Lagat ends American 1,500m wait - British 400m delight

By John Bagratuni Aug 29, 2007, 16:38 GMT

Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain celebrates after winning the 400m final at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan, 29 August 2007. EPA/KIMIMASA MAYAMA

Osaka, Japan - Bernard Lagat gave up his Kenyan passport for a United States one three years ago and on Wednesday thanked his adopted country with its first major 1,500 metres title in 99 years.

Lagat secured victory with a determined spurt on the home stretch to register the first world title over the distance for the US and the first at either a worlds or Olympics since Mel Sheppard won at the 1908 Games.

There was more joy from the US in Michelle Perry's 100m hurdles title defence and German veteran Franka Dietzsch got a third discus title.

Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders claimed a historic one-two for Britain in the women's 400m while Donald Thomas of the Bahamas completed a swift transition from basketball to athletics to win the high jump gold.

But it was Lagat who made the headlines in a tactical race. Team-mate and season-leader Alan Webb took an early lead before the strong Kenyans moved up.

Aspel Kiprop led the way into the home stretch, but Lagat came through on the outside lane, defying a shove from Webb, to spurt past his former team-mate and win in 3 minutes 34.77 seconds.

Defending champion Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain had to settle for silver in 3:35.00, Kenyan Shedrack Kibet Korir got bronze in 3:35.04 while Kiprop faded to fourth.

Lagat is the second-fastest man ever over the distance and got Olympic silver 2004 behind now retired legendary world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj. he has long lived in the US and changed nationality in 2004.

In the women's 400m, Ohuruogu and Sanders caught up with long-time leader Novlene Williams of Jamaica just before the finish line, with Ohuruogu clocking 49.61 seconds, Sanders 49.65 and Williams 49.66.

Both British runners scored personal bests as the country got its first gold at a worlds or Olympics over the distance.

The final took place in the absence of the world's leading 400m runner 2006 and this year as American Sanya Richards failed to qualify at the national trials.

Dietzsch, 39, threw the discus 66.61 metres on her first attempt to become the second-oldest champion in worlds history. Ellina Zvereva was 40 when she won the same event for Belarus in 2001.

One of only a handful of athletes competing in their ninth worlds, Dietzsch added the title to those from 1999 and 2005.

European champion Darya Pishchalnikova of Russia took silver with a personal best 65.78m and Yarelis Barrios of Cuba came third with 63.90m.

'I guess I shocked the others with my first throw which was very far,' she said. 'This is crazy. This is my third world title, I had some tears in my eyes after the competition. It is very surprising.'

Perry came out of the blocks late in the hurdles final but gradually caught up with her rivals with her clean technique.

The final lunge then proved decisive to give her victory in 12.46 seconds ahead of former champion Perdita Felicien of Canada (12.49), who celebrated her 27th birthday on the day. Delloreen Ennis-London of Jamaica was third in 12.50.

'It was a close call. We waited for couple of minutes, I did not know who won. It was an extremely difficult race, I rate it in the top three of most difficult ones in my career,' said Perry.

In the high-jump, Thomas won the second gold in the discipline for the Bahamas, following Troy Kemp in 1991, with 2.35.

Thomas, who only switched from basketball last year, won on countback from Russian Yaroslav Rybakov, who had to settle for silver for the third time. Kyriakos Ioannou also had 2.35m to get the first ever medal for Cyprus at the worlds.

Earlier, Jeremy Wariner was awesome in the 400m semis, slowing down well before the end, finishing in 44.34 seconds. Fellow-American LaShawn Merritt had 44.31, but the world and Olympic champion Wariner is the overwhelming favourite in Friday's final.

Veronica Campbell of Jamaica took another step towards a rare sprint double, breezing into the 200m semi-finals in 22.55 seconds. So did the men's 100m winner Tyson Gay, who stormed into the final with 20.00 seconds.

Long jump champion Tatyana Lebedeva also has a second gold in sight, advancing to the triple jump final which she has already won twice at the worlds.

Meseret Defar was untroubled in the 5,000m heats and is also the top pick for Saturday's final as fellow-Ethiopian two-time defending champion Tirunesh Dibaba pulled out injured late Tuesday.

The world championships continue on Thursday with four medal events, the women's hammer throw and 400m hurdles, and the men's long jump and 200m.