"The rankings were extremely difficult to prepare," said Editor & Publisher, David Monti.  "We had to consider the overall impact made by each athlete within their disciplines then rank them against each other.  The athletes who made the top-10 were those who had the best overall year in terms of important titles, fast times, head-to-head competition, margins of victory, historic achievements, difficult competitive challenges, and impact with both media and fans.  One big victory or mark could offset several mediocre performances."

Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain and Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia top the female and male rankings, respectively.  Although due to injuries and illness Radcliffe achieved nothing on the track, she set three world records on the road --including a spectacular 2:15:25 marathon-- ran the fastest ever half-marathon on a slightly aided course (1:05:40), won the world half-marathon title, and was also the European Cross Country champion. Bekele was a double gold medalist at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, won the world title at 10,000m and was the bronze medalist at 5000m.

"Radcliffe had an incomplete year due to injury, but the performances she achieved were incredible across a broad range of distances," commented Monti.  "Bekele got extra credit for doubling at two major championships: winning double gold medals at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and getting a gold and a bronze on the track at the IAAF World Championships."

Berhane Adere of Ethiopia was the second women in the rankings, edging Maria Mutola of Mozambique because Adere achieved more over a range of distances. Adere won the world 10,000m title, ran the world's fastest times at both 5000m and 10,000m, won the world indoor title at 3000m, and won the silver medal at the IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships. Mutola, who only  raced on the track, was undefeated in 18 races and won both the world indoor and outdoor titles at 800m.  She also became the first athlete, male or female, to win the IAAF Golden League $1 million jackpot alone.

"Adere had a career year," said Assistant Editor Bob Ramsak.  "But, the deciding factor in picking Radcliffe over her for the #1 ranking was that in three head-to-head meetings, Radcliffe beat her convincingly twice: at the IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships (1 minute and 27 seconds) and at the Great North Run Half-Marathon (1:52)."

Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco got the #2 ranking amongst the men, ahead of Said Shaheen of Qatar.  El Guerrouj doubled at the World Championships, winning the gold medal at 1500m and the silver at 5000m.  He was undefeated in nine 1500m or one mile races (including heats), ran the fastest 1500m in the world during 2003, and posted three of the five fastest times in that event.  Shaheen, the former Kenyan Stephen Cherono who switched his citizenship and name during the year, dominated the 3000m steeplechase.  He won the world title, ran the fastest time of the year, and ran half of the top-10 fastest times in that event.  Perhaps more impressively, he also ran the fastest 5000m in the world (12:48.81), an event he did not specifically train for, beating El Guerrouj in the process.

Kenya placed the most athletes in the rankings with seven, one more than Ethiopia; no other nation had more than one ranked runner.  In all, nine nations were represented in the rankings: China, Ethiopia, Great Britain, Japan, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Qatar and Turkey.

An additional 20 athletes were given honorable mention, reflecting the depth of talent at the world level in middle and long distance running today.

Race Results Weekly Runners of the Year (2003)

WOMEN - 1. Paula Radcliffe, Great Britain  World Record, 5-K: 14:51, Flora Light Women's Challenge, London  World Record, 10-K: 30:21, World's Best 10-K, San Juan, Puerto Rico  World Best, Half-Marathon: 1:05:40 (slightly aided course)  World Record, Marathon: 2:15:25, Flora London Marathon  Gold medal, IAAF World Half-Marathon: 1:07:35  Gold medal, European Cross Country Championships  Finished first in every race but one, all by wide margins

2. Berhane Adere, Ethiopia  Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, 10,000m (set championships record)  Gold medal, IAAF World Indoor Championships, 3000m  Silver medal, IAAF World Half-Marathon  World's fastest indoor times for 3000m (8:31.73) and 5000m (14:48.21)  World's fastest times for 5000m (14:29.32) and 10,000m (30:04.18)  Tied 5-K road world record (14:54; later surpassed by Radcliffe)  Ran 30:12 ekiden 10-K leg, beating Paula Radcliffe  Doubled at World Championships in 5000m/10,000m  Finished first 14 times, and top-3 18 times at distances of 1500m to half-marathon

3. Maria Mutola, Mozambique  Gold medal, IAAF World Indoor Championships, 800m  Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, 800m  Undefeated in 18 appearances  Winner, IAAF World Athletics Final, 800m  World leading time at 800m: 1:55.55  Ran five of the top-10 world leading times at 800m  First athlete in history to win the Golden League Jackpot alone

4. Worknesh Kidane, Ethiopia  Gold medal, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, 8 km  Silver medal, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, 4 km  Silver medal, IAAF World Championships, 10,000m  4th place, IAAF World Athletics Final 5000m  #2 time in the world at 5000m: 14:33.04  #2 time in the world at 10,000m: 30:07.15  18 podium finishes in 2003 in 21 starts

5. Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia  Gold medal, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Junior 6 km  7th place, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, 8 km  Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, 5000m  World junior record at 5000m: 14:39.94  3rd, IAAF World Athletics Final, 5000m  Five sub-15:00.00 5000m performances  #3 time in the world at 5000m: 14:39.94

6. Catherine Ndereba, Kenya  Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, marathon: (set championships record 2:23:55)  First Kenyan women to win world marathon title  2nd, Flora London Marathon: 2:19:55  2nd, ING New York City Marathon: 2:23:03  First women in history to break 2:24:00 three times in one year

7. Sun Yingjie, China  Gold medal, Asian Championships, 5000m and 10,000m  Bronze medal, IAAF World Championships, 10,000m  Winner, Tianjin Marathon: 2:25:33  Winner, Beijing Marathon, 2:19:39 (Asian record)  #2 time in the world in the marathon: 2:19:39  #3 time in the world at 10,000m: 30:07.20  Doubled at world championships (also 9th at 5000m)

8. Edith Masai, Kenya  Gold medal, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, 4 km  Bronze medal, IAAF World Championships, 5000m  Winner, IAAF World Athletics Final, 5000m  Broke 15 minutes four times at 5000m  Won both Stockholm (14:50.60) and London (14:50.78) 5000m races  Recorded 11 victories over all distances

9. Sureyya Ayhan, Turkey  Silver medal, IAAF World Championships, 1500m  Winner, IAAF World Athletics Final, 1500m  #1 time in the world at 1500m: 3:55.33  Ran four of the top-5 times in the world at 1500m  Six victories in eight races, including a road mile

10. Mizuki Noguchi, Japan  Winner, Osaka Int'l Ladies Marathon, 2:21:18 (Course Record)  Silver medal, IAAF World Championships, marathon (2:24:14)  Winner, Japanese All-Corporate Half-Marathon, 1:08:29  Broke 1:10:05 for half-marathon three times

MEN - 1. Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia  Gold medal, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, 4 km  Gold medal, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, 12 km  Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, 10,000m  Bronze medal, IAAF World Championships, 5000m  Winner, IAAF World Athletics Final, 3000m  Undefeated in cross country (6 races)  15 first place finishes in 18 races  #4 time in the world at 10,000m: 26:49.57  #3 time in the world at 5000m: 12:52.26

2. Hicham El Guerrouj, Morocco  Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, 1500m  Silver medal, IAAF World Championships, 5000m  Undefeated in 9 races at 1500m/mile, including heats  #1 time in the world at 1500m: 3:28.40 (achieved 3 of the top-5 times)  #1 time in the world at 3000m: 7:30.23  #2 time in the world at 5000m: 12:50.24

3. Said Shaheen, Qatar (Stephen Cherono, Kenya)  Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, 3000m steeplechase  Undefeated in eight 3000m steeplechase races, including heats  Winner, World Athletics Final, 3000m steeplechase  #1 time in the world at 3000m steeplechase: 7:57.38 (achieved 5 of top-10 times)  #1 time in the world at 5000m: 12:48.81  13 first place finishes in 16 races from 1500m to 5000m, including cross country

4. Haile Gebrselassie, Ethiopia  Gold medal, IAAF Indoor Championships, 3000m  Silver medal, IAAF World Championships, 10,000m  World best time for 2 miles indoors: 8:04.69  #1 time in the world for 10,000m: 26:29.22  #1 time in the world for 3000m indoors: 7:28.29  Beaten only by Kenenisa Bekele and Abraham Chebii  In ten races, including heats, finished first or second in all but one

5. Paul Tergat, Kenya  Winner, real Berlin Marathon: (2:04:55/world record; lowered record by 43 seconds)  4th, Flora London Marathon, 2:07:59

6. Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya  Gold medal, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Junior 8 km  Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, 5000m  Winner, IAAF World Athletics Final, 5000m  Set world junior record for 5000m: 12:52.61  Ten first place finishes in 15 races, including heats

7. Abraham Chebii, Kenya  Seven first place finishes at 3000m and 5000m  Beat Haile Gebrselassie twice and Kenenisa Bekele once  5th place, IAAF World Championships, 5000m  3rd place, IAAF World Athletics Final, 3000m  Winner, Kenyan National Championships, 5000m  Broke 13 minutes for 5000m four times

8. Martin Lel, Kenya  Gold medal, IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships: 1:00:49  Winner, ING New York City Marathon: 2:10:30  Winner, Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon: 1:01:27  Winner, Lisbon Half-Marathon: 1:00:10

9. John Kibowen, Kenya  Silver medal, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, 4 km  4th place, IAAF World Championships, 5000m  2nd place, IAAF World Athletics Final, 3000m  Winner, Kenyan Cross Country Championships, 4 km  Winner, BUPA Five Miles, Balmoral, Scotland

10. Sileshi Sihine, Ethiopia  Bronze medal, IAAF World Championships, 10,000m  Gold medal, All Africa Games, 10,000m  Gold medal, Afro-Asian Games, 10,000m  5th place, IAAF World Athletics Final, 5000m  7th place, IAAF World Cross Country Championships, 12 km  Winner, Ethiopian National Championships, 5000m and 10,000m  Winner, Chiba Ekiden, section 5 (section record)

Honorable Mention (Alphabetical Order):
  Ahmad Hassan Abdullah, Qatar (the former Albert Chepkurui of Kenya): 4th,
IAAF World Championships, 10,000m; Gold medal, Asian Athletics
Championships, 10,000m (27:18.28); 3rd, Memorial Van Damme 10,000m
(26:38.76).
  Stefano Baldini, Italy: 2nd, Flora London Marathon (2:07:56); Bronze
medal, IAAF World Championships, Marathon.
  Wilfred Bungei, Kenya.  Won 11 of 18 finals at 800m; Bronze medal, IAAF
World Indoor Championships, 800m; #1 time in the world at 800m (1:42.52).
  Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam, Ethiopia: Bronze medal, IAAF World Cross
Country Championships, 12 km; 6th, IAAF World Championships, 5000m; 3rd,
IAAF World Athletics Final, 5000m.
  Jaouad Gharib, Morocco: Gold medal, IAAF World Championships, Marathon
(2:08:31, Championships record); 6th, Fortis Rotterdam Marathon
(2:09:15/debut).
  Sammy Kipketer, Kenya: 1st, Kenya Armed Forces Cross Country; 2nd, Exxon
Mobil Bislet Games 5000m (12:52.33); 2nd, Athletissima 5000m (13:07.78);
1st, Kenyan National Championships, 5000m; 2nd, Norwich Union British Grand
Prix, 5000m (12:59.13); 4th, IAAf World Athletics Final, 5000m.
  John Korir, Kenya: Seven major road racing victories in 10 appearances
(second the other three times).
  Sammy Korir, Kenya: 2nd, real Berlin Marathon (2:04:56; second fastest
time in history); 2nd, Xiamen Marathon (2:10:44); 4th, Suzuki Rock 'N' Roll
Marathon (2:11:36).
  Julio Rey, Spain: 1st, Olympus Hamburg Marathon (2:07:27/course record);
Silver medal, IAAF World Championships, Marathon (2:08:38).
  Evans Rutto, Kenya: 1st, LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon (2:05:50/world
debut record).

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ABOUT RACE RESULTS WEEKLY: Founded in 1994, Race Results Weekly is the professional distance running results and news service relied upon by running industry professionals.  RRW covers over 2000 middle and long distance races each year; no source is more comprehensive or respected. Subscription information is available at http://www.raceresultsweekly.com.

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