We're putting some of our more interesting interviews on the forums along with our comments going in our recaps.
Haron Lagat a man who love America, but can’t run for it, may have run his last steeple
Haron Lagat is one of the greatest steeplechase rabbits in the world, but this USA meet likely was his last steeple ever. Lagat who ran a 1:01:00 half marathon at Houston this year is shifting his focus to the roads, said he may do the Frankfurt Marathon this year or New York. The Monaco Diamond League meet has asked him to help rabbit the world record attempt this year, but he said he’ll probably decline and focus on the road preparation.
Lagat who grew up in Kenya, but has lived in America for nearly half his life (sixteen years) and never represented another country, still can’t run for the country he calls the “greatest nation of all” because the IAAF has put a freeze on athletes switching allegiance. Lagat had harsh words for the IAAF committees that somehow still haven’t come up with rules to let legitimate citizens like Lagat compete for their new countries, while stopping athletes who switch countries for athletic reasons.
“The people with the Committees deciding this if they need two years that means they don't know what they're doing,” he said. “I changed (countries) for a better life, I changed for the greatest nation of all. I don’t feel we should be put in the same bus for the Bahrainian who goes there for a weekend and comes back with a passport,” he added.
Lagat’s long-term goal is making the US Olympic team in the marathon in 2020.
“That’s my big big chance. I hope I will (finally) wear that USA singlet,” he said. Lagat qualified for the US Half Marathon team this year, but the IAAF freeze didn’t let him run for the US.