Superfan Rankings Update: 400 meters

Over the last two days I've updated the rankings in the sprints.  Now it's time for the quarter.

MEN
Rank Athlete NAT Pts
1 Jeremy Wariner USA 99
2 Angelo Taylor USA 96
3 Calvin Smith USA 79.5
4 LaJerald Betters USA 77
5 Tyson Gay USA 72
6 Jermaine Gonzales JAM 71
7 Kirani James GRN 64
8 Greg Nixon USA 60
8 Tavaris Tate USA 60
10 Torrin Lawrence USA 47
11 Chris Brown BAH 36
12 Jamaal Torrence USA 34
13 Jonathan Borlée BEL 28
14 Donald Sanford USA 27
15 Demetrius Pinder BAH 26
16 Ben Offereins AUS 21
16 Michael Bingham GBR 21
16 Rennie Quow TRI 21
19 David Neville USA 20.5
20 Ricardo Chambers JAM 20
Some event leaders have over 300 points and most have at least 200. No one here has topped 100 points yet, telling you just how weak this event is this year. Wariner leads practically by default. USATF champ Nixon is back at #8; his only two outdoor wins both came in Drake Stadium.

WOMEN
Rank Athlete NAT Pts
1 Debbie Dunn USA 186
2 Amantle Montsho BOT 172
3 Shericka Williams JAM 151
4 Novlene Williams-Mills JAM 148
5 Allyson Felix USA 114
6 Ana Kapachinskaya RUS 85
7 Tatyana Firova RUS 81.5
8 Natasha Hastings USA 70
9 Francena McCorory USA 68
10 Kseniya Ustalova RUS 63
11 Antonina Krivoshapka RUS 62
12 Vania Stambolova BUL 41
13 Rosemarie Whyte JAM 40
14 Kseniya Zadorina RUS 34
15 Antonina Yefremova UKR 31
16 Natalya Nazarova RUS 29.5
17 Monica Hargrove USA 28
18 Denisa Rosolová CZE 27
19 Christine Ohuruogu GBR 26
20 Shereefa Lloyd JAM 24
Leader Dunn is the only woman to have broken 50 seconds, won two deep races, and dominated the indoor season. Felix has run this event only two times, keeping her from ranking higher. The USA claims five of the top 20, Jamaica four, Russia six, and five for the rest of the world put together.

Superfan Rankings Update: Sprints & 400

It's time to update my world rankings going into the weekend...

Men’s 100 meters
Bolt’s relay carry at Penn on Saturday confirms his status as the fastest man in the universe. Asafa Powell is stuck back at #8 due to inactivity. This Saturday’s Jamaica International mens’ 100 will have #4 Williams, #5 Carter, #6 Blake, #10 Patton and #17 Michael Frater.
1. Usain Bolt
2. Tyson Gay
3. Dwain Chambers
4. Ivory Williams
5. Nesta Carter
6. Yohan Blake
7. Daniel Bailey
8. Asafa Powell
8. Mike Rodgers
10. Darvis Patton

Men’s 200 meters
Wallace Spearmon’s win at the Drake Relays is the best mark of the early season. Bolt will run his first 200 of the season on Saturday at the Jamaica International on Saturday; who the sacrificial lambs will be is unclear.
1. Usain Bolt
2. Tyson Gay
3. Wallace Spearmon
4. Shawn Crawford
5. Alonso Edward
6. Steve Mullings
7. Curtis Mitchell
7. Ivory Williams
9. Ramil Gulyev
10. Brendan Christian

Men’s 400 meters
Torrin Lawrence, the NCAA indoor champ, takes over the lead after LaShawn Merritt’s exit from the scene. Tyson Gay ran a nice 44.90 on April 17th to break into the rankings. He, along with #2 Quow and #7 Brown, is entered in the 400 at the Jamaica International this Saturday, which makes me wonder if he’s going to do more in this event than just early-season prep work.
1. Torrin Lawrence
2. Rennie Quow
3. Jeremy Wariner
4. Calvin Smith
5. Ben Offereins
6. David Gillick
7. Chris Brown
8. Tabarie Henry
9. Bershawn Jackson
10. Kirani James

Women’s 100 meters
The best early action in this event has come from LaShauntea Moore, who won at the Drake Relays, and UTEP’s Blessing Okagbare. #1 Jeter, #5 Stewart and #15 Marshevet Myers are slated to race in the Jamaica International on Saturday.
1. Carmelita Jeter
2. Veronica Campbell-Brown
3. LaVerne Jones-Ferrette
4. Shelly-Ann Fraser
5. Kerron Stewart
6. Chandra Sturrup
7. Muna Lee
7. Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie
9. Kelly-Ann Baptiste
10. Lauryn Williams

Women’s 200 meters
Veronica Campbell-Brown overtook the lead in this event with her fine win at the Kansas Relays. She will race #3 Ferguson-McKenzie, #8 Richards and #17 Bianca Knight at the Jamaica International on Saturday.
1. Veronica Campbell-Brown
2. Allyson Felix
3. Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie
4. Muna Lee
5. Kerron Stewart
6. Laverne Jones
7. Porscha Lucas
8. Sanya Richards
8. Shalonda Solomon
10. Marshevet Hooker

Women’s 400 meters
The best early-season times have come from Botswana’s Amantle Montsho, who has twice broken 51 seconds in African meets. #5 Williams-Mills, #15 Monica Hargrove and #23 DeeDee Trotter will race on Saturday in Jamaica.
1. Sanya Richards
2. Shericka Williams
3. Debbie Dunn
4. Antonina Krivoshapka
5. Novlene Williams-Mills
6. Amantle Montsho
7. Allyson Felix
8. Tatyana Firova
9. Francena McCorory
10. Christine Ohuruogu

World Rankings Update -- Men's Sprints

I'm a little off the normal update schedule here, but I've been re-tweaking the system just a tiny bit.

100 meters
1. Michael Rodgers, USA, 113
2. Daniel Bailey, ANT, 101
3. Monzavous Edwards, USA, 74
4. Dwain Chambers, GBR, 63
5. Travis Padgett, USA, 57
6. Darvis Patton, USA, 56
7. Steve Mullings, JAM, 54
8. Trindon Holliday, LSU, 50
9. Jacoby Ford, Clemson, 43
10. Churandy Martina, AHO, 41
With two wins in two weeks over good fields, Rodgers is undoubtedly the top century man right now. Edwards is also a minor name who is earning notice, with second-places in Hengelo and Eugene. Holliday and Ford have a showdown at this weekend's NCAA championships.

200 meters
1. LaShawn Merritt, USA, 66
2. Dwain Chambers, GBR, 51
3. Brendan Christian, ANT, 50
4. Michael Rodgers, USA, 50
5. Tyson Gay, USA, 42
6. Darvis Patton, USA, 33
7. Monzavous Edwards, USA, 32
8. Jeremy Wariner, USA, 32
9. Ivory Williams, USA, 27
10. Xavier Carter, USA, 25
Merritt's fast 300 race in Eugene earned a few bonus points, and while he won't be atop the rankings in this event come August he's still a force to be reckoned with under any circumstances. Gay's remarkable run in New York rockets him up to #5 on one race, while those above him have run anywhere from two to five.

400 meters
1. LaShawn Merritt, USA, 76
2. Jeremy Wariner, USA, 47
3. Gil Roberts, Tex Tech, 26
4. Renny Quow, TRI, 26
5. Sean Wroe, AUS, 23
6. Andrae Williams, BAH, 22
7. Tabarie Henry, Bart JC, 20
8. Chris Brown, BAH, 17
9. Michael Bingham, Wk Fst, 15
10. Greg Nixon, USA, 13
Merritt has so far shown a hand much stronger than that of Wariner, and I think much of the Texan's decision to return to Clyde Hart was out of fear of never beating Merritt again.

World Rankings Update -- Sprints

Now that the season is getting under way with some seriousness, it's time to regularly update the World Rankings. Remember, these are points standings, and until June or so the athletes who have run more will be towards the top.

MEN 100 meters
1. Daniel Bailey, ANT, 59
2. Dwain Chambers, GBR, 46
3. Mark Jelks, USA, 35
4. Michael Rodgers, USA, 34
5. Darvis Patton, USA, 32
6. Jacoby Ford, Clemson, 29
7. Ivory Williams, USA, 27
8. Richard Thompson, TRI, 25
8. Trindon Holliday, LSU, 25
10. Simeon Williamson, GBR, 23
10. D'Angelo Cherry, Miss St, 23
Bailey's narrow loss to Doc Patton at the Jamaica International in Kingston powered him to the top. It was Patton's first really good race this year, which is why he's back in fifth.

200 meters
1. Ivory Williams, USA, 27
1. Darvis Patton, USA, 27
3. LaShawn Merritt, USA, 24
3. Mike Rodgers, USA, 24
5. Steve Mullings, JAM, 21
6. Brendan Christian, ANT, 20
7. Trey Harts, Baylor, 13
7. Aaron Rouge-Serret, AUS, 13
9. Mark Jelks, USA, 10
9. Xavier Carter, USA, 10
Patton's win in Kingston moved him up to a tie for first. Merritt, only a part-timer in this event, ranks high off of one race because there's been so little competition in the 200 yet.

400 meters
1. LaShawn Merritt, USA, 29
2. Sean Wroe, AUS, 27
3. Gil Roberts, Tex Tech, 13
3. Greg Nixon, USA, 13
5. Andrae Williams, BAH, 12
6. Michael Bingham, USA, 11
7. Isaac Makwala, BOT, 10
7. Jeremy Wariner, USA, 10
9. John Steffensen, AUS, 8
9. Kurt Mulcahy, AUS, 8
Merritt ran 44.50 in his season-opening 400 in Guadeloupe over the weekend, so he debuts right at the top. Wariner's opener was in decidedly less advantageous weather at the Drake Relays.

WOMEN
100 meters
1. Carmelita Jeter, USA, 42
2. Kerron Stewart, JAM, 24
3. Sally McLellan, AUS, 21
4. Porscha Lucas, Tex A&M, 20
5. Murielle Ahoure, Miami (FL), 17
6. Brianna Glenn, USA, 14
7. Bianca Knight, USA, 10
7. Stephanie Durst, USA, 10
9. Melissa Breen, AUS, 9
9. Angela Williams, USA, 8
Stewart has the best single race of the season, her winner in Kingston on Saturday, but Jeter's depth of performance has been impressive.

200 meters
1. Carmelita Jeter, USA, 30
2. Porscha Lucas, Tex A&M, 20
3. Kerron Stewart, JAM, 18
4. Murielle Ahoure, Miami (FL), 17
5. Shericka Williams, JAM, 16
5. Brianna Glenn, USA, 16
7. Bianca Knight, USA, 14
8. Melissa Breen, AUS, 10
9. ChaRonda Williams, Ariz St, 9
10. Joice Maduaka, GBR, 7

400 meters
1. Antonina Krivoshapka, RUS, 34
2. Tamsyn Lewis, AUS, 15
3. Amantle Montsho, BOT, 10
4. Monique Williams, NZL, 7
5. Monica Hargrove, USA, 7
6. Melaine Walker, JAM, 6
6. Ndeye Soumah, SEN, 6
6. Novlene Richards, JAM, 6
No one has run fast outdoors yet.

World Rankings Update - Sprints

A recent post at US Distance Runner laments, among other things, the lack of a meaningful world rankings system. Hey folks, I'm right here!

These are very early, which makes them a bit less than fully meaningful. Also, outdoor sprinting is quite different from its indoor cousin, so there's little carryover from the undercover campaign here. So I'm only listing the top five in each event.

MEN
100 meters
1. Dwain Chambers, GBR, 41
2. Daniel Bailey, ANT, 28
3. Jacoby Ford, USA/Clemson, 23
4. Walter Dix, USA, 21
4. Ivory Williams, USA, 21
On Saturday Dix posted the best mark of the season, a 10.00 into a headwind (worth 9.93 in still air). That might be the last we see of him for a while because he's got contract problems.

200 meters
1. Ivory Williams, USA, 16
2. Mike Rodgers, USA, 15
3. Aaron Rouge-Serret, AUS, 13
4. Trey Harts, USA/Baylor, 11
5. Xavier Carter, USA, 10
No one has done squat outdoors yet.

400 meters
1. Sean Wroe, AUS, 27
2. Gil Roberts USA/Texas Tech, 13
3. Greg Nixon, USA, 12
4. Michael Bingham, USA, 11
5. Kurt Mulcahy, AUS, 8
5. John Steffensen, AUS, 8
Sean Wroe has posted the only outdoor times of note, during the down-under portion of the IAAF World Tour.

WOMEN
100 meters
1. Sally McLellan, AUS, 21
2. Porscha Lucas, USA/Texas A&M, 20
3. Murielle Ahoure, USA/Miami (FL), 17
4. Carmelita Jeter, USA, 14
5. Bianca Knight, USA, 10
Hurdler McLellan has concentrated on the 100 meters in the early season.

200 meters
1. Porscha Lucas, USA/Texas A&M, 20
2. Murielle Ahoure, USA/Miami (FL), 17
3. Shericka Williams, JAM, 16
4. Carmelita Jeter, USA, 14
5. Bianca Knight, USA, 10
Jeter ran a world-leading 22.59 over the weekend, which is worth 22.60 with wind & altitude adjustments.

400 meters
1. Antonina Krivoshapka, RUS 34
2. Tamsyn Lewis, AUS, 15
3. Monique Williams, NZL, 7
4. Melaine Walker, JAM, 6
5. Shalonda Solomon, USA, 5
5. Madelein Pape, AUS, 5

Olympic Preview: 400 Meters

The seventh installment in my Olympic Preview series examines the flat one-lap races for both men and women.

Men's 400 Meters
The Schedule: heats, Monday Aug 18; semifinals, Tuesday Aug 19; finals, Thursday Aug 21
The Americans: #1 Jeremy Wariner, #2 LaShawn Merritt, #8 David Neville
The Contenders: #3 Chris Brown (BAH), #4 Ricardo Chambers (JAM), #5 Tyler Christopher (CAN)
The Stats: Records, 2008 List, 2007 Worlds, 2004 Olympics
The Medal Picks: T&FN - Wariner, Merritt, Christopher; SI - Wariner, Merritt, Brown
The Story: A funny thing happened on the way to Jeremy Wariner's unchallenged Olympic title defense: he got challenged. Beat, actually. Along with the men's high hurdles and women's 5k, this will be one of the very best races in the whole shebang. Wariner's season record against rival LaShawn Merritt stands at 2-2, and the race will go to the one who makes the fewest mistakes.