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Bernard Lagat Wins World Gold in Men's Indoor 3000m, Alysia Johnson Places Third in Women's 800m
From USA Track & FieldMarch 15, 2010
Doha, Qatar
Nine medals and two American records. Team USA brought the team medal count to 17 on Sunday night, March 14, to win the medal table at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in the Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar. Athletes competed from Friday through Sunday, March 12-14.
Bernard Lagat of Tucson, AZ won his second world indoor 3,000m title, six years after winning his first men's indoor 3,000m title. Sitting mid-pack through most of the race, Lagat and defending champion Tariku Bekele of Ethiopia surged ahead of the group with three laps (600m) to go. Just before the bell, Lagat opened up a 10m lead on Bekele and won the gold medal in 7:37.97. 2008 Olympian Galen Rupp, who had sat in the back for much of the race, closed strong to finish fifth in a personal best 7:42.40.
In the women's 800m, Alysia Johnson took the early lead for the first 500m, before being passed by Great Britain's Jenny Meadows. Johnson worked hard to maintain contact during the remaining 300m, and held on to finish third in a personal best 1:59.60. Anna Pierce, one of the pre-race favorites, raced from the back of the pack before surging over the final 150m. It was too late to move into medal contention; Pierce settled for fourth in an indoor personal best 2:00.53.
In the women's 1500m final, 2008 Olympian Erin Donohue ran a hard-fought race. Sitting mid-pack at the half-way point, Donohue moved into second with 500m to go. But Donohue fell off the fast pace and finished sixth in 4:09.59. 2009 NCAA Indoor champion Sarah Bowman finished ninth in 4:10.72. It was an indoor personal best for both athletes.
Other American distance athletes who advanced to finals held on Saturday, March 13: Desiree Davila placed tenth (9:07.24) in the women's 3000m; and Garrett Heath finished seventh (3:43.81) in the men's 1500m.
Two-time World Indoor champion Terrence Trammell had the race of his life tonight in the men's 60m hurdles and still did not come away with the gold. Clearing the final hurdle, it looked like Trammell had it. Instead he added another silver medal to his collection of two Olympic and three World Outdoor silver medals when he tied the American record, crossing the line in 7.36. 2008 Olympic bronze medalist David Oliver added another bronze to his collection after running a personal best 7.44. Reigning Olympic champion Dayron Robles (CUB) was the winner in a championship record 7.34.
Reigning World Outdoor champion Brittney Reese added another gold medal to her collection when she won the women's long jump. Opening up with a competition-leading leap of 6.70m/21-11.75, that mark held up throughout the competition and was enough to capture the title. It was the shortest winning mark in world indoor history.
Leading wire-to-wire, Team USA won their first-ever gold in the women's 4x400m relay at a World Indoor Championships in American record fashion, ending Russia's dominating eight-win streak. Running her fourth 400m in three days, World Indoor champion Debbie Dunn ran the lead off leg in 51.25 before handing off to DeeDee Trotter (52.55). Natasha Hastings (52.57) had third-leg duty before handing off to Allyson Felix. Russia was picking up speed on the final leg, but Felix was able to hold them off, closing in a blistering 50.87 to cross the line in 3:27.34. Russia finished second in 3:27.44.
Team USA dominated the men's 4x400m, claiming their third-consecutive gold medal in the event. The quartet of Jamaal Torrance, Greg Nixon, Tavaris Tate and Bershawn Jackson easily won the 4x400m in 3:03.40, over three seconds ahead of runner-up Belgium (3:06.94).
Two-time World Outdoor bronze medalist Carmelita Jeter won her third career bronze medal in the women's 60m. Jeter, who was out in lane 7, finished third in 7.05. Two-time Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM) claimed the gold in a personal best 7.00 and LaVerne Jones-Ferrette (ISV) was the runner-up in 7.03.
2008 Olympian Dusty Jonas won the first major medal of his career with his third-place finish in the men's high jump. Jonas cleared 2.31m/7-7 to bring home the bronze. 2010 USA Indoor champion Jesse Williams finished fifth with 2.28m/7-5.75.
For more information on Team USA and the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, see www.usatf.org. Complete race results and race reports are available at www.iaaf.org/wic10/index.html