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Diamond League: American Bernard Lagat Wins Men's 3000m in London
American Distance Athletes with Personal Bests: Galen Rupp, Andrew Wheating, Leo Manzano
From USATF and the Diamond LeagueAugust 17, 2010
American Bernard Lagat won the men's 3000m, and American men took second and third in the 800m at the Aviva London Grand Prix meet held on Friday and Saturday, August 13-14, at the Crystal Palace in London, England. Lagat's victory makes him the second American distance athlete to win a Diamond League race this summer, with Alysia Johnson holding two titles in women's 800m races.
The Aviva London Grand Prix is a member of the prestigious new IAAF Samsung Diamond League series, the twelfth of 14 of the greatest invitational track meets in the world. For more information, see www.diamondleague.com.
Noteworthy American distance performanaces in London:
Reigning World Indoor champion Bernard Lagat won the men's 3000m, breaking clear in the home straightaway to beat local favorite and two-time European champion Mo Farah of Britain. Lagat crossed the line in 7:40.36 to Farah's 7:40.75. Two-time USA Outdoor 10,000m champion Galen Rupp finished fifth in a personal best 7:43.24.
In the men's 800m, Andrew Wheating chased two-time World Indoor champion Abubaker Kaki down the final straight, but was unable to catch him, finishing as the runner-up in a personal best 1:44.56 to Kaki's 1:44.38. Nick Symmonds finished third in 1:45.28.
Leo Manzano set a personal best in the men's mile with his third-place finish in 3:50.64. And fellow American Olympian Lopez Lomong placed a solid tenth in 3:54.44.
In the women's 800m, won by Russian Mariya Savinova in 1:58.64, Americans demonstrated a depth of talent by placing fourth (Morgan Uceny, 1:59.32), sixth (Anna Pierce, 1:59.64), eighth (Alysia Johnson, 2:00.51), and tenth (Maggie Vessey, 2:01.83).
In the women's 5000m, Ethiopian world record-holder Tirunesh Dibaba won with a swift time of 14:36.41; American Molly Huddle placed ninth in 14:57.93, and national champion Lauren Fleshman posted a season's best (15:13.08). Former Texas Tech ('09) star Sally Kipyego of Kenya placed fourth (14:41.94, personal best).
In the women's 1500m, won by Kenyan Nancy Langat in 4:07.60, Americans finished fourth and fifth: Erin Donohue ran 4:09.72, and Shannon Rowbury clocked in at 4:09.93.
American Lisa Aguilera placed seventh (9:31.93) in the women's 3000m steeplechase; the event was won by Kenyan Milcah Chemos in a meet record time of 9:22.49.
American sprinters and field event athletes:
American Tyson Gay shot out of the blocks and blazed down the straight to win the men's 100m in 9.78 seconds, despite the slight headwind (-.04mps), clipping .04 off the previous world lead. Jamaica's Yohan Blake, the only other athlete to break 10 seconds, finished as the runner-up in a personal best 9.89.
Despite a sluggish start in the women's 200m, three-time World Outdoor champion Allyson Felix stormed around the curve and into the lead, running away with the win in 22.37. Her nearest competitor, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas, was over half a second back in 22.88.
Allsyon Felix completed her double Saturday afternoon, winning the women's 400m in 50.79. Felix battled European champion Tatyana Firova and World Indoor champ Debbie Dunn down the final straight, but was able to hold them off as Firova took second in 50.84 and Dunn finished third in 50.89.
In the men's 400m, after a sluggish first half, Jeremy Wariner powered home in a finishing kick reminiscent of seasons past when no one could catch him. Today no one could catch him. Wariner won the race in 44.67, holding off current world leader Jermaine Ganzales of Jamaica, who took second in 44.80.
David Oliver kept his hot streak alive, winning the men's 110m hurdles in 13.06, equaling the meet record. It was Oliver's fifth straight Diamond League victory.
In the women's 100m hurdles, Sally Pearsonof Australia was first out of the blocks and held the lead until the mid-way point when Canada's Priscilla Lopes-Schliep kicked into high gear to take the lead. Reigning USA Outdoor champion Lolo Jones tried to stay with the pair but wound up third in 12.66 to Lopes-Schliep's world-leading 12.52 and Pearson's 12.61. 2010 NCAA 100m- and 400m hurdle champion Queen Harrison was fourth in 12.69.
Marshevet Myers won the women's 100m in 11.01, edging out Carmelita Jeter, who finished as the runner-up in 11.06. For Jeter, this was just her second defeat of the year in the 100m.
In the men's 400m hurdles, it was a battle down the final stretch between 2009 World Outdoor bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson and the World Outdoor silver medalist, Javier Culson of Puerto Rico. Running even off the final turn, Jackson used his signature kick to edge out Culson, winning the race in 48.12 to Culson's 48.17.
In the field, American record-holder Kara Patterson took second in the women's javelin with a best effort of 63.41m/208. In the men's pole vault, 2008 Olympic fourth-place finisher Derek Miles was the runner-up with a soggy clearance of 5.61m/18-4.75 while 2007 World Outdoor champion Brad Walker took fourth in 5.51m/18-1.
On his last throw of the competition, Reese Hoffa let loose with a heave of 21.44m/70-4.25 to win the men's shot put. 2008 Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski of Poland was the runner-up with 21.20m/69-6.75 and reigning World Indoor and Outdoor champion Christian Cantwell, the current Diamond points leader, suffered his first loss in 20 competitions, finishing third with 20.78m/68-2.25.
Elsewhere, World Outdoor champion Dwight Phillips won the men's long jump with a leap of 8.18m/26-10, while USA Outdoor champion Jesse Williams took second in the men's high jump with a best clearance of 2.27m/7-5.25.
For more information and results, see www.diamondleague-london.com.