Sonia O'Sullivan figures in the top 12 in four different events in the international track and field ratings issued for last year.
O'Sullivan, a double gold medallist in the European championships at Budapest, is placed third in the 3,000 metres, fourth in the 10,000, fifth in the 5,000 and 11th in the 1,500 metres, an event in which she competed only infrequently last season.
It amounts to compelling testimony of the versatility of the Irish woman who, in addition to her track exploits, won both the short and long course events at the World Cross Country Championships in Morocco last March.
Catherina McKiernan is at number three in both the half and full marathon events while Susan Smith's time of 54.31 seconds at Zurich in August, put her in ninth position in the women's 400 metres hurdles rankings.
Mark Carroll who finished third in the European 5,000 metres championship, ranks 16th in both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres: Sinead Delahunty is in 21st place in the list of women 1,500 metres runners with James McIlroy 33rd in the men's 800 metres.
The only ranked Irishmen in the field events are Nick Sweeney and Terry McHugh who are placed eighth and 43rd in the discus and javelin competitions respectively.
Jim Peters, the English marathon runner who captured the imagination of the sporting public when he staggered round the final lap at the 1954 Empire Games in Vancouver, Canada, has died aged 80. Peters led the field by around five km as he came into the stadium but in the blazing heat he fell six times as he staggered and then crawled agonisingly towards the tape.
He was eventually overtaken by the rest of the runners and never crossed the finishing line after finally being helped away when it was clear he could not continue.
