By Christopher Hunt
NEW YORK – It seemed perfect. Bernard Lagat sat exactly where he needed to be with Asbel Kiprop of Kenya taking on all the work while he drafted and Great Britian’s Andy Baddeley kept him honest from behind.
The bell rang. Lagat pounced. Kiprop turned and probably caught Lagat in only a blur when he exploded around the bend. Kiprop didn’t respond. The crowd at Madison Square Garden went bonkers and Lagat did what everyone expected he would. Alone down the homestretch, Lagat earned his record eighth win in the Wanamaker Mile, this time living Kiprop and Baddeley helpless in his wake, winning in 3:56.34.
Photo by Don Rich, PennTrackXC.com
“To me it is like winning the Olympics today,” he said. “I’ve been here since 2001 and today I’m signing autographs for kids who win 2001 were not even born and to me that’s special.”
Lagat surpassed legendary Irish miler Eamonn Coghlan, who earned the nickname “Chairman of the Boards” who Lagat tied for most wins last year at seven. Lagat sat comfortably behind Kiprop the entire and once David Krummenacker, the pacemaker, dropped out, Lagat seemed to be biding his time.
“With that last bend, I knew that was it,” he said. “I looked back and there was no response from Kiprop. I was really clear and I just went for the win.”
Kiprop finished second in 3:58.03 with Baddeley third in 3:58.09. The race was markedly different from the last few years where Australian Craig Mottram of Austrilia tried to get away and even last year when New Zealand’s Nick Willis attacked three laps out.
Photo by Mary DiBiase Blaich/wingedfootfotos.com
“This time around it was gradual and even when Kiprop moved a little bit, I was really comfortable.”
Lagat said he was conscious of Baddeley’s speed. Baddeley beat Lagat at the Fifth Avenue Mile in September and ran 3:55.64. But none of that mattered once Lagat switched gears.
“I knew exactly where I wanted to make a move,” he said. “I wanted to make a move even earlier than I made today. I increased the pace through the two corners and I knew by the time I turned about that the victory was mine and I was happy with that.”
Lisa Barber, a native of Montclair, N.J., earned a big win in the womens’ 60 meters. It was Barber’s first race since the US Indoor Championships last year. Afterward she discovered she had a torn Achilles tendon, which kept her from training for seven months.
“A lot of people told me about Achilles injuries but you don’t really know how bad it is until you feel it. I felt it. I’m over it now and I learned from it.”
Barber won in 7.24, credited with the same time as Veronica Campell-Brown of Jamaica, who finished second. It was Barber’s third straight win at the Garden.
Christian Cantwell earned his third Millrose win in the shot put in impressive fashion as well. All of Cantwell’s attempts sailed beyond 70 feet. He won with a toss of 72-0.25.
“I thought I was going to throw a little bit better,” he said. “All my throws where over 70. That’s pretty sick. If that’s any indicator of the season, watch out. … I have trained at a high level for a long, long time. Every day I would wish there was another meet I cold go to. My goal is the indoor championship. I’d also like to get closer to the world record. The thing about this year is there’s no world championship, no Olympics, so you can just pin your ears back and throw it as far as you can every time.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.
By Christopher Hunt