The No. 4 position in the 800m for 2018 marks the third time that Ferguson Rotich has been ranked in the world top-4 by Track & Field News (No. 3 in ’16, No. 4 in ’14) and the same goes for Alice Aprot Nawowuna in the 10000m (No. 4 in ’17 and ’16). Personae newcomer Stanley Waithaka achieved his first world ranking.
Rotich’s top performances of the season included four top-3 finishes in Diamond League competition, including victories in Paris (season best 1:43.73 in 800m) and Stockholm (world-leading 2:14.88 in 1000m), as well as a 3rd place in the 800m DL final in Brussels. Rotich also had 2nd place races at the Kenyan national championships (800m) and at the ISTAF Berlin 1500m (3:33.21 PB).
Waithaka arguably posted one of the outdoor season’s biggest surprises at the Nittani University 10000m in Yokohama on 10. November, winning the race in a new PB and world-leading time of 27:13.01, earning him the world ranking. Other noteworthy performances by Waithaka in ’18 included his 5000m PB of 13:10.14 for 3rd place at Diamond League Shanghai, as well as finishing 2nd in the 5000m at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Tampere.
Aprot earned her 4th place ranking in the 10000m based on her runner-up performance at the African Championships 10000m in Asaba (31:36.12), after a close race with champion and world no. 1 ranked Stacy Ndiwa (3:31.17). Aprot also finished 2nd in the national championships 10000m in Nairobi (31:59.1).
The other seven Personae-managed athletes earning Top-10 world rankings for the ’18 season were Meskerem Assefa (No. 5 – Marathon), Celliphine Chespol (No. 5 – 3000m SC), Nicholas Bett (No. 6 – 3000m SC), Kenneth Kipkemoi (No. 7 – Marathon), Winfried Yavi (No. 9 – 3000m SC), Axumawit Embaye (No. 9 – 1500m), and Emily Cherotich (No. 10 – 800m).
An international panel of track & field experts generate these annual rankings, emphasizing honors won, win-loss & head-to-head records, and quality of performances. The complete rankings will be published in the February-2019 issue of the publication. They can also be viewed at www.trackandfieldnews.com.
The Track & Field News 2018 world rankings for events including Personae-managed athletes (in bold) are as follows:
Men – 800 METERS
1. Emmanuel Korir (Kenya)
2. Wycliffe Kinyamal (Kenya)
3. Nijel Amos (Botswana)
4. Ferguson Cheruiyot (Kenya)
5. Jonathan Kitilit (Kenya)
6. Marcin Lewandowski (Poland)
7. Brandon McBride (Canada)
8. Clayton Murphy (US)
9. Adam Kszczot (Poland)
10. Jake Wightman (Great Britain)
Men – 3000M STEEPLECHASE
1. Conseslus Kipruto (Kenya)
2. Soufiane El Bakkali (Morocco)
3. Evan Jager (US)
4. Benjamin Kigen (Kenya)
5. Chala Beyo (Ethiopia)
6. Nicholas Bett (Kenya)
7. Abraham Kibiwot (Kenya)
8. Hillary Bor (US)
9. Leonard Bett (Kenya)
10. Matt Hughes (Canada)
Men – 10000 METERS
1. Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda)
2. Mo Ahmed (Canada)
3. Rhonex Kipruto (Kenya)
4. Stanley Waithaka (Kenya)
5. Richard Yator (Kenya)
6. Rodgers Chumo (Kenya)
7. Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda)
8. Morhad Amdouni (France)
9. Jake Robertson (New Zealand)
10. Hassan Chani (Bahrain)
Men – MARATHON
1. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2. Mo Farah (Great Britain)
3. Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia)
4. Tola Shura (Ethiopia)
5. Leul Gebrselassie (Ethiopia)
6. Lelisa Desisa (Ethiopia)
7. Kenneth Kipkemoi (Kenya)
8. Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia)
9. Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia)
10. Lawrence Cherono (Kenya)
Women – 800 METERS
1. Caster Semenya (South Africa)
2. Francine Niyonsaba (Burundi)
3. Ajee? Wilson (US)
4. Natoya Goule (Jamaica)
5. Habitam Alemu (Ethiopia)
6. Raevyn Rogers (US)
7. Rabab Arrafi (Morocco)
8. Charlene Lipsey (US)
9. Margaret Wambui (Kenya)
10. Emily Cherotich (Kenya)
Women – 1500 METERS
1. Shelby Houlihan (US)
2. Laura Muir (Great Britain)
3. Sifan Hassan (Netherlands)
4. Gudaf Tsegay (Ethiopia)
5. Rabab Arrafi (Morocco)
6. Jenny Simpson (US)
7. Caster Semenya (South Africa)
8. Winny Chebet (Kenya)
9. Axumawit Embaye (Ethiopia)
10. Sofia Ennaoui (Poland)
Women – 3000M STEEPLECHASE
1. Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya)
2. Hyvin Jepkemoi (Kenya)
3. Norah Tanui (Kenya)
4. Emma Coburn (US)
5. Celliphine Chespol (Kenya)
6. Courtney Frerichs (US)
7. Peruth Chemutai (Uganda)
8. Daisy Jepkemei (Kenya)
9. Winfred Yavi (Bahrain)
10. Roseline Chepngetich (Kenya)
Women – 10000 METERS
1. Stacy Ndiwa (Kenya)
2. Pauline Korikwiang (Kenya)
3. Stella Chesang (Uganda)
4. Alice Nawowuna (Kenya)
5. Gete Alemayehu (Ethiopia)
6. Pauline Kamulu (Kenya)
7. Mercyline Chelangat (Uganda)
8. Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (Israel)
9. Sandra Tuei (Kenya)
10. Gloria Kite (Kenya)
Women – MARATHON
1. Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya)
2. Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)
3. Gladys Cherono (Kenya)
4. Mary Keitany (Kenya)
5. Meskerem Assefa (Ethiopia)
6. Roza Dereje (Ethiopia)
7. Tadelech Bekele (Ethiopia)
8. Berhane Dibaba (Ethiopia)
9. Ruti Aga (Ethiopia)
10. Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya)
