The close of the year sees 31 Australians with a best performance that ranks them in the top 50 in the world, while the number of men represented in Track & Field News' merit rankings has fallen to just two.

The number with a top 50 performance remained steady compared to previous years: 30 Australians achieved top 50 rankings in an event in 2011, and 33 in 2010. However, the number of Australians with a top 10 performance increased from four to six through Sally Pearson (100m hurdles #1), Jared Tallent (50km walk #2), Alana Boyd (pole vault #4), Mitch Watt (long jump #7), Henry Frayne (long jump #8) and Benn Harradine (discus #10).

Of course, medals aren't handed out on ranking lists - Great Britain's Mo Farah had only the 11th and 38th fastest times in the world in the 5000m and 10000m but two Olympic golds - and pundits often look to the merit rankings ascribed by Track & Field News if they want a measure outside of major championship medals. Only two Australian males made the list this year, Mitch Watt (long jump #2) and Jared Tallent (50km walk #2; 20km walk #6).

The full Track & Field News top 10 merit list is available here

Athletes in the top 50 in the world (top list)

Men

Rank	Athlete	Event	Performance
2	Jared Tallent	50km walk	3:36:53
7	Mitch Watt	Long jump	8.28m
8	Henry Frayne	Long jump	8.27m
10	Benn Harradine	Discus	67.53m
11	Steve Hooker	Pole vault	5.72m
12	Frayne	Triple jump	17.23m
16	Tallent	20km walk	1:20:02
19	Jeff Riseley	800m	1:44.48
20	Jarrod Bannister	Javelin	83.70m
21	Steven Solomon	400m	44.97
23	Ryan Gregson	1500m	3:33.92
24	Dale Stevenson	Shot put	20.63m
24	Scott Martin	Discus	65.63m
26	Tristan Thomas	400m hurdles	49.13
32	Collis Birmingham	5000m	13:09.57
32	Nathan Deakes	50km walk	3:48:45
34	Brendan Cole	400m hurdles	49.24
36	Youcef Abdi	3000m steeplechase	8:21.98
38	Julian Wruck	Discus	64.85m
40	Fabrice Lapierre	Long jump	8.10m

Women

Rank	Athlete	Event	Performance
1	Sally Pearson	100m hurdles	12.35
4	Alana Boyd	Pole vault	4.76m
12	Kathryn Mitchell	Javelin	64.34m
13	Kim Mickle	Javelin	64.12m
16	Dani Samuels	Discus	63.97m
25	Claire Tallent	20km walk	1:28:53
29	Liz Parnov	Pole vault	4.50m
30	Lauren Boden	400m hurdles	55.45
35	Regan Lamble	20km walk	1:30:08
37	Lara Tamsett	10000m	32:01.60
42	Zoe Buckman	1500m	4:05.03
46	Genevieve LaCaze	3000m steeplechase	9:37.90
47	Pearson	100m	11.20
47	Kaila McKnight	1500m	4:05.61