.73, 6.75i, 6.72
1 Bochum 6.71i
5 Torun 6.50
3 Berlin 6.75i
3 Liévin 6.59i
1 BLR Ind Ch 6.70i
1 Minsk 6.47
1 Brest 6.93
1 BLR Ch 6.81
1 Székes’vár 6.77w/6.73
1 Marseille 6.66
1 Innsbruck 6.94
3 Dessau 6.72
1 Samorín 6.70

Panellists were split over the top two. Mihambo was twice over 7m, but lost 2-1 to Bekh-Romanchuk, who had a brilliant unbeaten indoor season and won both the Diamond League long jump events.

Triple jump

1. Yulimar Rojas VEN
21.10.95 (4y, 1)
15.43i, 15.03i, 14.71, 14.27
1 Metz 15.03i
1 Madrid 15.43i
1 Monaco 14.27
nj Ibiza
1 Castellón 14.71

2. Yekaterina Koneva RUS
25.9.88 (5y, -)
14.75w, 14.73w/14.19, 14.56, 14.20i, 14.13i, 14.00i
2 Moscow 9/2 14.00i
2 RUS Ind Ch 14.13i (14.20i)
1 Bryansk 14.75w
1 RUS Ch 14.73w/14.19
1 RUS Team 14.56

3. Liadagmis Povea CUB
6.2.96 (2y, 4)
14.78w/14.55, 14.52i, 14.49, 14.45
1 Havana 8/2 14.78w/14.55
1 Havana 11/2 14.49
2 Madrid 14.52i
1 CUB Ch 14.45

The world indoor record by Rojas ensured that she was well ahead of the pack, with Koneva and Povea in close competition for second.

Shot put

1. Gong Lijiao CHN
24.1.89 (14y, 1)
19.70i, 19.53
1 Beijing 19.70i
1 Shijiazhuang 19.53

2. Auriole Dongmo POR
3.8.90 (1y, -)
19.53, 19.27, 18,92, 18.85, 18.82, 18.42
1 Pombal 18.02i/17.60i
1 Rochlitz 18.31i
2 Sätra 17.79i
1 Braga 18.08i
1 POR Ind Ch 18.37i
1 Leiria 18.82/19.27/18.42
1 Lisbon 18.04/18.92
1 POR Ch 19.53
1 Thum 18.85
1 Chorzów (Skol) 18.33
1 Ostrava 18.42
1 São Paulo 18.57

3. Alyona Dubitskaya BLR
25.1.90 (5y, 5)
19.27, 19.19, 18.85i, 18.00
1 BLR Ind Ch 18.85i
1 Brest 19.27
1 BLR Ch 19.19
3 Chorzów (Skol) 18.00

Two panellists preferred Dongmo as she and Gong shared the world outdoor lead at 19.53m, but Gong’s better 19.70m indoors sealed the top spot. Dubitskaya and Ealey were then clear of the rest.

Discus

1. Valarie Allman USA
23.2.95 (2y, 6)
1 Rathdrum 70.15

2. Kristin Pudenz GER
9.2.93 (2y, 8)
65.58, 64.92, 63.96, 62.62, 62.52, 62.30
4 Berlin 58.98i
1 Neubrandenburg 63.96
1 Potsdam 64.92
1 Halle 15/7 62.62
1 Schönebeck 65.58
1 GER Ch 62.30
1 Halle 15/8 62.52
1 Thum 60.67

3. Sandra Perkovic CRO
21.6.90 (10y, 3)
65.93, 64.67
1 CRO-w Ch 65.93
1 Zagreb 64.67

Allman’s North American record was 4.22m better than the next best, but is just one competition enough in an event like this? The next three women were undefeated outdoors but Pudenz was much the most prolific. Thinner in depth than men’s discus.

Hammer

1. Alexandra Tavernier FRA
13.12.93 (4y, 5)
75.23, 74.94, 74.22, 74.12, 73.09, 72.76
1 Vénissieux 74.94
1 Székesfehérvár 73.09
1 Chorzów (Skol) 74.12
1 FRA Ch 72.76
1 Kladno 75.23
1 Barcelona 74.22

2. Malwina Kopron POL
16.11.94 (3y, -)
74.18, 74.13, 73.70, 73.43, 72.68, 72.48
1 Kielce 71.88
1 Spala 74.18
2 Székesfehérvár 72.68
1 Chorzów (Kus) 73.43
2 POL Ch 70.94
2 Chorzów (Skol) 72.37
1 Poznan 72.48
1 Pulawy 74.13
1 Lublin 73.70

3. Hanna Malyshik BLR
4.2.94 (3y, -)
75.45, 73.00, 70.59, 68.92
1 Minsk 75.45
1 Brest 73.00
2 BLR Ch 68.92
3 Székesfehérvár 70.59

Tavernier won all her six competitions, twice improving her French record, and the first three took those positions at the Gyulai Memorial.

Javelin

1. Lu Huihui CHN
26.6.89 (8y, 1)
67.61, 66.27, 65.70, 64.34i, 64.21i
1 Beijing 64.21i/64.34i
1 Beijing 67.61/66.27
2 CHN Ch 65.70

2. Tatyana Kholodovich BLR
21.6.91 (5y, 5)
67.17, 66.85, 64.33, 63.80, 60.61
1 Minsk 67.17/60.61
1 Brest 63.80/64.33
1 BLR Ch 66.85

3. Liu Shiying CHN
24.9.93 (4y, 4)
67.27, 66.14
1 Yantal 66.14
1 CHN Ch 67.27

Although Liu beat her at the Chinese Champs, Lu, who started the year with world indoor bests, shades the top spot with the best depth of marks from Kholodovich, who was unbeaten but competed only in Belarus.

Heptathlon

1. Ivona Dadic AUT
29.12.93 (3y, 10)
1 Amstetten 6235 in 1 hour
1 AUT Ch 6419

2. Alina Shukh UKR
12.2.99 (1y, -)
1 Lutsk 6386
1 UKR Ch 6215
1 Balkan Ch 5940

3. Carolin Schäfer GER
5.12.91 (7y, 9)
1 GER Ch 6319

Ranked in order of best score, Dadic had the best and also just missed the best score in one hour, while Shukh was busiest, with three heptathlons.

20km walk

1. Elvira Khasanova RUS
10.1.00 (1y, -)
1 RUS-w Ch 1:26:43
1 RUS Ch 1:27:45

2. Reykhan Kagramanova RUS
1.6.97 (1y, -)
2 RUS-w Ch 1:26:50
2 RUS Ch 1:28:32
3. Liu Hong CHN
12.5.87 (12y, 1)
1 CHN Ch 1:27:48

The top three times came at Russian Champs and the next three at the Chinese Champs.

50km walk

1. Yelena Lashmanova RUS
9.4.92 (1y, -)
1 RUS Ch 3:50:42 WR

2. Margarita Nikiforova RUS
19.8.98 (1y, -)
2 RUS Ch 3:59:56

3. Mar Juárez ESP
27.9.93 (1y, -)
1 ESP Ch 4:15:46

Lashmanova’s fantastic world record would have put her 10th on the world men’s list. Six of the top seven times of the year came at the Russian Champs, with Juárez coming in as third fastest.