Superfan Rankings Update: Women's Overall Leaders

Who's leading the chase for the Athlete of the Year honors?

1. Nadzeya Ostapchuk (BLR/SP) 381
2. Jessica Ennis (GBR/Hep) 345
3. Milcah Chemos (KEN/Stpl) 321
4. Blanka Vlašic (CRO/HJ) 316
5. Betty Heidler (GER/HT) 314
6. Anita Wlodarczyk (POL/HT) 309
7. Fabiana Murer (BRA/PV) 302
8. Valerie Vili (NZL/SP) 291
9. Tatyana Lysenko (RUS/HT) 274
10. Barbora Špotáková (CZE/JT) 272

This is a very field-event heavy bunch, with only one purely running-event athlete and six throwers.

Ostapchuk is undefeated, has thrown very far, and has repeatedly faced up against Vili. The Kiwi is undefeated against all others and also throwing very far.

Ennis has won all three of her multis this year, all against top competition, and with good marks each time. It would require breaking Jackie Joyner-Kersee's world record for the Brit to overtake Ostapchuk, though.

Steepler Chemos lost only her opening race and has faced stiff competition in all of her races.

Vlasic has lost a few times, which will happen when you compete as much as high jumpers do, but she hasn't failed in any of the biggest meets. You can pretty much say the same about Murer.

There are three hammer-throwers in here, which tells you a lot about the level of competition this year. Euro champ Heidler is barely ahead of Wlodarczyk, who broke the World Record earlier this year.

Špotáková has gone through a rough patch lately, taking only bronze at the European Championships, but built up enough in the early-going that she still rates in the top ten. She'll be overtaken quickly if she doesn't get it turned around.

What's on today
The BIGBANK Estonian GP Final, an EAA Area Permit meet, takes place in Rakvere.  This is the return to racing for Justin Gatlin.  You can read stories about the whole situation from Sports Illustrated, Britain's Telegraph, and Reuters.

The Malmö GP, another EAA Area Permit meet, takes place in the Swedish city of the same name.
Meet website

Track on TV
Diamond League Gateshead rerun, 3 PM on Universal Sports


Other reading
Runner's World's Racing News rounds up the weekend action
UK Athletics head Niels De Vos says athletics is blossoming in Britain
Spikes Mag runs down the winners and losers from the Euros
Two articles looking back to 50 years ago: the LA Times on Ralph Boston breaking Jesse Owen's record, and SI's Joe Posnanski with very long and very good look at Rafer Johnson
The Bay Area Track Club's Peter Gilmore looks at the growth of track and field
Blog posts from David Oliver on making the cover of TFN, and from Brianna Glenn on being the laughingstock of Germans.