Where Your Dreams Become Reality
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Where Your Dreams Become Reality |
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2006 Millrose Games Recap: Bernard Lagat Destroys Bekele in Wannamaker Mile We give you the play by play with quotes and analysis of all the individual distance races below, (including high school miles), plus highlights from the sprints and field action . Wannamaker Mile Elkana Angwenyi of Kenya, who won the mile last week in Boston, was the rabbit, running less than 24 hours after he won the 1000m in Sweden the night before. He took the pace out in a suicidal 55.8 (maybe 56.0). Lagat was right on his heels with Bekele and Iona college senior Richard Kiplagat trying to stay close, but soon their was a 5 meter gap to Bekele and the rest of the field behind Kiplagat never even stayed within shouting distance. By the half mile in 1:53.7, it was a one man race, as Lagat was right with Angwenyi who would soon drop out and Bekele was at least 20 meters back. Theoretically Bekele would have a chance to catch Lagat, if he realized the pace was suicidal and Lagat would most likely fade over the final half mile. But this was Bekele's first race less than 3000m and his first race ever on a non 200m indoor track (11 laps to a mile where a small gap is nearly a full straight away), and Lagat had already crushed Bekele's belief he could win as soon he was looking over his shoulder to see where third place was. Despite the lack of drama as to who would win, the 14,851 fans in Madison Square Garden jumped to their feet and gave Lagat a standing ovation over the final quarter, as he was crushing the usually invincible Bekele. The early pace and margin of Lagat's lead, no doubt led the crowd to believe he was running an incredible time, but it was just an illusion as the suicidal opening pace was taking its toll even on Lagat. Lagat faded substantially over the final half mile. He reached three quarters of a mile in 2:54.5 and crossed the tape in 3:56.85 (so his last half was close to 2:03), but he had left one of the world's greatest runners ever, Bekele, way back in his wake. Rui Silva of Portugal actually caught up to Bekele on the final lap but Bekele was able to hold him off to get second in 4:01.57. Post race comments: However, Bekele, a man who knows true tragedy in life (his fiancee dropped dead on a training run with him last year), was not disappointed by being beaten so soundly. "I am not disappointed. It's my first time in the mile and it's my first race of the year." Lagat was pleased to get the win over such an esteemed foe, especially after he missed training after the birth of his first son, when his wife and son both had complications after the delivery, and his wife had to go to the hospital twice. (One source told us Lagat had only been on a track three times prior to this race.). Lagat said, "It (the race) was a tough one. This is my first one back. I missed a few days of training the last few weeks... but my coach kept on pushing me to do a little (training), because I had to be in shape to be here." "The intention was to run like last year (where he got out fast and set a Millrose record). The first 800 was quite fast. I was not expecting 1:53, but I did not want to leave him (the rabbit)." Lagat was unsure of his indoor plans which have changed a lot this indoor season because of the birth of his son and the problems his wife had. He'll make his plans soon after talking to his manager and coach. Outdoors he plans on running at least one 5,000m this year, like he did last year, where he got an impressive Golden League win. And although he got the best of Bekele today, he knows he'll have his hands full at 5,000m. "Hopefully I can run with the world's greatest 5000m runner, Kenenisa Bekele." Lagat also was asked what he thought of Iona's Richard Kiplagat. He said, "Kiplagat is a young kid. He has a good future. He has run with my brother, Robert Cheseret (an NCAA star at Arizona). They are young boys compared to an old man like me."
Men's 800 He led through an opening 400 of 54.54 with Alemu on his heels and Krummenacker in third. The rest of the field including Derrick Peterson was gapped. Krummenacker passed Alemu to get into second. On the short track, tight turns, and mid straightaway finish at Millrose, the leader has a huge advantage and Krummenacker tried to pass Robinson heading into the backstretch of the final lap. Robinson held him off there and on the very short final straightaway to get the win in 1:49.98, the first sub 1:50 at Millrose since Johnny Gray's 1:49.88 in 2000. Post race comments: Prior to this year, Robinson had been coached by Gray via the phone (Robinson, always a great interview compared it to a martial arts instructor teaching his protégé how to chop the bag via the phone), but now he drives one hour each way to be coached by Gray in person. Robinson is hoping the extra personal attention will give him the little edge he believes he is missing, so he can be one of the stars on the international level in the 800. "I'm getting older. I'm just missing this much (putting his fingers together to show a very small amount), so I decided to train in person (with Johnny)." Robinson said he was pleased to get the win, but commented, "Johnny thought I was in better shape than that (1:49.98). I am." Robinson, a student of the 800 under Gray's tutelage, feels he is very close to putting it all together in the 800. "Last year, I had my best season in terms of consistency. I ran more 1:44s than I had ever (before)." In terms of getting to the top of the international level he said, "It's all about applying what I do in practice in meets... I always make small mistakes (that prevent him from running faster). In this game, small mistakes add up to big mistakes." Robinson was unsure whether he will run world outdoors. While Robinson has switched to being coached by Gray in person this year, runner-up David Krummenacker has switched coaches completely in 2006. He is now coached by Italian Gianni Ghidini, who also coaches Kenyan 800m stars, Wilfred Bungei and William Yiampoy, and 1500m star Daniel Komen. Krummenacker said his previous coach Luis de Oliviera of Brazil was spending more time working with the Qataris and the opportunity to work with Ghidini presented itself so he took advantage of it. In training he has been doing more endurance work this fall. As a result he said, "I feel more comfortable when racing." Krummenacker is unsure of whether he'll run USATF indoors and the world indoor champs in Moscow as his focus is on outdoors. As for today's race, Krummenacker one of the taller 800m runners was going to have a difficult time passing Robinson on the tight Millrose track under perfect conditions, but said his leg buckled a bit when he tried to pass Robinson heading onto the backstretch of the final lap. Nonetheless, he had praise for Robinson. "Khadevis had a great race...(he) was the man who came out on top."
Women's Mile The men's Wannamaker Mile was the feature event at Millrose and an interesting tradition is that they played the US national anthem right before the Wannamaker Mile, even though it was the last event on the program. Next year, perhaps they should play the Canadian national anthem before the women's mile, as Canadian women swept the top 3 places in the 2006 edition. As expected, American front runner Tiffany McWilliams took the lead during the first quarter mile. She led through an opening quarter mile of 66.1 and an opening half mile of 2:15.6 with world indoor 1500m silver medallist Carmen Douma-Hussar on her heels in second. McWilliams led at three quarters of a mile in 3:25.5 as the pace continued to get slower. At his point there was a pack of 5 women with a shot at the title, McWilliams and Douma-Hussar, who were closely followed by Canadian Malindi Elmore, Ethiopian Mestawot Tadesse, and Canadian Courtney Babcock. Things were tight as all five women jostled for position heading around the turn before the bell. Courtney Babcock and Carmen Douma-Hussar collided and Douma-Hussar stumbled and lost ground, but fortunately did not fall down. The third Canadian in the race, Elmore, avoided the trouble and took the lead from McWilliams heading around the turn after the bell. Douma-Hussar showed great composure and great speed, as despite her stumble and the tight turns, she managed to take the lead on the backstretch right before the final turn. She held on for the victory over a fast closing Babcock, while Elmore held on for third to make it a clean 1-2-3 Canadian sweep. Tiffany McWilliams of the US got 5th. Douma-Hussar spoke of her stumble after the race, "It was kind of rough out there. Courtney apologized afterwards. It was nothing on purpose. It's the nature of the game. I was just happy to recover. When something like that happens you just try to recover and get back in the game. It just takes that spit second to get back."
Women's 800:
Sprint/Field Action: They brought out the "heavy artillery" (the shot putters) to center stage before spot lights and the men's shot putters did not disappoint the crowd. Reese Hoffa had 2 throws over 70 feet and won the competition in 71 feet 0.5" and took the lead in the Visa Championship point series which will award $25,000 to the winner. World outdoor silver medallist, Chaunte Howard, showed she is the cream of the crop in American high jumpers as she won at 6'4" and had jumps at a meet record 6' 5". A resurgent Jeff Hartwig won the men's pole vault in 18' 9". Afterwards he said, "I think more than anything it goes back to my training. I quit listening to everybody who was telling me I was getting older. I matured physically really late." More Hartwig quotes here. In the men's 60m hurdles and 60m dash, Terrence Trammell was trying to do a double but came up way short. First up, Trammell was 3rd in the hurdles in 7.66 as Dominique Arnold won in 7.59. In the 60m dash, Trammell was also third in 6.67, as Shawn Crawford won in 6.59. Girls HS Mile The pace slowed over the next 400 as the half mile was reached in 2:24.6. Ferguson and Wetherbee had roughly a 20 meter lead on the rest of the field, although on the small track it looked much bigger than that. Defending champ Aislinn Ryan was in 5th at the half mile in a pack that included Danielle Tauro of Southern Regional in New Jersey. Ferguson and Wetherbee still were out comfortably in front at the 1200 in 3:39.2, but for the first time the pace appeared to be having a toll of them as Ferguson looked tired and the chasers appeared to have a slim chance. With one lap to go they still had the lead but Danielle Tauro was closing fast. On the backstretch of the final lap, Tauro,Wetherbee and Ferguson were all together and the fans got into it. Tauro took away all the drama as she flew off the final curve for a convincing win in 4:51.89 over Colleen Wetherbee's 4:52.78. The fast pace really took a toll on Ferguson over the final lap and she finished in 4:54.74. Defending champ Aislinn Ryan was 4th in 4:55.60.
Boys HS Mile Deven led at 800m, followed by Dan McManamon. Greg Kelsey, one of 3 runners from boys high school national XC champion Saratoga High School in the field, took the lead on the third quarter and led in 3:14.6 followed by Alex Bean, as the field bunched together for a kick as the pace slowed. McManamon surged to the front at the bell and would power home for a convincing win, winning by nearly a second in 4:17.18, over Mark Amirault in 4:18.10.
*More results here
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Cross Country Spikes 10% off Injured?
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