IT’S NOT UNHEARD OF, but it is exceedingly rare to set the World Record and not earn the No. 1 spot. Yet that’s exactly what happened to Tigst Assefa, who ended up in the runner-up position…
THE RANKINGS PANEL debated long and hard between Assefa and Sifan Hassan (who moved to the No. 2 spot on the all-time list), with the versatile Dutch star’s pair of World Marathon Majors wins judged to trump the Ethiopian’s single race…
DEFENDING No. 1 RUTH CHEPNGETICH started her year with a strong Nagoya win, but was almost 2:00 behind Hassan in Chicago, with the fastest non-winning time ever… Neither Hellen Obiri nor Amane Beriso broke 2:21 (in a year in which 37 did), but both had notable non-speedway credentials in taking 4 & 5.
| JUMP TO U.S. RANKINGS | VIEW WORLD TOP 50 LIST | VIEW U.S. TOP 50 LIST |
| 1. SIFAN HASSAN (Netherlands) (1/1/93, 5-7/108) (1.70/49) | |||||
| 2:18:33 | … | 1)London | 4/23 | ||
| 2:13:44 | … | 1)Chicago | 10/08 | ||
| 2. TIGST ASSEFA (Ethiopia) (12/3/96, 5-3¼/99) (1.61/45) | |||||
| 2:11:53 | … | 1)Berlin | 9/24 | ||
| 3. RUTH CHEPNGETICH (Kenya) (8/8/94, 5-3/97) (1.60/44) | |||||
| 2:18:08 | … | 1)Nagoya | 3/12 | ||
| 2:15:37 | … | 2)Chicago | 10/08 | ▷ | 1. Hassan |
| 4. HELLEN OBIRI (Kenya) (12/13/89, 5-3/110) (1.60/50) | |||||
| 2:21:38# | … | 1)Boston | 4/17 | ||
| 2:27:23 | … | 1)New York | 11/05 | ||
| 5. AMANE BERISO (Ethiopia) (10/13/91, 5-3/95) (1.60/43) | |||||
| 2:21:50# | … | 2)Boston | 4/17 | ▷ | 1. Obiri |
| 2:24:23 | … | 1)World Ch | 8/26 | ||
| 6. ALEMU MEGERTU (Ethiopia) (10/12/97, 5-6/110) (1.68/50) | |||||
| 2:18:37 | … | 2)London | 4/23 | ▷ | 1. Hassan |
| 2:17:09 | … | 3)Chicago | 10/08 | ▷ | 1. Hassan; 2. Chepngetich |
| 7. WORKNESH DEGEFA (Ethiopia) (10/28/90) | |||||
| 2:15:51 | … | 1)Valencia | 12/03 | ||
| 8. SHEILA CHEPKIRUI (Kenya) (12/27/90, 5-4¼/106) (1.63/48) | |||||
| 2:18:51 | … | 4)London | 4/23 | ▷ | 1. Hassan; 2. Megertu; 3. Jepchirchir |
| 2:17:49 | … | 2)Berlin | 9/24 | ▷ | 1. Assefa |
| 9. LONAH CHEMTAI SALPETER (Israel) (12/12/88, 5-5/115) (1.65/52) | |||||
| 2:21:57# | … | 3)Boston | 4/17 | ▷ | 1. Obiri; 2. Beriso |
| 2:25:38 | … | 4)World Ch | 8/26 | ▷ | 1. Beriso; 2. Gebreselassie; 3. Gardadi |
| 10. ROSEMARY WANJIRU (Kenya) (12/9/94, 5-2½/97) (1.59/44) | |||||
| 2:16:28 | … | 1)Tokyo | 3/05 | ||
| 2:26:42 | … | 6)World Ch | 8/26 | ▷ | 1. Beriso; 2. Gebreselassie; 3. Gardadi; 4. Salpeter; 5. Yehualaw |
| U.S. RANKINGS | ||||
| 1. | Betsy Saina (Asics) | 6. | Emma Bates (Asics) | |
| 5)Tokyo, 1)Sydney | 5)Boston, 13)Chicago | |||
| 2. | Lindsay Flanagan (Asics) | 7. | Sara Vaughn (Puma Verde TC) | |
| 8)Tokyo, 9)World Ch | 10)Chicago | |||
| 3. | Emily Sisson (New Balance) | 8. | Susanna Sullivan (Brooks) | |
| 7)Chicago | 10)London, 58)World Ch | |||
| 4. | Kellyn Taylor (Hoka NAZ Elite) | 9. | Lauren Hagans (Hoka NAZ Elite) | |
| 8)New York City | 1)Grandma‘s | |||
| 5. | Molly Seidel (Puma Verde TC) | 10. | Aliphine Tuliamuk (Hoka NAZ Elite) | |
| 8)Chicago | 11)Boston | |||