Lagat breaks through

OSAKA, Japan – Bernard Lagat didn’t encounter much difficulty in the 1,500-meter final Wednesday in the world track and field championships until he crossed the finish line first.

Lagat, a two-time Olympic medalist who had never won gold in a major international meet, found himself in an odd place. A native Kenyan who became a U.S. citizen in 2004, Lagat is the first U.S. winner in the 1,500 in the world championships or Olympics in 99 years.

“I didn’t know really how to celebrate it,” said Lagat, 32, who represented his new country for the first time at worlds.

“I’ve always come close … but I’ve never been the champion carrying the flag.”

Lagat ran a tactically perfect race, staying near the lead until the final stretch, where he accelerated and took the lead with 50 meters left, crossing the finishing line with arms in the air. He eventually figured out how to drape a U.S. flag over his shoulders for photos and a victory lap.

Lagat, who won Olympic bronze in 2000 and silver in 2004 for Kenya, finished in 3 minutes, 34.77 seconds, with defending champion Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain second (3:35.00) and Shedrack Korir of Kenya third (3:35.04).

Lagat’s victory was the first by an American in the Olympics or worlds in the 1,500 since Mel Sheppard’s 1908 Olympic gold.

As Lagat took a victory lap, U.S. teammate Alan Webb, who had the year’s best time in the 1,500 and mile, ripped off his hip number in frustration with his eighth-place finish (3:35.69).

“I was doing so awesome until this week,” said Webb, 24, whose wins against Lagat this season included the USA Championships. “It was a colossal breakdown.”

Webb led the first lap (58.63) and was just off the lead through 800 (1:58.08) and 1,200 (2:55.21). But he faded in the stretch.

“When the real game time went, I just couldn’t do it,” he said. “I thought I had more left than I did. I wish I could learn a lesson from that, but I learned nothing. … I just need to get better at doing this.”

The race developed just as planned by Lagat and James Li, the Arizona track and cross country coach who has guided Lagat for 12 years since they were at Washington State.

Before the final, they watched tape of Lagat’s semifinal win in which he got himself out of trouble with a blistering sub-52 last lap.

“James Li is a genius in laying out strategy,” said Lagat, who lives in Tucson, Ariz. “There were some mistakes I made in the semifinal. He told me if we can get rid of those – getting boxed, not reacting when everybody goes to the front – I could win.”

The race went as planned for Lagat, but the season has not. He has been battling stomach problems for almost a year and finally saw a doctor in June when the condition became worse. Extensive tests in the United States and Germany, where he’s based for the European circuit, detected no problems. Doctors told him the symptoms were caused by the stress of training and prescribed medication Lagat began taking in June.

He felt better, but his running suffered. When he went off the medication in early July, his running started to improve.

“We still don’t really have a handle on it,” said Lagat’s wife, Gladys.

Lagat, better known as Kip, conducted his news conference with his 19-month-old son, Miika, wearing a “Lagat!” T-shirt, on his lap.

“Winning today was so special,” Lagat said. “(Miika) was over there watching it. It was so special crossing the line being the first champion in 99 years in American history.”

Lagat has another shot at gold. He begins the 5,000 heats today with the final Sunday.

No American has won the 5,000 in the Olympics or worlds since Bob Schul in 1964.