The UK merit rankings is an overall evaluation of form throughout the 2011 season, produced by Athletics Weekly staff.

The key criteria taken into consideration are head-to-head records, performances at major events, and sequence of marks. Heavy weighting has been placed on the outdoor season, although indoor performances are taken into account.

Merit rankings are intended to paint a truer picture of what happened in 2011, going beyond the basic information presented in a seasonal top list. For example, an athlete may have had one great performance good enough to go to the top of the Power of 10 lists, but if they were beaten by their rivals in all of the key competitions of the year, then merit rankings will take that into account and rank them accordingly.

Some events are easier to assess than others. Sometimes a lack of appearances in key competitions can harm an athlete’s chances of ranking high, likewise injuries can cut short seasons. But we can only rank athletes on what they have achieved – not on what they could have done on a good day.

Here are the top three in each women’s event. The men’s rankings appear here. The full top-10 list of every event, including the details of their season, appeared in our December 29 Annual Review stats special, which is available here.

100m
1 Jeanette Kwakye
2 Jodie Williams
3 Anyika Onuora

200m
1 Anyika Onuora
2 Jodie Williams
3 Abi Oyepitan

400m
1 Perri Shakes-Drayton
2 Shana Cox
3 Christine Ohuruogu

800m
1 Jenny Meadows
2 Emma Jackson
3 Marilyn Okoro

1500m
1 Hannah England
2 Lisa Dobriskey
3 Charlene Thomas

5000m
1 Helen Clitheroe
2 Julia Bleasdale
3 Barbara Parker

10,000m
1 Helen Clitheroe
2 Sonia Samuels
3 Hannah Walker

Marathon
1 Paula Radcliffe
2 Mara Yamauchi
3 Jo Pavey

3000m steeplechase
1 Barbara Parker
2 Hatti Dean
3 Eilish McColgan

100m hurdles
1 Tiffany Porter
2 Jessica Ennis
3 Gemma Bennett

400m hurdles
1 Perri Shakes-Drayton
2 Eilidh Child
3 Meghan Beesley

High jump
1 Jessica Ennis
2 Emma Perkins
3 Isobel Pooley

Pole vault
1 Holly Bleasdale
2 Kate Dennison
3 Sally Peake

Long jump
1 Shara Proctor
2 Lorraine Ugen
3 Jessica Ennis

Triple jump
1 Yamile Aldama
2 Nadia Williams
3 Laura Samuel

Shot
1 Eden Francis
2 Rebecca Peake
3 Rachel Wallader

Discus
1 Jade Nicholls
2 Eden Francis
3 Kirsty Law

Hammer
1 Sophie Hitchon
2 Sarah Holt
3 Carys Parry

Javelin
1 Goldie Sayers
2 Laura Whittingham
3 Lianne Clarke

Heptathlon
1 Jessica Ennis
2 Louise Hazel
3 Katarina Johnson-Thompson

20km walk
1 Johanna Jackson
2 Lisa Kehler
3 Joanne Hesketh