Shot Put Rankings

I've done my own world rankings over the last few years, and I've tweaked the system a bit since last year. Here are my initial 2010 rankings for the shot put.

My numerical system is based on a combination of best marks and placing high (with an emphasis on winning) in major competition. This is more or less everything that matters in track & field.

Early on in the season, though, I include an athlete’s best marks from the previous season. Tomasz Majewski has not started his season yet, but as defending world champion it wouldn’t be realistic to leave him out of any ranking of the world’s best shot putters. It’s kind of like fantasy football: you give last year’s stars the benefit of the doubt for a few weeks if they have a slow start, and only after a while do you conclude last year’s stud (Adrian Peterson) is only going to be above average this season.

So, here they are going into Friday’s Millrose Games (* = scheduled to compete)...

1. Christian Cantwell*
He threw the farthest last year, has the best throw this year, and won the only significant competition of the year.

2. Reese Hoffa*
#2 on the 2010 world list

3. Tomasz Majewski (Poland)
Ranked solely on the basis of last year’s accomplishments

4. Dan Taylor* #3 on the world list
5. Ralf Bartels (Germany) second at Nordhausen
6. Adam Nelson* fourth at Nordhausen
7. Andrei Mikhnevich (Belarus)
8. Ryan Whiting
9. Dylan Armstrong (Canada) sixth at Nordhausen
10. Pavel Lyzhyn (Belarus)
11. Pavel Sofin (Russia)
12. Dorian Scott (Jamaica)
12. Sultan Abdulmajeed Alhabashi (Saudi Arabia)
14. Marco Schmidt (Germany) third at Nordhausen
14. Maksim Sidorov (Russia)
16. Zach Lloyd
17. David Storl (Germany) fourth at Nordhausen
17. Maris Urtans (Latvia)
17. Noah Bryant
20. Rhuben Williams

WOMEN
1. Valerie Vili (New Zealand)
The undisputed world’s best

2. Nadine Kleinert (Germany)
First at Nordhausen with a world leader

2. Lijiao Gong (China)
Asian Championships gold medalist, which counts on this year’s rankings due to its late date in 2009

4. Natallia Mikhnevich (Belarus)
5. Anna Avdeeva (Russia)
6. Nadzeya Ostapchuk (Belarus)
7. Denise Hinrichs (Germany) second at Nordhausen
8. Anca Heltne (Romania)
9. Petra Lammert (Germany)
10. Meiju Li (China)
11. Misleydis González (Cuba)
12. Michelle Carter
13. Mailín Vargas (Cuba)
14. Christina Schwanitz (Germany) fourth at Nordhausen
15. Chiara Rosa (Italy)
16. Ling Li (China)
17. Xiangrong Liu (China) Asian Championships silver medalist
17. Assunta Legnante (Italy)
19. Yaniuvis López (Cuba)
20. Anna Omarova (Russia)