BMC Merit Rankings 1995

 

Inspired by Peter Matthew's national merit rankings, the BMC Merit Rankings take account of performances made in BMC races only, on the following basis: i) best times, ii) number of winning performances, iii) performances in the 'special BMC events' i.e. the Championships at Loughborough and the Relays at Oxford, iv) win-loss record against other ranked athletes, v) the style of the athlete's racing, i.e. whether they are willing to take up the pace or not, and the margins of their victories, vi) the distances athletes are prepared to travel to get fast races.

The rankings are therefore meant to reward consistent excellence by BMC members prepared to travel throughout the season.  Non-members are excluded, and members who only ran once or twice are placed lower than their times might otherwise indicate.

 

Men's 800m

1   Cadwallader 1:47.8: 1b Wyth, 1h6 Lough, 1 Lough, 1 Stret 27/6, 1 Stret 22/8;

2   Hart 1:48.2: 1 Cardiff, 2 Stret 27/6, 1 Solihull, 1 Birm, 1 Stret 5/9;

3   Knight 1:50.1: 10 Wyth, 1 Crawley, 1 High 2/8, 1 Watford, 1 W London;

4   Calvert 1:49.2: 1 Lanz, 8 Wyth, 2 Ayr, 2 Birm, 2 Stret 5/9;

5   Graham 1:49.55: 2 Lanz, 1 Meadowbank, 4 Stret 27/6, 3 Ayr;

6   Kelly 1:49.9: 1c Wyth, 1h2 Lough, 4 Lough;

7   G Brown 1:49.9: 2 Meadowbank, 5 Stret 27/6, 1 Ayr;

8   Gercs 1:49.56: 1h3 Lough, 2 Lough;

9   Donaldson U20 1:49.9R: 2b Wyth, 2h3 Lough, 5 Lough, 3 Birm, 1re3 Oxford;

10 Morrell 1:48.7: 3 Stret 22/8;

11 Gilby 1:49.7: 3 Wyth;

12 Idessane 1:49.95: dnf Lanz, 6c Wyth, 3h3 Lough, 3 Lough, 2 Crown;

13 Watson 1:50.2: 2 Stret 25/4, 4c Wyth, 1 Stret 18/7, 1b Solihull, 5 Stret 1/8, 5 Stret 22/8, 1re1 Oxford, 4 Stret 5/9;

14 Waters 1:50.3: 4d Wyth, 3 Grimsby, 2b Stret 27/6, 6 Stret 1/8, 6 Stret 22/8, 1re2 Oxford, 3 Stret 5/9;

15 Airey 1:50.53: 4 Crawley, 2h1 Lough, 6 Lough, 7 Bedford, 3 Sutton;

16 Kloiber 1:50.8: 4 Cardiff, 6b Stret 27/6, 4 Watford, 1b Birm, 1b Stret 22/8, 2re1 Oxford, 5 Stret 5/9;

17 S Brown 1:50.1: 1d Wyth;

18 Caddy 1:50.2: 1 Cambourne;

19 Grime 1:50.1: 5b Wyth, 2 Solihull, 6 Birm;

20= Blackmore U20 1:50.6R: 7c Wyth, 2re4 Oxf;

20= Witchalls 1:50.8: 2 Watford, 2 W London;

With five victories in five starts and the fastest time by a member of 1:47.8, Cadwallader is clearly ranked number one in a year in which nineteen men beat 1:50 in BMC races.  Hart was second fastest and had four victories, but was beaten by Cadwallader in their only meeting.  Both should make the national top ten.  Calvert and Knight, although 8th and 10th respectively at Wythenshawe, were at the time the first two paid-up members home.  Knight went on to dominate the southern races with four victories, whilst Calvert could only manage three second places, albeit with faster times.  Calvert was 2-0 against Graham, who in turn was 2-1 against Gary Brown.  Kelly greatly impressed with front-running at Wythenshawe and Loughborough.  5 Scots are in the top twelve, including the highest ranked junior Alasdair Donaldson, all of whom are coached or advised by Brian McAusland.

 

Men's 1,500m / Mile

1   Caddy 3:42.1 / 3:59.6M: 1 Wyth, 1 Bath, 1 Cardiff, 1 Chelt, 1re4 Oxford, 1 Southampton, 5 Bristol, 1 SWGP;

2   Graham 3:43.2 / 4:02.8M: dnf Lanz, 5 Wyth, 1h1 Lough, 1 Lough, 1 Stret 1/8, 2 Derry, 2 Birm;

3   Hart 3:42.7 / 4:01.8M: 3 Wyth, 2 Bath, 1 Salisbury, 3 Chelt, 2re2 Oxford, 3 Bristol, 3 SWGP;

4   Gillespie 3:44.6 / 4:03.7M: 2 Lanz, 8 Wyth, 3 Bath, 6 Ant 28/5, 3 Cardiff, 3 Salisbury, 1re3 Oxford, 3 Southampton, 4 Bristol, 2 SWGP;

5   Murphy 3:44.2: 6 Wyth, 1 Antrim 28/5, 1h2 Lough, 3 Lough;

6   Ashe 3:42.9: 3 Crawley, 1 Watford;

7   Cadwallader 3:44.2 / 4:07.4MR: 2 Cardiff, 2 Stret 1/8, 2re1 Oxford, 9 SWGP;

8   Farren 3:45.1 / 4:02.5M: 3 Antrim 28/5, 1 Antrim 28/6, 1 Derry;

9   G Brown 3:43.0: 4 Wyth, dnf Stret 1/8, 5 Birm;

10 Barden 3:44.3 / 4:06.9MR: 7 Wyth, 1re2 Oxf;

11 Mate 3:44.63: 2h1 Lough, 2 Lough;

12 Hough 4:01.4M: 2 Chelt;

13 Commerford 3:44.3 / 4:12.6MRd: 4 Birm, 4 Southampton, 2 Bristol, 8 SWGP;

14 Margiotta 3:44.6 / 4:04.3M: 3 Bedford, 2 Watford, 1 King's Lynn, 7 Birm;

15 Healy 3:45.6 / 4:04.0M: 4 Antrim 28/5, 2 Antrim 28/6, 3 Derry;

16 Stewart 3:44.7: 11 Wyth, 5 Antrim 28/5, 1 Stret 6/6, 3 Stret 1/8, 6 Birm;

17 Freary 3:46.2: 9 Wyth, 2 Ant 28/5, 2 Stret 6/6;

18 Davies 3:48.1 / 4:09.6M: 6h2 Lough, 8 Lough, 2 King's Lynn, 2 Welwyn, 1 East GP, 5 Southampton, 4 Stret 5/9, 6 Bristol, 10 SWGP;

19 White 3:56.6 / 4:04.3M: 4 Bath, 12 Birm, 2re3 Oxford, 7 Bristol, 5 SWGP;

20= Davoren 3:49.21 / 4:04.6M: 2 Crawley, 5 Bath, 4 Cardiff, 15 Salisbury, 7 SWGP;

20= Roache U20 3:47.1 / 4:08.2M: 1b Wyth, 5 Derry;

20= Tromans 3:44.8 / 4:10.9M: 4 Stret 1/8, 5 Chelt;

Neil Caddy, only 20, dominated the season with five impressive wins, from Wythenshawe in May through to Southampton in September, and must surely make the national top five.  Graham had four times of 3:44 or better, won the Championships at Loughborough and is a clear second.  Hart only had one victory, but is third with a 4-1 advantage over Gillespie, top-ranked for the last two years, who showed better form at 3k this year.  The rest are very close with conflicting race results - Murphy had a good win at Antrim and was 2-0 v Gillespie but curtailed his season, Cadwallader had three strong second places behind Caddy, Graham and Michno, Brown was 4th at Wythenshawe, Farren beat Graham at Derry and Mate beat Murphy at Loughborough.  Commerford and Davies came good late season, the latter winning the Eastern Region Grand Prix.

 

Women's 800m

1   Griffiths 2:03.3mx (BMC Rec.): 1mx Stret 18/7, 1mx Stret 1/8;

2   Layzell 2:07.17: 1 Wyth, 3 Crawley;

3.  Hartigan 2:06.16: 2 Crawley;

4   Faherty 2:05.3: 7 Crawley, 1 Stret 5/9;

5   Sterne 2:06.1: 1 Stret 22/8, 2 Stret 5/9;

6   Davies 2:06.1mx: dnf Crawley; 3mx Stret 1/8;

7   Andrews 2:09.4: 1 Lough, 2 Watford, 2 Birm, 5 Stret 5/9;

8   Lee U20 2:08.8: 3 Watford, 1 Birm;

9   Wilkinson 2:08.6: 3 Stret 6/6, 4 Stret 27/6, 2mx Stret 18/7, 4mx Stret 1/8, 3 Stret 5/9;

10 Thorpe 2:09.7: 3 Stret 27/6; 1re4 Oxford;

11 McPhee U20 2:10.0: 2 Wyth, 8 Crawley;

12 King 2:08.27: 4 Crawley;

13 Daniel 2:08.99: 5 Crawley;

14 Jones 2:09.05: 6 Crawley;

15 Parker 2:08.8: 1mx Stret 6/6;

16 Fryer 2:10.4: 3 Wyth;

17 Bull 2:11.1: 3 Birm, 1re2 Oxford;

18 Swann 2:11.9: 7 Wyth, 1 Cardiff;

19 Jordan 2:12.96: 2 Lough, 4 Cardiff;

20 Ogden U17 2:11.7: 1re1 Oxford;

There were very few races, Crawley apart, where leading contenders met.  HSA were not able to continue their support and as a consequence the National Squad Races were poorly supported by the leading athletes.  Stretford had some good mixed races where numbers were insufficient, Griffiths' 2:03.3 breaking Angela Davies' BMC record set last year, but Loughborough Champion Vicky Andrews is the only athlete with a decent series of races at different venues.

 

Women's 1,500m

1   Davies 4:12.8mx (BMC  Rec.): 1mx Watford;

2   Thorpe 4:21.9mx: 1mx Stret 25/4,1mx Stret 5/9;

3   King 4:24.27: 2 Wyth;

4   Farrow 4:28.6: 3 Solihull, 1 Lough;

5   Robinson 4:27.2: 1 Solihull;

6   Pattinson 4:27.7: 3 Wyth, 1 Stret 6/6;

7   Oldfield U20 4:27.8: 4 Wyth;

8   Daniel 4:27.1mx: 2mx Watford;

9   Collison 4:27.4mx: 3mx Watford;

10 Swann 4:34.90: 2 Lough;

The National Squad races disappointed, Angela Davies' fine mixed mark being the only highlight.  The production of any rankings at all is hard to justify, but Farrow and Swann ran well in a tactical race at the Loughborough Championships.

 

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