Bernard Lagat To Go For American Record in 5,000 At 2011 "Millrose Games"

Courtesy of Armorytrack.com

(Editor's Addition: Please see the press release below from Armorytrack.com on Bernard Lagat's participation in a 5,000 in NYC on February 11, 2012. We put the words "Millrose Games" in quotes in the headline because we think it's ridiculous that there will be a meet on national tv this winter in Madison Square Garden that isn't called the Millrose Games but a meet at the Armory two weeks later will be called the Millrose Games. Additionally, the release doesn't include it but we got an email from Walt Murphy that added some great insight lost in the press release. Murphy writes:

    Lagat set an AR of 13:11.50 in Boston in 2010, but lost it earlier this year when Galen Rupp ran 13:11.44 in Birmingham, England. The Millrose Record of 13:20.4 was set by Tanzania's Suleiman Nyambui in 1981.

    Also confirmed for the race are Leonard Korir(Iona) and Lawi Lalang(Arizona), who could challenge Rupp's Collegiate Record of 13:18.12(2009). Korir ran a personal best of 13:26.01 to win the 2011 NCAA Indoor title, and also won the 10,000-meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Lalang, who sometimes trains with Lagat in Tucson, recently was a runaway winner at the NCAA X-Country Championships, and was 2nd in the 5000 at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships. He has an outdoor best of 13:30.64. His older brother, Boaz Lalang, who also trains in Tucson, has run 1:42.95 for 800-meters.
    )


NEW YORK, December 6, 2011 – Armory Foundation president Dr. Norb Sander announced today that Bernard Lagat, owner of a record eight Wanamaker Mile titles, will compete in the 5,000-meter event during the February 11, 2012 Millrose Games at the Armory New Balance Track & Field Center.

``The 5,000-meters at the Millrose Games at the Armory is a race I’m really excited about,’’ Lagat said. ``Galen (Rupp) broke my U.S. record so of course I have to try and get it back."

``I had a really good run at the Armory when I broke the U.S. two-mile record so I’m looking forward to coming back for another good run.’’

In February in Birmingham, England, Rupp surpassed Lagat’s 2009 mark by a mere 6/100th of a second.

The night before on the Armory’s ``world’s fastest track’’, Lagat was turning heads in the New York Road Runners’ Deuce Record Challenge. Lagat finished with an 8:10.07 breaking the American indoor two-mile mark.

``It is very exciting to have Bernard continue his legacy at the Millrose Games,’’ said Millrose Games meet director Ray Flynn. ``The 5,000 meters promises to be one of the meet’s highlights.’’

Lagat won his first Wanamaker Mile title at the 2001 Millrose Games. He next won in 2003 before recording six consecutive Wanamaker victories from 2005-2010. Besides being owner of the American Indoor two-mile record, Lagat is the country’s record holder in the 1,500m, mile, and 3,000m as well as the Outdoor 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m.

He’ll have a great opportunity to regain his 5,000m Indoor record.

In the 1981 Millrose Games, Tanzania’s Suleiman Nyambui recorded the World Indoor 5,000-meter record, just surpassing Alberto Salazar, who broke the American Indoor mark. Nyambui’s time is still a Millrose Games record.

The country’s top men’s and women’s track & field athletes along with the finest college and high school student-athletes will showcase their talents in the Millrose Games.

Lagat is among a who’s who list of track & field participants confirmed for the 105th Millrose Games.

Contender for the Olympic Gold medal and current Outdoor High Jump World Champion Jesse Williams and Olympic Gold Medal challenger and reigning Indoor and Outdoor Long Jump World Champion Brittney Reese join 2008 Olympic Gold medalist Allyson Felix and World Champion/2008 USA Olympian Jennifer Simpson as confirmed athletes in the nation’s premier indoor track & field event. Felix will compete in the Women’s 60m event and Simpson will participate in the Millrose Games’ first New York Road Runner’s Wanamaker Metric Mile for Women.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.armorytrack.com. Click on to Millrose Games for more information, including ticket prices and seating chart. Note: there is an 8 ticket limit for online sales. For group sales of more than 8 tickets please call the Group Sales at (818) 276-6790 (818-ARMORY-0).


ABOUT THE ARMORY FOUNDATION:

A New York City non-profit, the Armory will be the proud home of the Millrose Games beginning in 2012.  With more than 100 additional indoor track & field meets, the Armory will welcome over 125,000 individual athletes. Besides its many youth sports and educational programs, the Armory runs the Hispanic Games, the New Balance Games, and the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, the largest indoor college meet in the United States. The Armory is also the home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame.

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