Inspired by Peter Matthews' national merit rankings, the BMC Merit Rankings take account of performances made in BMC races only, on the following basis:
1) Best times and number of performances at that level. 2) Number of winning performances and the margins of their victories. 3) Win-loss record against other ranked athletes 4) Performances in the 'special BMC events' i.e. the BMC Nike Grand Prix Final incorporating the BMC Championships at Bristol and the relays meetings at Watford 5) The style of the athlete's racing, i.e. whether they are willing to take up the pace or not. 6) 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. They are not meant to predict what would happen in an idealised race.
Non members are excluded, and members who only ran once are listed as "Not Ranked".
Produced by Matthew Fraser Moat
Men's 600m / 800m / 1,000m 1 Hart (1, 2) 1:46.8 / 2:19.4: 1 WythGP, 4 Batt 15/6, 1 Stret 22/7k, 1 Toot 20/8; 2 McKay (new) 1:46.87: 2 WythGP, 1 LoughGP, 5 Batt 15/6, 1 WatGP, 2 BrisGPF; 3 Swift-Smith (8, -) 1:47.9 / 2:24.56: 2 Lough 18/5, 1 Wat 28/5, 7 Batt 15/6, 1 SwinGP; 4 Cuddy (19, -) 1:47.2 / 2:22.91: 4 WythGP, 1 Lough 18/5, 8 Batt 15/6, 9 WatGP, 2 Stret 22/7, 2 SwinGP; 5 Lerwill (nr, -) 1:48.3: 4 LoughGP, 9 Batt 15/6, 3 SwinGP; 6 Yates (new) 1:49.0: 2 WatGP, 1 Fins Pk 1/7, 1 Wat 27/8; 7 Knight (7, 3) 1:22.4 / 1:48.9: 6 Batt 19/4, 6 WatGP, 4 Wat 16/7, 2 Fins Pk 5/8, 4 SwinGP, 2 Toot 20/8, 3 BrisGPF; 8 King (9, -) 1:49.5 / 2:26.9: 1 Belfast, 3 WythGP, 3 WatGP; 9 Young (-,-) 1:49.7: 2 LoughGP, 11 Batt 15/6, 5 WatGP, 8 Stret 22/7, 5 BrisGPF; 10 Sutton (-,-) 1:49.8: 1 Stret 29/4, 1b WythGP, 3 LoughGP, 1b Stret 17/6, 4 WatGP; 11 Edwards (-, -) 1:49.4: 1 Stret 20/5, 1b WatGP, 5 SwinGP; 12 Kloiber (-, 16) 1:49.56: 2b LoughGP, 3b Batt 15/6, 8 WatGP, 1b1 SwinGP, 3 Toot 20/8, 4 BrisGPF; 13 Donkin (nr, -) 1:49.3 / 2:24.0: 1 Stret 29/4, 6 WythGP, 3 Stret 22/7; 14 Hall (-,-) 1:20.3 / 1:49.8: 4 Batt 19/4, 1 Fins Pk 3/6, 4b Batt 15/6, 1 Fins Pk 5/8; 15 Tulba-Morrison (18, -) 1:49.88: 3b2 SwinGP, 2 Wat 27/8, 6 BrisGPF 16 Girvan (-,-) 1:49.7: 2 Stret 20/5, 1 Londonderry, 6 SwinGP, 8 BrisGPF; 17 Thompson (20, -) 1:20.1 / 1:50.3 / 2:25.07: 1 Batt 18/1, 2 Batt 19/4, 3 Lough 18/5, 1b LoughGP, 2b Batt 15/6, 7 WatGP, 1 Wat 16/7, 3 Fins Pk 5/7, 5b2 SwinGP, 4 Toot 20/8; 18 Gilby (-, -) 1:19.0 / 1:50.1 / 2:28.6: 2 Batt 18/1, 3 Sut Pk 3/5, 7 WythGP, 6 LoughGP, 12 Batt 15/6, 1 Sut Pk 5/7; 19 Dupuy (-,-) 1:21.2 / 1:50.1: 5 Batt 19/4, 1e WythGP, 2 Wat 16/7, 4 Fins Pk 5/8, 1b2 SwinGP, 9 BrisGPF; 20 Ashe (26, -) 1:49.94: 6b Batt 15/6, 7 BrisGPF; 21 Green (new) 1:51.1 / 2:22.0: 2b Stret 17/6, 2 Stret 22/7k; 22 Graffin, Andrew (new) 1:50.0: 2c WatGP, 1 Toot 6/8; 23= Davoile U20 (-,-) 1:50.6: 4b WythGP, 1c WatGP; 23= Lees U20 (-, -) 1:50.5: 4c WythGP, 2 Wat 28/5, 1 Stret 17/6; 25 Veness (29, -) 1:50.1: 2b WatGP, 3b1 SwinGP; 26 Scanlon (-, -) 1:50.4: 4b LoughGP, 2b2 Swin GP; 27 Donaldson (16, 9) 1:50.6: 3b WythGP, 7 LoughGP, 7 SwinGP; 28 Wilson (27, -) 1:50.3: 8b Batt 15/6, 2 Jarrow 23/7; 29 Mate T (17, -) 1:50.4: 8 LoughGP, 3 Jarrow 23/7; 30= Airey (24, 15) 1:22.8 / 1:51.1: 7 Batt 19/4, 3b LoughGP, 8 Wat 16/7, 8 Fins Pk 5/8, 5b1 SwinGP, 6 Toot 20/8; 30= Morris, Matt (-,-) 1:50.5: 5c Stret 17/6, 1b Stret 22/7, 2b1 SwinGP; 6 Stret 26/8, 4b BrisGPF; 30= Walling (-, -) 1:51.3 / 2:23.7: 1c WythGP, 4 Stret 20/5, 5 Stret 17/6, 7b WatGP, 3 Stret 22/7k, 6b1 SwinGP, 7 Toot 20/8, 1 Stret 26/8; Not Ranked Whiteman (-,-) 1:47.7: 6 Batt 15/6; Kirk U20 (-, -) 1:49.8: 1b Batt 15/6; Openshaw (new) 1:49.9: 1 Jarrow 23/7; In the year in which he became undisputed British number 1 (and also finally removed Seb Coe from the BMC Record books), Andy Hart is top ranked for the second year running. BMC Champion Kevin McKay dominated the BMC NIKE Men's Grand Prix but was critically 0-2 versus Hart. We were honoured by the presence of Patrick Ndururi, Robert Kibet and Bernard Kisilu - they set new standards in our races and ensured that the BMC got international coverage. The race at Battersea Park on 15th June was the fastest 800m in Britain in 1997 (1:45.2), and the race at Stretford on 22nd July was the fastest 1,000m race in Britain in 1997 (2:19.4). At Stretford in July we were able to provide Paul Walker with the race that got him his world championship qualifying time. Nationally, four Britons broke 1:47 this year, all of them domestically, and three of them in BMC races.
Men's 1,500m / Mile 1 Gillespie (4, 4) 3:39.8 / 3:58.4M: 3 WythGP, dnf LoughGP, 2 Bath, 1 Exeter, 2 SwinGP, 2 BrisGPF; 2 Caddy (1, 1) 3:41.6 / 4:00.9M: 1re4 Wat 30/4, 4 WythGP, 1 Bath, 2 Exeter; 3 Pearson (-,-) 3:40.3: 2 WythGP, 1 LoughGP; 4 Green (new) 3:42.1 / 4:03.21M: 5 WythGP, 2 LoughGP, 3 WatGP, 5 SwinGP, 3 Stret 12/8, 4 BrisGPF; 5 Turnbull U20 IRE (new) 3:42.8: 4 WatGP, 3 SwinGP; 6 Glenton (new) 3:44.4 / 4:03.50M: 3 LoughGP, dnf Bath, 6 WatGP, 9 SwinGP, 5 BrisGPF; 7 Skelton (18=, -) 3:42.8: 6 WythGP, 4 LoughGP, 7 WatGP; 8 Dullforce (new) 3:43.8: 10 LoughGP, 1 WatGP; 9 Barnes (new) 3:43.9: 7 LoughGP, 2 WatGP; 10 Comerford (25, 13) 3:43.4/4:04.9M: 1 Batt 15/6, 5 Bath, 5 Exeter; 11 Ashe (2, 6) 3:42.8: 12 LoughGP, 4 SwinGP; 12 Witchalls (-,-) 3:45.7 / 4:03.73M: 11 LoughGP, 6 BrisGPF; 13 Smith (29, -) 3:43.1: 7 WythGP, 14 LoughGP, 8 WatGP, 5 Stret 12/8; 14 Poore (14, -) 3:44.1 / 4:03.4M: 10 WythGP, 4 Bath, 12 SwinGP; 15 Tulba-Morrison (-,-) 3:44.5: 9b LoughGP, 5 WatGP; 16 Swift-Smith (-,-) 3:45.0: 6 LoughGP, dnf BrisGPF; 17 Veness (-,-) 3:47.2 / 4:03.98M: 2b LoughGP, 7 BrisGPF; 18 Mowbray (-,-) 3:45.2: 9 LoughGP, 4 Stret 12/8; 19 Margiotta (10, 14) 3:46.1: 10 WatGP, 1 Wat 30/7; 20 Mills (-,-) 3:45.8: 1re2 Wat 30/4, 4 Batt P, 13 Wat 30/7, 10 SwinGP, 21 Whalley (12, -) 3:47.4 / 4:05.1M: 13 LoughGP, 4 Exeter; 22 Sharpe (-,-) 3:46.9 / 4:07.78M: 1 Wat 28/5, 5b LoughGP, 5 Batt P, 13 WatGP, 9 BrisGPF, 4 Wat 10/9; 23 Davies (17, 18) 3:46.6: 13 WythGP, 6 Wat 30/7; 24 O'Gara (-,-) 3:46.2: 4 Wat 20/7, 6 Stret 12/8; 25 Renfree (30=,-) 3:48.9 / 4:11.2M: 4b WythGP, 7b LoughGP, 7 Bath, 10 Exeter, 14 SwinGP; Not Ranked Whiteman (nr, -) 3:37.5: 1 SwinGP; Hough (6, 12) 3:39.1: 1 WythGP; Zawadzki (26,-) 3:44.2: 1 Wat 10/9; Davoren (24, 20=) 3:44.4: 8 SwinGP; Cuddy (new) 3:44.7: 1 Stret 12/8; Wilson (-, -) 3:44.8: 5 LoughGP; Barden (18=, 10) 3:45.2: 8 LoughGP; Openshaw (new) 3:46.0: 1b LoughGP; A memorable victory at Exeter means that Ian Gillespie regains the top ranking he held for two years in 1993 and 1994, with 2 pbs and a 2-1 record against Neil Caddy, top ranked for 1995 and 1996. However the best performances of the year were by Rob Hough and Anthony Whiteman. Hough ensured a spectacular start to the year at Wythenshawe when he equalled the BMC members' record of 3:39.1. Later in the year Whiteman ran 3:37.5 at Swindon, the fastest 1500m in Britain in 1997, which set him up nicely for his 3:32.34 at Monaco 9 days later. Despite these highlights, the overall standard at this event was down on previous years as the South West and Eastern Region Grand Prix stood down in favour of the Nike Grand Prix and the British Athletics Endurance Initiative, thus reducing the number of competitive opportunities over the Mile.
Men's 3,000m - 10,000m 1 Whalley 7:51.4 / 13:41.08: 1 WythGP, 2 Horspath, 2 Stret 22/7, 1 SwinGP, 1 BrisGPF; 2 Barden 7:53.2 / 13:51.5: 4 Lough 18/5, 2 SwinGP, 4 BrisGPF; 3 O'Dowd 7:55.9 / 13:44.83: 5 Lough 21/5, 5 SwinGP, 3 BrisGPF; 4 Finnerty IRE 7:55.0 / 13:45.6: 4 SwinGP, 2 Wat 30/7; 5 Tromans 8:00.7 / 13:49.7: 4 WythGP, 3 Lough 18/5, 2 Lough 21/5; 6 Mowbray 7:59.5: 3 WythGP, 9 SwinGP; Not Ranked Gillespie 8:34.5M: 1 Millfield; Pearson 13:42.2: 1 Lough 18/5; Grime 7:59.7: 1 Lough 21/5; First year of these rankings. Rob Whalley became the first person to break his own BMC record at any distance with his 7:51.4 for 3,000m at Swindon, and became BMC Champion over 5,000m. Gillespie's 2 Mile record at Millfield actually led the world rankings for three weeks!
Women's 600m / 800m / 1,000m 1 Raven (-,-) 2:03.7: 6 WythGP, 3 WatGP, 2 SwinGP, 1 BrisGPF; 2 Staines (new) 1:29.4 / 2:05.7: 1 Batt P 19/4, 3 WythGP, 1 LoughGP, 1 WatGP; 3 Faherty (2, 4) 2:05.6 / 2:45.22: 2 WythGP, 1 Lough 18/5; 4 Gibson (nr, -) 2:05.6: 2 WatGP, 4 SwinGP, 2 BrisGPF; 5 Beecroft (19, new) 2:06.2: 1 Stret 29/4, 4 WythGP, 2 LoughGP, 5 SwinGP, 3 Stret 26/8, 3 BrisGPF; 6 Davies A (7, 6) 2:06.5: 3 LoughGP, 4 WatGP; 7 Jordan-Smith (5, 19) 1:31.2 / 2:06.7: 2 Batt 19/4, 5 WythGP; 8 Jones (17, 14) 2:08.0: 6 WatGP, 4 BrisGPF; 9 King (8, 12) 2:07.7: 7 WatGP, 2 Stret 22/7; 10 McPherson K (-,-) 2:06.4: 5 Stret 22/7, 2 Stret 26/8; 11 Pattinson (-,-) 2:07.8: 2 Stret 29/4, 4 LoughGP, 3 Stret 22/7, 4 Stret 26/8; 12 Andrews V (-,7) 2:09.4: 4 Stret 29/4, 4b WythGP, 2 Stret 17/6, 8 Stret 22/7, 6 Stret 26/8; 13 Aston (new) 2:09.44: 9b WythGP, 4 Stret 20/5, 7b Lough GP, 1b Stret 22/7, 6 SwinGP, 8 Stret 26/8, 5 BrisGPF; 14 Fryer (10, 16) 2:09.3: 6 WythGP, 1 Stret 17/6; 15 Brady (new) 2:09.1: 3b WythGP, 6 Stret 22/7; 16 Bothams (-,-) 2:09.7: 3b LoughGP, 7 Stret 22/7; 17 Parker (3, 15) 2:10.0: 4 Stret 17/6, 7 Stret 26/8; 18 Bouchard (-,-) 2:09.7: 11b WythGP, 1b Stret 26/8; 19 Harnett (-,-) 2:09.9: 8 WatGP, 1 Wat 16/7; 20= Hardy (new) 2:11.0: 2b LoughGP, 9 WatGP; 20= Swann W35 (-,-) 2:11.21: 10 WatGP, 6 BrisGPF; 20= Wells (new) 1:37.4 / 2:10.8: 4 Batt 19/4, 12 WatGP, 7 SwinGP; Not Ranked nr Henaghan (6, new) 2:03.1mx: 1 Jarrow 23/7; nr Modahl (new) 2:03.4: 1 SwinGP; nr Smith (new) 2:05.2: 1 WythGP; nr Davies E U20 (12=, new) 2:06.8: 5 WatGP; nr Colleran (-,-) 2:08.7: 5 Stret 26/8; nr Ogden U20 (12=, 20) 2:09.0: 1 Millfield; nr Pritchard U20 (18, -) 2:09.1: 1b WythGP; nr Mersh (new) 2:10.2: 1b LoughGP nr Andrews N (new) 2:10.2: 1 Batt Pk By winning the Grand Prix Final, Claire Raven just clinched top ranking from Linda Staines whose three wins at Battersea, Loughborough and Watford had given her the edge over Faherty and Gibson. Faherty was third despite having 1-0 records against both those in front of her. Good breakthroughs by Beecroft and Aston. Swann's time at Bristol was the fastest by a vet in 1997.
Women's 1,500m / Mile 1 Pavey (7, -)4:12.6mx / 4:30.77M: 1re2 Wat 30/4, 1 WythGP, 1 LoughGP, 1mx Barry, 1 Bristol GP; 2 Faherty (2, -) 4:15.8: 1re3 Wat 30/4, 2 LoughGP; 3 Gibson (1, -) 4:17.7mx: 1re4 Wat 30/4, 1mx Wat 30/7, 1mx Wat 10/9; 4 Pattinson (11, 6) 4:20.3 / 4:41.65M: 4 WythGP, 1 WatGP, 3 SwinGP, 2 BrisGPF; 5 Parkinson (4, 2) 4:18.6: 3 WythGP, 3 LoughGP; 6 Jones (10, -) 4:19.2: 5 LoughGP, 2 SwinGP; 7 O'Hare U20 (16, -) 4:21.6: 2re1 Wat 30/4, 2 WatGP; 8 Pimblett (6, -) 4:21.8: 5 WythGP, 4 LoughGP, 3 Stret 12/8; 9 Colleran (new) 4:24.0 / 4:46.87M: 1 Stret 1/7, 3 BrisGPF; 10 Thackray (14, -) 4:22.4 / 4:50.87M: 10 WythGP, 6 LoughGP, 3 WatGP, 7 SwinGP, 4 BrisGPF; 11 Bothams (-,-) 4:22.7: 12 WythGP, 6 WatGP, 1 Wat 30/7, 4 SwinGP, 2 Stret 12/8; 12 Spies USA (new) 4:23.0: 4 Wat GP, 1mx Tooting 2/7; 13 Field (12, -)4:25.0: 6 WythGP, 7 LoughGP, 7 WatGP, 6 SwinGP; 14 Sterne (new) 4:24.4: 7 WythGP, 2 Stret 1/7; 15 Harnett (12, -)4:27.1: 11 WythGP, 8 SwinGP; Not Ranked nr Davies (nr, 1) 4:18.5: 1 SwinGP; nr Henaghan (new) 4:20.3: 2 WythGP; nr Simmons (new) 4:24.6: 5 WatGP; nr McPherson K (20,-) 4:24.8: 1 Stret 12/8; Ranked 7th last year, Joanne Pavey was unbeaten in BMC races, became British Champion, and reached the semi-finals at the world championships having run 14 BMC races in the previous 15 months. On her return from Athens she ran 4.12.6 in a mixed 1,500m and then a 4:30.77 mile at Bristol on August 30th, which was the fastest time in Britain in 1997. Our senior quartet of Doubell, Pavey, Faherty and Gibson set a Commonwealth and European relay record at 4 x 1,500m and our junior quartet set a European junior record at 4 x 1500m and a world junior record at 4 x 1 mile. Pattinson, Thackray, Bothams and Field ensured that against expectations this event was well supported in the BMC NIKE Grand Prix.
Women's 3,000m - 10,000m 1 Bentley 9:08.8mx / 16:14.55: 3 Lough 18/5, 1mx Stret 17/6, 1 Horspath, 1 Stret 2/7, 1 SwinGP; 2 McPherson V 15:56.8: 2 Lough 18/5, 1mx Lough 11/6; 3 Heasman 16:20.58 / 34:44.9: 4 Lough 18/5, 3 Lough 3/6; 4 Spies USA 9:29.1 / 16:33.89: 6 Lough 18/5, 2 Horspath; 5 Joiner 9:33.0 / 16:21.22: 5 Lough 18/5, 2 SwinGP; 6 Wannell 9:35.8 / 17:17.8: 3 Millfield, 1 Exeter, 3 SwinGP; Not Ranked Pavey 9:16.3: 1 Millfield; Parkinson 9:19.3mx: 1mx Stret 29/4; Pimblett 9:22.8: 2mx Stret 29/4; First year of these rankings. Sarah Bentley broke her own BMC member's record at 3,000m and dominated the BAEI Grand Prix.