Eight New Zealand athletes feature in the top fifty in the Athletics world rankings for 2010. The ATFS rankings just released have three New Zealand men and five women in the world top fifty in their events.
Adams Shot Put
Shot Putter Valerie Adams is the highest ranked at second, while Javelin thrower Stuart Farquhar comes in at ninth.
Distance runner Kimberley Smith features in two events, the marathon and half marathon, with dual Commonwealth Games medallist, Nikki Hamblin also featuring in two events, the 800 metres and 1500 metres.
Two other Commonwealth medallists Brent Newdick (Decathlon) and Nick Willis (1500m) make the lists in their respective events.
Recently retired former World Champion Beatrice Faumuina comes in at 23rd in the discus in her final year on the world stage.
The unluckiest is Rebecca Wardell who was in medal contention in Delhi in the heptathlon when she suffered a serious foot injury. She makes the heptathlon list at number 33.
The result in an improvement from 2009 when there were only three ranked in the top thirty and a total of six in the top fifty.
The result for 2010 is the best since 2006 when there were a total of nine New Zealanders ranked in the top fifty.
With the exception o Faumuina and Wardell who is still recovering from her injury, all the athletes are competing in New Zealand this season, with most taking part in the Asics Grand Prix Series starting this Saturday (22 Junauary) with the Sylvia Potts Classic in Hastings, followed by the Cooks and Capital Classics on 25 January and 28 January.
ATFS World Rankings 2010
Women
2nd Valerie Adams Shot Put 20.86m
11th Kimberley Smith Half Marathon 1h 7m 55s
23rd Beatrice Faumuina Discus Throw 61.11
26th Kimberley Smith Marathon 2h 25m 21s
28th Nikki Hamblin 800m 1m 59.66s
33rd Rebecca Wardell Heptathlon 5988pts
36th Nikki Hamblin 1500m 4m 5.93s
Men
9th Stuart Farquhar Javelin Throw 85.35m
18th Brent Newdick Decathlon 8091pts
40th Nick Willis 1500m 3m 35.17s
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