Bernard Lagat doubles up wins at Continental Cup
With American Bernard Lagat’s Continental Cup wins in the 3000m and 5000m this weekend in Split, Croatia, the 35-year-old became the first athlete to win in three different events at the Continental Cup. His third was eight years ago when he won the 1500m in Madrid, back when it was called the World Cup.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided to change the team rules surrounding the World Cup and in the process changed the name, but it’s still the same event with the same concept. The main differences are that the IAAF cut the teams down to four: Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia/Oceania. Also, men and woman now see the points they earn combined to give their team a total score.
“This is great because I was running against the best in the world,” Lagat said after winning the 3000m on the second day of the two-day-long event. “I was running against Tariku (Bekele) tonight. Last night I was running against some of the best guys in the world, and I won it.”
Lagat took first in the 5000m over Moses Ndiema Kipsiro of Uganda with a time of 13 min, 58.23 sec. Kipsiro was not far behind him finishing with a time of 13 min, 58.35 sec, and Bouabdellah Tahri of France finished in third with a time of 13 min, 58.79 sec.
The 3000m was another close race with Lagat coming out on top with a time of 7 min, 54.75 sec, and again over Kipsiro, who in this race finished with a time of 7 min, 54.98 sec. Third in the 3000m was Bayron Piedra of Ecuador with a time of 7 min, 55.52 sec.
“They kind of went the same, but yesterday was more clear,” said Lagat. “There was just one person I was chasing. Today we were about five of us still together with about 300 metres to go. But I was composed. I know when I have plenty left, and I had plenty left. Yesterday I did too.”
His experience helped provide the win in the 3000m. On the final turn Lagat found himself boxed in on the inside of the track, but fourth place finisher Bekele of Ethiopia moved towards the outside, and gave Lagat the chance to move out from the crowd. A younger, less experienced racer may have tried to force the move instead of waiting for the opportunity to present itself.
“It’s a trap that you can do two ways: you can swing wide, but then you’re probably going to lose because there’s only 80 metres to go,” explained Lagat. “But having that composure and believing that I can still kick, and waiting for a miracle to happen so somebody can make an opening that you can go through.”
He is looking to compete in the 5000m at next year’s World Championships, and the Olympics after that, and as he approaches forty he’ll need to rely on his experience to win.
With the double victory, Lagat earned 16 points for the Americas, who finished behind Europe with 419.5 points. Europe took the first Continental Cup with a total score of 429. Africa finished in third with 292 and Asia/Oceania finished in fourth with 286.5.
Lagat was born in Kenya and now represents the United States. In the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games he won a bronze medal in the 1500m, and in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens he won silver. He has won the World Indoor Championship for Kenya in 2004, and the United States in 2010. His 1500m World Cup win also came while he was representing Kenya. His personal best time in the 5000m is 12 min 54.12 sec, set June 4 2010 in Oslo.
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