New Zealand Athletes Ranked in the World Top 50 in 2017 Note: Data was sourced from Tilastopaja.org/Athletics Weekly/Athletics International and NOT from the IAAF lists. Open Men 1500 m 3:34.74 32nd Nick Willis 1 Mile 3:56.41 31st Nick Willis 10 km 27:55 14th Jake Robertson Half marathon 60:01 31st Jake Robertson Shot Put 22.14m 4th Tom Walsh Shot Put 21.01m 22nd Jacko Gill Discus Throw 64.55m 30th Marshall Hall Javelin Throw 82.44m 32nd Ben Langton Burnell 20km Walk 1:21:12 45th Quentin Rew 50km Walk 3:46:29 18th Quentin Rew Open Women 800m 2:00.44 42nd Angie Petty 10000m 31:45.02 33rd Camille Buscomb Pole Vault 4.82m 4th Eliza McCartney Hammer Throw 70.35m 32nd Julia Ratcliffe New Zealand Junior and Youth Athletes Ranked in the World Top 30 in 2017 Junior Men Shot Put 19.98m 12th Ryan Ballantyne Junior Women 1500m 4:11.19 14th Olivia Burdon 5000m 15:50.15 21st Olivia Burdon Pole Vault 4.40m 7th Olivia McTaggart Shot Put 15.62m 28th Maddison-Lee Wesche Youth Men 1500m 3:50.05 20th Samuel Tanner 1500m 3:50.62 22nd Isaiah Priddey 1500m 3:50.73 23rd Nick Moulai Shot Put 21.27m 1st Nick Palmer Discus Throw 65.63m 2nd Connor Bell Youth Women 1500m 4:17.19 9th Katrina Robinson 5000m 16:06.01 6th Katrina Robinson 5000m 16:28.43 14th Phoebe Mcknight 2000mSt 6:32.38 3rd Hannah O’Connor 2000mSt 6:35.11 6th Charli Miller Pole Vault 4.40m 3rd Olivia McTaggart Pole Vault 4.05m 12th Imogen Ayris Discus Throw 47.65m 27th Tatiana Kaumoana Some observations: 1. There is a New Zealand man ranked in the top50/top30 in each age group in the shot put. They are Tom Walsh and Jacko Gill (Open), Ryan Ballantyne (Junior/U20), and Nick Palmer (Youth/ U18). 2. Nick Palmer’s 21.27m world leading throw for 2017 is becoming a NZ tradition after Jacko Gill was world leader in 2010 (23.86m) and 2011 (24.45m) and Ryan Ballantyne in 2016 (21.66m). 3. There is a New Zealand woman ranked in the top50/top30 in each age group in the pole vault. They are Elia McCartney (Open), Olivia McTaggart (Junior/U20 and Youth/U18), and Imogen Ayris (Youth/U18). 4. Each of the (5) ranked open men and open women runners/walker is coached by a not-New Zealand coach! 5. All three ranked open men runners/walker do not live in New Zealand! Athletics International World Merit Rankings 2017 The selection panel consisted of the co-editors of “Athletics International”, Peter Matthews and Mel Watman, with Stan Greenberg and Stuart Mazdon (UK), Mirko Jalava (FIN), Alfons Juck (SVK), A Lennart Julin (SWE) and Ed Gordon (USA). The panel assessed the year’s records of the leading contenders and the ranking order was determined by consensus. Just two New Zealand Athletes appear in the World Merit Rankings for 2017: Tom Walsh and Eliza McCartney In the rankings, compiled by Peter Matthews, following each athlete’s name are: date of birth (day/month/year), in brackets: number of years ranked and 2016 top 10 ranking. Then their five/ six best marks in 2017 and details of placings and performances in meaningful competitions. Merit Ranked No. 2 in the Men’s Shot Put: 2. Tom Walsh NZL 1.3.92 (3y, 2) 22.14, 22.06, 22.04,22.03, 21.97, 21.83 1 Hamilton 20.70 2 Christchurch 21.46 2 Auckland 21.80 1 NZL Ch 21.51 1 Tuscon 21.64 2 Eugene 21.71 2 Lausanne 21.97 1 Athens GA 22.04 1 Bedford 22.06 1 Worlds 22.03 (22.14) 1 Birmingham 21.83 1 Zagreb 21.50 6 Brussels 21.38 Ryan Crouser USA was Merit Ranked No. 1. Crouser had a 5-2 win-loss over Walsh. Merit Ranked No. 8 in The Women’s Pole Vault: 8. Eliza McCartney NZL 11.12.96 (2y, 3) 4.82, 4.75, 4.61, 4.55, 4.55, 4.50 1 Auckland 4.82 1 NZL Ch 4.55 1 AUS Ch 4.50 3 Rome 4.75 nh Oslo 8 Stockholm 4.20 1 Heusden 4.61 9 Worlds 4.55 (4.50) Ekaterini Stefanidi GRE was Merit Ranked No. 1. .