Former Coug Lagat out of 1,500

Former Washington State University Cougar Bernard Lagat got the bad news when talking to reporters after Sunday’s 1,500-meter semifinal race.

The two-time medalist for Kenya, who became a U.S. citizen in 2004, missed a berth in Tuesday’s 1,500 final.

The 2007 world champion in the 1,500 and 5,000 will not become the first man to earn three Olympic medals in the 1,500, be the oldest winner at 33 or the first U.S. winner since 1908.

Lagat finished sixth in his semifinal, one spot out of an automatic berth in the final. He missed a spot that goes to the two fastest non-automatic qualifiers, finishing in 3 minutes, 37.79 seconds.

“I am disappointed,” Lagat said. “I didn’t let (family, friends) down. If I was to say I let them down that means I didn’t do my best. I tried 100 percent. I hope they will understand.”

Lagat runs in the 5,000-meter semifinals on Wednesday.

•University of Idaho assistant women’s track coach AngelaWhyte ran 13.11 seconds in her heat of the women’s 100-meter hurdles and did not advance.