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Bernard Lagat Earns Unprecedented Eighth Wannamaker Mile Title at Millrose Games; "It is Like Winning the Olympics"
From USA Track & FieldJanuary 30, 2010
New York, NY
On a frigid night in New York City, the world's finest track and field athletes brought energy and excitement to one of the world's most famous indoor arenas, Madison Square Garden. American Bernard Lagat's dominating win in the Wanamaker Mile and three world leading times kept fans on the edge of their seats at the 103rd Millrose Games on Friday, January 29.
Two-time Olympic medalist and 2007 double world champion (1500m/5000m) Bernard Lagat (35) of Tucson, AZ now stands alone in the Millrose Games record book as the only athlete ever to win eight Wanamaker Mile trophies. Content to sit on the shoulder of 2008 Olympic 1500m gold medalist Asbel Kiprop (20) of Kenya, Lagat struck quickly as the bell rang and extended his final lap lead for a victory in 3:56.34. Kiprop was second (3:58.03), and Andrew Baddeley of Great Britain placed a close third (3:58.09). In post-race comments, Bernard Lagat noted that he had been outsprinted by Baddeley last September at the Continental Fifth Avenue Mile.
Bernard Lagat was named the Team USA Athlete of the Meet, presented by Visa, and received a $2500 bonus. Lagat has decided to donate this, and all bonus monies he might earn this indoor season, to the Haiti Relief Fund for survivors of the January earthquake.
Sara Hall of Mammoth Lakes, CA came close to winning the Fred Lebow women's mile again; in 2008, she finished 8/100ths of a second after Kara Goucher. This year, British Hannah England's winning margin was 2/100ths (4:31.48) as Hall ran 4:31.50 as runner-up. The favorite, young Sally Kipyego of Kenya, was third (4:32.30), and former Maryland prep and University of Tennessee standout Sarah Bowman finished in fourth (4:34.84).
Boaz Lalang of Kenya won the Joe Yancey men's 800m in 1:50.51; American Duane Solomon placed second (1:51:14), and Zambian Prince Mumba followed in third (1:51:15).
2009 World Youth team member Cory McGee of Pass Christian, MS (Pass Christian High School) won the NYRR girls high school mile in 4:52.77, finishing ahead of 2009 Pan Am Jr 5000m silver medalist Aisling Cuffe of New Windsor, NY (Cornwall HS, 4:55.56). Pat Schellberg of Morristown, NJ (Delbarton) won the NYRR boys high school mile in 4:14.84; the runner-up was Anthony Kostelac of Charlottesville, VA (Albemarle, 4:16.75). Kostelac was part of the national record-setting 4x800m relay at last year's Penn Relays.
In the Mel Shepphard men's 600 yard run, 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson led wire-to-wire to win in 1:11.26. The women's 400m was a battle between world-ranked #10 Monica Hargrove and three-time Olympian Aliann Pompey of Guyana, with Hargrove pulling away at the end to win in 55.07 to Pompey's 55.19.
The man mountain himself, reigning World Indoor and Outdoor champion Christian Cantwell, dominated the Visa men's shot put. Cantwell won with a toss more than a meter longer than the competition; the field featured four athletes with 15 World and Olympic medals. With four throws over 21.36m/70-1, Cantwell had a best effort of 21.95m/72-0.25. 2007 World Outdoor champion Reese Hoffa took second with 20.59m/67-6.75, and two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson was third with 20.51m/67-3.5. With his victory, Cantwell catapulted into the Visa Championship Series points lead.
In the men's 60m hurdles, two-time Olympic silver medalist and reigning Indoor Visa and Millrose Games champion Terrence Trammell outran a younger man, 2009 World Outdoor champion Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados, clocking 7.49 to 7.61, respectively. 2009 World Outdoor decathlon champion Trey Hardee took third in 7.78.
The third time was just as sweet for 2009 World Outdoor silver medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, as she won her third-consecutive Millrose Games crown in the women's 60m hurdles, crossing the line in 8.01. 2008 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion Tiffany Ofili finished second in 8.04 and two-time USA Outdoor champion Ginnie Powell was second in 8.07.
After 7 months on the sidelines with an Achilles injury, Lisa Barber came back as a winner. The 2006 World Indoor champion and reigning USA Indoor champion, Barber stormed down the track with two-time Olympic 200m gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica hot on her heels. Barber held her lead across the finish line (7.237) to Campbell-Brown's 7.240. Two-time Olympian Muna Lee placed third in 7.25.
Stumbling out of the blocks and, by his own admission, all the way down the track, Ivory Williams edged out reigning Millrose champion Michael Rodgers, winning the Visa men's 60m in 6.59 to Rodgers' 6.60. Travis Padgett took third in 6.62.
In the Howard Schmertz women's pole vault, 2009 World Outdoor silver medalist Chelsea Johnson stepped up as the evening's best. American record-holder Jenn (Stuczynski) Suhr had to withdraw due to her continued recovery from a 2009 Achilles injury. Johnson leaped above the field, as she had first attempt clearances at 4.31m/14-1.75, 4.41m/14-5.5 and 4.51m/14-9.5, before going out at 4.65m/15-3. Becky Holliday finished in the runner-up position (4.41m/14-5.5). On the men's side, it was up-and-comer Mark Hollis who captured the spotlight by winning the Fred Schmertz men's pole vault (5.60m/18-4.5).
The Seaman family brought home both race walk titles tonight as Tim Seaman won his 42nd national title in winning the Susan Rudin men's 1 mile race walk in 5:52.43. His wife, Canadian Rachel Seaman won the women's 1 mile race walk in 6:49.20 and Teresa Vaill, as the first American across the line, won the women's USATF National Championship 1 mile walk in 6:52.54. Seaman's prodigy, 2009 World Youth and Pan Am Junior team member Trevor Barron, placed third overall in the men's race, walking an American high school record 6:03.48 in the process.
Tim Seaman stated that it felt great to win his 42nd national title, which tied Henry Laskau for the most national race walk titles. Noting that Henry Laskau was a Holocaust survivor and fought tremendous difficulties in his life, Seaman said he felt honored to have matched Laskau's win total 50 years later.
Also at the track, Sheree Francis of Jamaica won the John Thomas women's high jump with a best effort of 1.88m/6-2.
In the inaugural Super LX, Anthony Dorsett, Jr. tapped his track and field past to deliver a come-from-behind victory over Phillip Buchanon and the rest of the field. It was Buchanon who led the first 55 meters, but it's a 60 meter race. In the end, it was Dorsett who, with a lean at the tape, stole the win in 7.01 with 1983 World Outdoor 4x100m gold medalist Willie Gault making a late push to take third. Tim Dwight took fourth with Ryan LaCasse rounding out the field in fifth.
For more information on the 2010 Millrose Games and the 2010 Visa Championship Series, see www.millrose-games.com and www.visachampionshipseries.com.