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Bernard Lagat nears record with 6th Wanamaker Mile win

Published by
Shane   Feb 2nd 2008, 3:41pm
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NEW YORK -- Sitting in his hotel room Friday, Bernard Lagat played over in his head how the Wanamaker Mile would go at the Millrose Games that night.

Australian Craig Mottram, who gave him a tough race last year, would take the lead about midway through, then Lagat would make his move with around two laps to go.

"It happened the way I was visualizing the race," he said.

The Kenyan-born American sped to the front and easily held off Mottram to win in 3 minutes, 57.51 seconds at Madison Square Garden. It was his sixth victory in the Wanamaker Mile, moving him one away from the record. Irishman Eamonn Coghlan won seven times, the last in 1987.

Lagat joked that he was ready to announce that he was participating in next year's meet, which will be the 102nd edition of the Millrose Games.

Coghlan was dubbed the "Chairman of the Boards" for his dominance on the old wooden Millrose track. Lagat suggested that if he goes on to earn his eighth title, he should be called the "President of the Board."

In the 600 yards, Bershawn Jackson edged three-time defending U.S. outdoor 800-meter champ Khadevis Robinson by 0.19 seconds. Jackson won the 400-meter hurdles at the 2005 world championships, but failed to make the finals at last summer's worlds in the midst of an injury-plagued year.

"I feel like the champion I was in '05," Jackson said. "It's going to be a great year."

The indoor season is time for many runners to hone various skills by racing in other events than their specialties. Kara Goucher, who last summer became the first American woman to earn a world championship medal in the 10,000 meters when she placed third, entered the mile to work on her finishing speed.

She remembers what U.S. distance running great Lynn Jennings told her: When Jennings was running her best 10,000 times, she was sometimes competing in the mile and 1,500 meters.

Goucher got the experience she wanted by holding off Sara Hall to win by 0.08 seconds.

"It proves I can kick," she said, smiling.

It also proved she's recovered from minor knee surgery the week before Christmas to repair cartilage damage.

Lashinda Demus is making a different kind of comeback. The 2005 world championship silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles gave birth to twin boys in June.

She won the women's 600-yard run for her first victory since then.

Two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson set a record for the meet in the Garden in winning the shot put at 72 feet, 5 inches. Christian Cantwell, who finished second, set the previous mark of 71-9½ last year.

American record-holder Jenn Stuczynski was upset in the women's pole vault by Jillian Schwartz, who has finished second at the U.S. championships three times each indoors and outdoors. Both cleared 15-2, but Schwartz had fewer misses. The height was a personal best for her.

Carmelita Jeter, the world championship bronze medalist in the 100 meters, beat Miki Barber by 0.01 seconds in the women's 60.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press



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