U.S. athletes ranked among world's best at middle distances

For Immediate Release
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Contact:
Tom Surber
USA Track & Field
Media Information Manager
317-713-4690; Tom.Surber@usatf.org


U.S. athletes ranked among world's best at middle distances

INDIANAPOLIS - The international statistics website All-Athletics.com has ranked American men and women athletes among the world's best at middle distance running events for the 2009 season.

In rankings announced on Wednesday, All-Athletics.com ranked American women #1 in the world at middle distance running (800m-1,500m), with U.S. men ranked #2 globally.

The overall breakdown shows American women leading the world with 7,655 points, followed by Great Britain (2nd - 7,642 points), Russia (3rd - 7,612 points), Kenya (4th - 7,275 points) and Poland (5th - 7,234 points).

Kenya ranks first in the men's rankings with 7,969 points, followed by the U.S. (2nd - 7,532 points), Morocco (3rd - 7,307 points), South Africa (4th - 7,251 points) and Algeria (5th - 7,162 points).

U.S. women were led to the #1 world ranking in the 1,500 meters by World Athletics Championships bronze medalist Shannon Rowbury and her teammates Christin Wurth-Thomas and Anna Willard, who finished fifth and sixth respectively in the Berlin final. The U.S. sits atop the world rankings with 3,930 points, followed by Russia (2nd - 3,795 points) and Great Britain (3rd - 3,790 points).

Five-time USA Outdoor champion Hazel Clark led U.S. women to a third-place ranking in the 800 meters with a tally of 3,725 points. Great Britain finished first with 3,852 points, and Russia ended the 2009 campaign ranked second with 3,817 points.

2009 World Athletics Championships bronze medalist Bernard Lagat and fellow Berlin finalists Lopez Lomong (8th place) and Leonel Manzano (12th place) led the U.S. men to a runner-up ranking in the 1,500 meters with 3,826 points. Kenya leads the list with 4,047 points, with Ethiopia third with 3,766 points.

Led by 2009 World Athletics Championships finalist Nick Symmonds, U.S. men were ranked second in the world at 800 meters with 3,706 points, with Kenya earning the top spot with 3,922 points. Poland placed third with 3,660 points.

For more information on the All-Athletics.com 2009 Middle Distance Rankings, visit:
http://www.all-athletics.com/en-us/2009-10-21/kenya-and-usa-are-best-middle-distances

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