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University HS graduate Brad Walker soars his way to victory in the pole vault with a mark of 18 feet, 8 ¼ inches Friday.Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
From Wire and News Services The Spokesman-Review
University HS graduate Brad Walker soars his way to victory in the pole vault with a mark of 18 feet, 8 ¼ inches Friday.Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

INDIANAPOLIS – Former Washington State star Bernard Lagat successfully defended his 5,000-meter title at the USA Track & Field Championships Friday, running down Matt Tagenkamp over the final 100 meters to win in 13 minutes 30.73 seconds.

Former University HS and University of Washington star Brad Walker won the pole vault clearing 18 feet, 8 1/4 inches. (See Fast Break, C1).

Lagat also is the defending U.S. 1,500 champion, the first double-winner in those events in the meet’s history. The Kenyan-born runner, eligible to represent the United States at the world championships, took a victory lap with an American flag draped on his shoulders.

“I was feeling really strong,” said Lagat. “I knew the race would develop toward the end and I was confident in the last 400m. I knew it would be that way. I knew I was going to have to run fast in the last lap.”

WSU 2007 graduate Diana Pickler took the lead after the first four events of women’s heptathlon.

She has 3,636 points for an 18-point lead over second place Hyleas Fountain. Diana’s twin sister, Julie, had 3,372 points and is eighth.

Diana had the second-fastest 100 hurdles (13.46) and 200 (24.07) times. She cleared 5-8 ¾ in the high jump (as did Julie for a PR) and threw the shot a PR distance of 40-9 3/4.

Carolee Gutierrez (Newport), who just finished at Eastern Washington, placed fourth in the women’s javelin at 173-3.

Another athlete who just finished at EWU, David Paul, was 14th in the men’s hammer with a throw of 215-10.

Former WSU Cougar Eric Dudley was eliminated in the semifinals of the men’s 400 hurdles.

In the junior championships, Mead graduate Nikki Codd finished ninth in the women’s 800 in 2:11.90. Cougars signee Marissa Tschida of Missoula won the women’s javelin at 158-2 with EWU’s Jan Chaney (Gonzaga Prep) 17th (119-0).

In other results, former Arkansas sprinter Tyson Gay sliced through a headwind for a 9.84 clocking in the most one-sided 100 victory at the championships since electronic timing was instituted 32 years ago.

Gay broke the meet record in the second-fastest 100 run into a headwind. The only one faster was Maurice Greene’s 9.82 at the 2001 world championships in Edmonton. Gay ran into a wind of 1.12 mph, Greene’s was 0.45 mph.

The time matched his personal best set a year ago, only that race had a tailwind.

“I was hoping to get the world record (9.77),” he said. “The wind conditions weren’t too friendly.” His time was easily the world’s fastest this year and the fastest run by an American in the United States.

Gay is still coached by former Arkansas assistant Lance Brauman, who is serving a prison sentence in Kansas for embezzlement, theft and mail fraud. Gay has a workout book from the coach and says the two talk regularly. Brauman has to make the call.

Torri Edwards, also running into a headwind, added another chapter to her triumphant comeback by winning the women’s 100 at 11.02. Edwards faced a two-year suspension after testing positive for a banned stimulant in 2004.