Lagat emulates El Guerrouj, Nurmi - Vlasic delight

By John Bagratuni Sep 2, 2007, 16:57 GMT

Bernard Lagat of the USA celebrates after winning the 5000m final at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan, 02 September 2007. EPA/KIMIMASA MAYAMA

Osaka, Japan - Bernard Lagat of the United States emulated legends Hicham El Guerrouj and Paavo Nurmi when he completed the first 1,500m and 5,000m double in world championship history on Sunday.

The Kenya-born Lagat outkicked the 2003 champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya in the 5,000m.

'This double means a lot to me. The story I was following was the one by Hicham El Guerrouj in Athens. I wanted to do the same because he inspired me. He is a wonderful man and friend,' said Lagat.

El Gourrouj failed at the 2003 worlds, but did make the 1,500m and 5,000m double at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, edging out Lagat in the 1,500m there. Finnish legend Paavo Nurmi is the only other runner to achieve it, at the 1924 Olympics.

The men's and women's 4x400m relays also went to the United States which gave them a final tally of 14 golds like in 2005, plus four silver and eight bronze from the 47 events over nine days in Osaka. Kenya finished a worlds best second with 5-3-5 medals.

Jeremy Wariner added relay gold to his 400m title and Allyson Felix even got her third title, the relay along with 200m and 4x100m relay. Compatriot Tyson Gay was the best-decorated athlete from a 100m, 200m and 4x100m sprint triple.

Blanka Vlasic lived up to her top billing, shaking off her reputation as a big event choker when she won a classy high jump with five jumpers over 2.00m for Croatia's first ever gold at the worlds. She won with 2.05m.

In other action, Finland's Tero Pitkamaeki won javelin gold two years after failing to medal at home in Helsinki and Kenyan youngster Alfred Kirwa Yego of Kenya was the surprise 800m champion.

Ethiopa-born Marjam Yusuf Jamal gave Bahrain's women their first title, in the 1,500m, while early in the day Catherine Ndereba of Kenya claimed an unprecedented second career marathon title.

But it was Lagat who stole the show again three days after ending a 99-year big event drought for the US in the 1,500m.

Lagat won the 5,000m with a strong finish in 13 minutes 45.87 seconds. Kipchoge clocked 13:46.00 and Moses Ndiema Kipsiro of Uganda won bronze in 13:46.75.

Due to the heat the race was the slowest at a big event since the Mexico Olympics 1968.

'I was surprised that the pace was so slow, that was good for me. Everybody waited until the last lap. I was waiting for the last 100m. I think I ran a smart race,' he said.

Lagat was banned for three years after becoming a US citizen in 2004.

Vlasic, who had cleared a season-ending 2.07m a few weeks ago, proved superior in the high jump which saw European champion Tia Hellebaud and holder Kajsa Bergqvist eliminated early.

Vlasic would have won on countback with 2.03m but then got 2.05 on her final attempt before three fouls on a world record 2.10m. Anna Chicherova of Russia and Antonietta di Martino of Italy shared the silver with 2.03m each.

'I am just relieved. I wanted it so bad. I was the favourite, so I had to deal with a lot of pressure,' said Vlasic, who will now join skier Janica Kostelic and tennis hero Goran Ivanisevic as a top sports hero in her country.

The 20-year-old Yego surged past Canada's Gary Reed in the final metres to win the 800m by one hundredth of a second. Yego clocked 1:47.09, with Reed on 1:47.10 and Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakoviskiy of Russia third on 1:47.39.

Pitkamaeki led from round two in the javelin and wrapped up the competition in grand style when he broke the 90m barrier with 90.33m for a big win. Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway came second as in 2005 with 88.61m and American season-leader Breaux Greer salvaged third place late in the competition with 86.21m.

Jamal, meanwhile, led the 1,500m into the home stretch and stubbornly refused to let Russian season-leader Yelena Soboleva pass. Jamal won in 3:58.75, Soboleva had 3:58.99 minutes and bronze went to Ukraine's Iryna Lishchynska in 4:00.69 minutes.

Ndereba ran away from China's Zhou Chinxiu in the late stages to win in 2:30:37 hours. Zhou took silver in 2:30:45, and Tosa gave hosts Japan their first medal on the final day of the championships, a bronze to go with 2001 silver in 2:30:55 in front of 450,000 fans in the streets of Osaka.

'I guess it was the toughest marathon of my career. It was so hot,' said Ndereba about the conditions with temperatures soaring up to 30 degrees despite the morning hours.

Ndereba's other gold is from 2003 She also has silvers from the 2004 Olympics in Athens and 2005 worlds in Helsinki, four wins in Boston and a 2006 triumph in Osaka.

Kenya are the first nation to win the men's and women's race at one worlds or Olympics, as Luke Kibet won the men's edition on August 25.

The next world championships are August 15-23, 2009, in the German capital of Berlin.