BMC 1999 Merit Rankings

Inspired by Peter Matthews' national merit rankings, the BMC Merit Rankings take account of performances made in BMC races only, on the following basis:

i) best times and number of performances at that level;

ii) number of winning performances and the margins of their victories;

iii) win-loss record against other ranked athletes;

iv) performances in the 'special BMC events' i.e. the BMC NIKE Grand Prix Final incorporating the BMC Championships at Scotstoun;

v) the style of the athlete's racing, i.e. whether they are willing to take up the pace, and

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. 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". Places in the last four years BMC rankings are in brackets. Times for women set in mixed races are discounted slightly in the rankings.

Men's 600m / 800m / 1,000m

1 Hart (2, 1, 1, 2) 1:17.4 / 1:48.83:

1 Wat 26/5, 1 WythGP;

2 Swift-Smith (18, 3, 8, -) 1:48.24:

2 WythGP, 8 WatGP, 6 SolGP, 1 CardGP,

1 ScotGPF

3 Donkin (8, 13, nr, -) 1:48.06:

3 WythGP, 2 WatGP, 6 Stret 6/7, 3 ScotGPF,

4 Stret 31/8;

4 Speaight U23 (-, -, -, -) 1:48.1:

3b WythGP, 4b WatGP, 3 Stret 6/7, 2 CardGP,

4 ScotGPF

5 Donaldson (nr, 27, 16, 9) 1:48.10:

5 WythGP, 3 WatGP;

6 Edwards (13, 11, -, -) 1:20.1 / 1:48.58:

1 Wat 12/5, 3 Wat 26/5, 6 WythGP, 5 WatGP,

4 SolGP, 10 ScotGPF

7 Turnbull IRE (-, -, -, -) 1:48.6:

6 WatGP, 1 Stret 17/8;

8 Cuddy (19, 4, 19, -) 1:48.62:

4b WythGP, 1 Stret 22/6, 4 Stret 6/7, 5 SolGP;

9 Andrews U20 (-, -, -, -) 1:49.08:

1 Millfield, 1b WatGP;

10 Gow (-, -, -, -) 1:49.18:

9b WythGP, 9 SolGP, 2 ScotGPF;

11 Clark (-, -, -, -) 1:49.20:

2c SolGP, 3 CardGP, 5 ScotGPF, 1b Wat 8/9;

12 Shone (4=, -, -, -, ,) 1:49.53:

1b WythGP, 4 CardGP, 9 Scot GPF, 4 Wat 8/9,

1 Sutcliffe;

13 Mayo T (-, -, -, -) 1:49.1:

8b WatGP, 1e CardGP, 3 Stret 17/8, 5 Wat 8/9;

14 Knight (24, 7, 7, 3) 1:49.96:

2 Tooting 16/6, 5b WatGP, 5b SolGP, 3 Wat 28/7,

6 CardGP, 1 Brighton, 2 Stret 31/8, 6 Wat 8/9,

2 Sutcliffe;

15 Mayo J (20, -, 5, -) 1:49.74:

1 Stret 18/5, 2b WythGP, 6 Scot GPF, dnf Wat 8/9;

16 Dupuy (14, 19, -, -) 1:49.84:

1 Tonbridge, 3b SolGP, 8 CardGP, 7 ScotGPF

17 Fisher (-, -, -, -) 1:49.52:

7b WythGP, 2b WatGP; 7 SolGP;

18 Graffin Andrew (-, 22, -, -) 1:50.0:

11b WythGP, 1c SolGP, 3 Wat 8/9;

19 Waters (-, -, 4, 14) 1:49.6:

1 Cov, 2c WythGP, 3b WatGP, 5 Stret 6/7,

11 CardGP;

20 Hooton (15, -, 3, -) 1:50.10:

8b WythGP, 4b SolGP, 8 ScotGPF

21 Morby U23 (-, -, -, -) 1:50.39:

2 Stret 27/4, 1d WatGP;

22 Thompson T (17, -, -, -) 1:50.52:

5b WythGP, 9b WatGP;

23 Mulvaney U20 (-, -, -, -) 1:50.8:

7 Stret 6/7, 3c SolGP, 6 Stret 17/8, 3 Stret 31/8;

24 Bolt U20 (-, -, -, -) 1:51.1:

2 Wat 12/5, 1 Wat 28/7;

25 Bullock (25, -, -, -) 1:51.0:

5 Wat 28/7, 1 Wat 11/8;

26 Stanley U23 (-, -, -, -) 1:50.83:

5c WatGP, 9 CardGP, 3 Wat 11/8;

27 Mills (26, -, -, -) 1:51.2:

2 Brighton, 3 Sutcliffe;

28 Gilbert U20 (-, -, -, -) 1:51.49:

8c WythGP, 1c WatGP, 1d SolGP, 2b CardGP;

29 Hall (12,14, -, -) 1:51.82:

2 Wat 28/7, 3b CardGP, 7 Wat 8/7;

30= Lees (3, 23, -, -) 1:51.88:

1 Stret 27/4, 4b CardGP;

30= Feasey (27, -, -, -) 1:51.4:

5c SolGP, 5b CardGP, 4 Wat 11/8, 3 Brighton;

not ranked

McIlroy IRE/GBR (1,-,-,-) 1:47.1: 1 Watford 8/9;

King (9, 8, 9, -) 1:48.00: 3 SolGP;

Yates (16, 6, -, -) 1:48.59: 4 WatGP;

Graham (-,-, nr, 5) 1:49.34: 1b ScotGPF;

A disappointing year for this event at the sharp end with only James McIlroy amongst British athletes breaking 1:48.0. Andy Hart was unbeaten in a thin season for him, but did just enough to regain the number 1 ranking he held in 1996 and 1997. Neil Speaight and Nick Andrews made promising breakthroughs whilst Justin Swift-Smith was BMC Champion and won the Mens’ Grand Prix. Three of the top five still hold British junior relay records, set in our relay meetings between 1993 and 1997.

Men's 1,500m / Mile

1 Bruton IRE (nr, -, -, -) 3:40.99:

1 WythGP, 3 Sol GP;

2 Graffin, Andrew (9, -, -, -) 3:42.0 / 3:59.64:

1 WatGP, 4 CardGP, 4 Wat 11/9, 1 Scot GPF,

1 Bath;

3 Turnbull IRE U23 (-, 5, -, -) 3:41.3 / 4:00.16:

2 WythGP, 1 CardGP, 2 Scot GPF, 1 Stret 31/8;

4 Ashe (-, 11, 2, 6) 3:41.8:

3 Wat 26/5, 5b WatGP, 5 SolGP, 2 Wat 11/8;

5 Mayo T (4, -, -, -) 3:41.8;

1 Wat 26/5, 10 WythGP, 8 SolGP, 12(fell) CardGP,

3 Wat 11/8;

6 Mills (17, 20, -,-) 3:42.23:

3c WatGP, 7 SolGP, 2 Stret 31/8, 1Wat 8/9;

7 Stewart (-, -, 3, 16) 3:41.95 / 4:08.64M;

6 SolGP, 1 Stret 3/8, 8 Scot GPF;

8 Davoren (13, nr, 24, 20=) 3:42.3:

2b WatGP, 5 Wat 11/8;

9 Graffin, Allen (-, -, -, -) 3:43.67 / 4:09.03M:

1b WatGP, 3 CardGP, 7 Wat 11/8, 9 Scot GPF,

4 Bath;

10 King (-, -, -, -) 3:43.29:

7 WythGP, 2 WatGP;

11 Sharp (10, 22, -,-) 3:43.42 / 4:03.84M;

11 WythGP, 4 WatGP, 9 SolGP, 4 CardGP,

6 Scot GPF;

12 Nicholson (-, -, -, -) 4:02.32M:

5 ScotGPF, 3 Bath;

13 McCallum (-, -, -, -) 3:44.36:

8 WythGP, 11 SolGP;

14 Whalley (-, 21, 12, -) 3:44.43:

9b WythGP, 1 Redditch, 3b WatGP, 1 Stret 17/8 ;

15 Garrett (29, -, -, -) 3:44.63:

5b WythGP, 4b WatGP;

16 Illidge (30, -, -, -) 3:44.4:

2 Wat 26/5, 9 WythGP, 11 WatGP;

17 Angus Maclean U20 (-, -, -, -) 3:46.14:

1 Millfield, 1b SolGP;

18 Davies C (-, -, -, -) 3:45.2:

2 Stret 6/7, 3 Stret 17/8;

19 Smith (22, 13, 29, -) 3:45.1:

3 Stret 6/7, 3 Stret 3/8;

20 Haughian U23 (-, - ,-, -) 3:45.23:

7b WatGP, 3b SolGP; 9 Wat 11/8;

21 Livesey U20 (25, - ,-, -) 3:45.3:

3 Stret 1/6, 10b WythGP, 4 Stret 3/8;

22 Thie (19, -, -, -) 3:45.41 / 4:12.4M:

8b WatGP, 2b SolGP, 10 CardGP, 2 Carn Brea;

23 Murdoch U20 (-, -, -, -) 3:52.0 / 4:04.0M:

7 Scot GPF, 6 Stret 31/8;

24 Neill (21, - , -, -) 3:46.22 / 4:18.7M:

1 Cambridge, 12 WythGP, 10b WatGP, 6b SolGP,

8 CardGP;

25 Bolt U20 (28, - ,- ,-) 3:46.21:

13 WythGP, 8 WatGP;

26 Scanlon (11, -, 13, -) 3:46.1:

11 CardGP, 8 Wat 11/8;

27 Burton U23 (-, -, -, -) 3:46.71:

10c WythGP, 1c WatGP;

28 Green S (12, 4, -, -) 3:47.0:

2 Stret 1/6, 2b WythGP, 5 Stret 6/7;

29 G Thompson U20 (-, -, -, -) 3:47.20:

2c WatGP, 3 Wat 8/9;

30= Datema HOL (15, -, -, -) 3:47.75:

15 WythGP, 7 CardGP;

30= Davies M (-, -, -, -) 3:48.88 / 4:09.26M:

7b WythGP, 9 CardGP, 10 ScotGPF, 6 Wat 8/9;

not ranked

Caddy (1, 2, 1, 1) 4:00.3M: 1 Carn Brea;

East (nr, -, -, -) 3:42.37: 3 WythGP;

Dixon (23,-,-,-) 3:43.34: 3 WatGP;

Wheeler (-, -, -, -) 3:44.7: 2 Stret 3/8

Glenton (8, 6, -, -) 3:45.13: 6 WatGP;

Difficult to decide top honours here. Bruton was 1-0 vs Turnbull, Turnbull had two victories but was beaten by Andrew Graffin in the BMC Championships at Scotstoun . Good to see Richard Ashe and Glen Stewart return to form - Simon Burton won the fastest ever BMC ‘C’ race in 3:46.71 at Watford, and Joe Mills had the best breakthrough, but with standards improving it is encouraging so many juniors in the rankings.

Men's 3,000m - 10,000m

1 Whalley (6, 1) 7:53.45:

1 SolGP, 3 CardGP;

2 Openshaw (nr, -) 7:55.35:

2 WythGP, 7 SolGP;

3 Tromans (-, 5) 7:58.31 / 13:44.27:

7 WythGP, 1 WatGP, 8 SolGP;

4 Taylor D (-, -) 7:57.34 / 13:44.71:

5 WythGP, 2 WatGP;

5 Wild (nr, -) 7:58.04 / 13:49.41:

17 WythGP, 3 WatGP, 6 SolGP, 5 CardGP;

6 Finch (nr, -) 7:56.93:

8 WythGP, 4 SolGP;

7 Davies C (-, -) 7:59.00 / 14:03.80:

2b WythGP, 6 WatGP, 9 SolGP;

8 Smith (-, -) 7:59.23 / 14:07.92:

6 WythGP, 8 WatGP;

not ranked

Stewart (-, -) 7:55.15: 1 WythGP;

Moorhouse (2, -) 7:56.88: 3 WythGP;

Miles U23 (-, -) 7:57.21: 5 SolGP;

Haughian U23 (-,-) 7:57.24: 4 WythGP;

Taylor R (-,-) 13:54.18: 4 WatGP;

Newport (-,-) 13:56.69: 5 WatGP;

Rob Whalley regains his 1997 top ranking with the year’s fastest time by a British athlete at Solihull. 10 under 8 minutes in that race was the best ever depth in a BMC race.

Women's 600m / 800m / 1,000m

1 Newcombe (4, -, -, -) 2:05.25:

2 Stret 27/4, 2 Stret 18/5, 1 WythGP, 2 WatGP,

1 SolGP, 1 CardGP, 1 ScotGPF

2 Fryer (19, 14, 10, 16) 2:04.4:

6 WythGP, 2 Stret 22/6, 1 Stret 17/8;

3 Carter U20 (13, -, -, -) 2:07.33:

1b Stret 22/6, 3 SolGP, 2 Stret 17/8, 2 ScotGPF

4 Colleran (-, nr, -, -) 2:06.4:

1 Stret 17/5, 3 Stret 22/6;

5 Sterne (5, -, nr, 5) 2:07.40:

5 WythGP, 4 WatGP, 6 SolGP, 2 CardGP;

6 Prendeville IRE (10, -, -, -) 2:06.38:

6b WythGP, 2 SolGP, 5 CardGP;

7 Hathaway U23 (-, -, -, -) 2:09.06:

2 Millfield, 2c WythGP, 7b WatGP, 2c SolGP,

4 CardGP, 3 ScotGPF

8 Ross U20 (-, -, -, -) 2:08.01:

1b WythGP, 7 SolGP;

9 Evans (-, - , -, -) 2:08.7:

5 WatGP, 1b Sol GP, 3 CardGP, 3 Stret 17/8;

10 Hasler U20 (-, -, -, -) 2:10.6:

1 Millfield, 1 Stret 20/7, 9 Card 4/8;

11 Brady (15, 15, -, -) 2:10.2:

3 Stret 27/4, 4b WythGP, 7 Stret 17/8;

12 Riley U20 (20=, - ,- ,-) 2:10.1:

4 Stret 27/4, 3 Stret 18/5, 7b WythGP, 4 Stret 17/8,

3mx Stret 31/8;

13 Aston (14, 13, -, -) 2:10.52:

5 Stret 27/4, 4 Stret 18/5, 5b WythGP, 4 Stret 22/6,

8 SolGP, 8 Stret 17/8, 2mx Stret 31/8;

14 Griffiths S (-, -, -, -) 2:10.4:

5 Stret 18/5, 1b Stret 17/8;

15 Brownhill U20 (20=, -, -, -) 2:09.2:

6 Stret 18/5, 8b WythGP, 2b Stret 22/6, 3 Stret 6/7;

16 Entwistle (-, -, -, -) 2:10.7:

2 Stret 6/7, 4b SolGP, 2b Stret 17/8;

17 Doughty (-, -, -, -) 2:10.7:

1 Sol 21/7, 3 Wat 11/8, 3b Stret 17/8;

18 Butler (9, 5, 19, -) 2:11.15:

6 Stret 27/4, 9b WythGP, 5b Stret 17/8,

4 ScotGPF;

19 Johns U20 (-, -, -, -) 2:10.79:

1 Jarrow 5/7, 2b SolGP, 1mx Stret 3/8, 2 Wat 11/8, 6b Stret 17/8;

20 Vaughan (-, -, -, -) 2:11.2:

1 Brighton, 1 Sutton;

not ranked

Griffiths (-, -, nr, 1) 2:03.5: 1 Stret 22/6;

Pattinson (nr, 11, -, -) 2:06.1: 1 Stret 6/7;

Caffel U23 (-,-,-,-) 2:06.91: 4 WythGP;

Rachel Newcombe had a fine series to win the Grand Prix, but at the sharp end the event was well down on last year. Newcombe’s best time was half a second down on last year when she was ranked fourth. However the number of athletes achieving gold and membership standards at this event is the highest ever and again the number of juniors who are ranked bodes well for the future.

Women's 1,500m / Mile

1 Davies A (-, nr, nr, 1) 4:11.79:

1 SolGP, 2 Scot GPF;

2 Tullett (new) 4:14.1:

1 WythGP, 3 Wat 8/9;

3 Scott (-, -, -, -) 4:16.16:

5 SolGP, 5 Scot GPF;

4 Lynch IRE (8, -, -, -) 4:20.03:

9 WythGP, 3 SolGP, 4 CardGP, 6 ScotGPF;

5 Ingman (20, 14, -, -) 4:19.3:

1 Stret 1/6, 14 WythGP, 1 Stret 31/8;

6 Griffiths S (6, -, -, -) 4:20.8:

15 WythGP, 7 ScotGPF, 2 Stret 31/8;

7 Morris (8, - ,- ,-) 4:21.83:

4 WatGP, 3 Wat 11/8;

8 Doughty (17, 13, 12, -) 4:21.94:

12 WythGP, 5 WatGP, 9 SolGP, 5 CardGP;

9 Bull (10, -, -, -) 4:22.15:

6 SolGP, 6 CardGP, 3 Stret 31/8;

10 Sharp (19, -,19,-) 4:23.43:

11 WythGP, 6 WatGP, 10 SolGP, 8 CardGP,

10 ScotGPF;

11 Wannell (14, - ,- ,-) 4:22.33:

8 WythGP, 12 SolGP;

12 Lamb (9, - ,nr ,-) 4:27.74:

1b WythGP, 12 WatGP;

13 McPherson (nr, 20 ,- ,-) 4:28.2:

2b WythGP, 2 Stret 3/8;

14 Parkinson H (-, - ,- ,-) 4:28.3:

1 Jarrow 14/6, 11 ScotGPF;

15 Nugent U17 (-, - ,- ,-) 4:30.00:

11 WatGP, 14 SolGP;

16 Bebbington U20 (-, - ,- ,-) 4:29.86:

7b WythGP, 5b WatGP, 1b CardGP, 12 ScotGPF;

17 Reed U17 (-, - ,- ,-) 4:31.08:

4 Millfield, 2b CardGP;

18 Entwistle (-, - ,- ,-) 4:31.5:

11 CardGP, 4 Stret 31/8, 6 Wat 8/9;

19 Brown T (-, - ,- ,-) 4:32.28:

1 Wat 26/5, 1b WatGP, 9b SolGP,

20 Dugdale (-, - ,- ,-) 4:32.65:

4b WythGP, 2b WatGP, 13 SolGP,

not ranked

Griffiths A (- ,- ,- ,-) 4:10.84: 1 ScotGPF;

Fitzgerald IRE (7 ,- ,- ,-) 4:11.71: 1 WatGP;

Colleran (4, 9, -, -) 4:16.24: 3 WythGP’

Pattinson (2, 4, 11, 6) 4:16.32: 4 WythGP;

Carter U20 (18, -, - , -) 4:21.67: 6 WythGP;

Hartigan (-, -, - , -) 4:21.71: 7 WythGP;

Ann Griffiths set the fastest ever BMC time in a predominantly female race (Sonya Bowyer’s BMC record was set in a men’s race) and there were an astonishing four races inside 4:12, but most of the fast times were set by overseas athletes, and few top British athletes ran more than once. Angela Newport therefore regains the number one ranking she held in 1995, the inaugural year of these rankings. Hayley Tullett is the highest new entry - she was our only representative in Seville who ran in more than one BMC race in 1999.

Women's 3,000m - 10,000m

1 Newport (nr, -) 9:07.5mx / 15:43.99:

1 WythGP, 1mx Stret 17/8;

2 Ingman U23 (7, -) 9:12.37mx / 15:59.00:

2 WatGP, 5 SolGP, 2 CardGP;

3 Waterlow U23 (10, -) 9:21.55 / 15:59.04:

4 WythGP, 3 WatGP, 3 SolGP;

4 Talbot (1, -) 16:16.48:

7 WythGP, 4 WatGP;

5 Hyde-Peters W35 (-,-) 9:24.14 / 16:54.38:

15 WythGP, 4 SolGP;

not ranked

Pattinson (-, -) 9:16.3: 1 Stret 27/4;

Brown J (-,-) 9:26.9: 2 Millfield;

Wannell (8,6) 9:32.3: 3 Millfield;

Skorupska U23 (-,-) 15:55.64: 3 WythGP;

Wyeth W35 (-,-) 16:19.57: 6 WythGP;

Joiner (12=, 5) 16:23.87: 8 WythGP;

Fairweather U23 (5,-) 16:30.75: 10 WythGP

Angela Newport becomes the first athlete to top BMC merit rankings in two different events in the same year outright. She set a BMC 5,000m record at Wythenshawe and followed that up with a 3,000m pb at Stretford. Jilly Ingman made a fine breakthrough at Cardiff. Our results in these events seem dominated by U23s, Vets and overseas athletes - are there simply very few British senior athletes running these events?