Contact: Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0500 x317
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.usatf.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 9, 2002
U.S. long jumpers, shot putters sweep IAAF rankings
INDIANAPOLIS – American men’s long jumpers and shot putters have swept the
first three spots in their respective events to headline a strong American
presence in the current 2002 International Association of Athletics
Federations rankings.
U.S. long jumpers Savante’ Stringfellow, Miguel Pate, and Dwight Phillips
are ranked 1-2-3, respectively, in the world on the IAAF rankings that are
posted on the IAAF Web site, www.iaaf.org. U.S. shot putters Adam Nelson,
John Godina and Kevin Toth also are in a 1-3 sweep.
Other Americans earning #1 rankings are Tim Montgomery (men’s 100m), Jeff
Hartwig (men’s pole vault), Marion Jones (women’s 100m) and Gail Devers
(women’s 100m hurdles).
The last time three Americans ended a season ranked 1-2-3 globally in the
long jump was in 1994 when Mike Powell, Kareem Streete-Thompson and Erick
Walder earned that distinction from Track & Field News.
The U.S. men last swept the top three shot put spots in the world following
the 2000 season when Adam Nelson, Andy Bloom and John Godina were ranked
1-2-3, respectively by T&FN.
The 2001 World Outdoor Championships long jump silver medalist,
Stringfellow lived up to his “Superman” alter-ego in a big way this season
by winning his second consecutive USA Outdoor title with a world-leading and
personal best jump of 8.52 meters/27 feet, 11.50 inches. He also had the
second-best outdoor jump in the world this year of 8.49m/27-10.25 to win in
Osaka. Perhaps Stringfellow’s finest moment of the year came at the IAAF
World Cup in Athletics, where he won the event over reigning world and
Olympic Champion Ivan Pedroso of Cuba.
Pate made an enormous splash on the world stage during the 2002 indoor
season by winning his first U.S. national title in New York with a
Championships record leap of 8.59m/28-2.25. Pate’s effort shattered the old
meet record by all-time great Carl Lewis, who soared 8.49m/27-10.25 in 1981.
Only Lewis, Pedroso and Pate have ever bettered 28 feet indoors. Pate also
enjoyed a strong 2002 outdoor season with three of the top six marks in the
world. His best was a leap of 8.45m/27-8.75 in his runner-up finish to
Stringfellow at the USA Championships.
Phillips cemented his third-place IAAF world ranking for the 2002 campaign
with the sixth and seventh best jumps in the world this year. With a leap of
8.38m/27-6, Phillips won in Linz and set a new personal record. The
runner-up at the 2002 USA Indoor Championships (7.99m/26-2.75), Phillips
placed third at USA Outdoors with a best of 8.25m/27-0.75w.
U.S. men’s shot putters were again dominant in 2002, with Adam Nelson
leading the way with a new personal best and the longest throw in the world
this year of 22.51m/73-10.25. He posted the mark in winning the adidas
Oregon Track Classic in Portland. Nelson also had the world’s
second-farthest throw of 22.22m/72-10.75 in winning his second career U.S.
Outdoor title with a meet record. He also won his second consecutive U.S.
Indoor title with a world-leading 21.57m/70-9.25.
John Godina ended the 2002 season ranked #2 in the world by the IAAF after
two solid runner-up finishes to Nelson at the USA Outdoors
(21.91m/71-10.75), and at Portland (21.89m/71-10). Godina also threw well at
the Nike Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., with his third-place finish of
21.91m/71-10.75.
Kevin Toth had the best season of his long career in 2002. His most notable
performance was his win at the Nike Prefontaine Classic with a personal best
of 22.19m/72-9.75, the third-best mark in the world this year.
Montgomery’s world record in the 100m (9.78 seconds) at the IAAF Grand Prix
Final was more than enough to put him at the top of the IAAF charts. Hartwig
won the U.S. outdoor title as well as the IAAF Grand Prix Final and had the
best vault in the world in 2002 (5.90m/19-4.25).
Jones went undefeated this year, including two wins over world champion
Zhanna Pintusevich-Block, and won a share of the IAAF’s Golden League
jackpot to earn her #1 ranking; and Devers lost only twice on the season
while posting the fastest time in the world in the 100m hurdles (12.40).
For a complete listing of the 2002 IAAF World Rankings, visit www.iaaf.org.
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