World Merit Rankings
“Merit Rankings” are an attempt to value, on an annual basis, the ‘athletic worth’ of athletes based on factors other than, simply, their single top performance.
The considerations are such as the win/loss record against other top performers, championship record and the quality of the competitors and competition in which the top marks are achieved.
Track & Field News, the USA’s prestigious athletics magazine, have been publishing their authoritative annual Top Ten Merit Rankings since 1947 for men and from 1956 for women.
The following are the Liverpool Harriers who have made the lists since 1947 and can be regarded as truly world class:-
| 1957 | Tom Farrell | 400mH | 7th | European record holder/Olympian |
| 1975 | Bill Hartley | 400mH | 9th | |
| 1981 | Geoff Smith | 10,000m | 2nd | Double Olympian |
| 1992 | Steve Smith | HJ | 10th | |
| 1992 | Curtis Robb | 800m | 10th | Olympic Finalist |
| 1993 | Curtis Robb | 800m | 10th | |
| 1993 | Steve Smith | HJ | 2nd | |
| 1994 | Steve Smith | HJ | 5th | |
| 1995 | Steve Smith | HJ | 4th | |
| 1996 | Steve Smith | HJ | 5th | Olympic Bronze/Double Olympian |
| 1997 | Steve Smith | HJ | 9th | |
| 1998 | Steve Smith | HJ | 8th | |
| 2013 | Katarina Johnson-Thompson | Heptathlon | 7th | Olympian |
Steve Smith was merit ranked for 7 consecutive years.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson is the only female Liverpool Harrier to make the lists.