Kiplagat 3:30.61

1 KIPLAGAT, Silas

KEN

3:30.61

2 GEBREMEDHIN, Mekonnen

ETH

PB 3:31.57

3 CHOGE, Augustine Kiprono

KEN

3:31.81

4 CASADO, Arturo

ESP

PB 3:32.70

5 RONO, Geoffrey Kipkoech

KEN

SB 3:32.82

6 KOMBICH, Ismael Kipngetich

KEN

3:34.29

7 LANCASHIRE, Thomas

GBR

SB 3:34.59

8 KAMEL, Yusuf Saad

BRN

3:35.66

9 SCHLANGEN, Carsten

GER

SB 3:36.50

10 FERNÁNDEZ, Álvaro

ESP

3:37.13

11 CHEBOI, Collins

KEN

3:37.43

12 KOWAL, Yoann

FRA

3:38.19

13 VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, Peter

RSA

3:44.06

1 3:30.61 Silas Kiplagat KEN

2 3:31.57 Mekonnen Gebremedhin ETH

3 3:31.81 Augustine Kiprono Choge KEN

4 3:32.70 Arturo Casado ESP

5 3:32.82 Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono KEN

6 3:34.29 Ismael Kipngetich Kombich KEN

7 3:34.59 Thomas Lancashire GBR

8 3:35.66 Yusuf Saad Kamel BRN

9 3:36.50 Carsten Schlangen GER

10 3:37.13 Álvaro Fernández ESP

11 3:37.43 Collins Cheboi KEN

12 3:38.19 Yoann Kowal FRA

13 3:44.06 Peter van der Westhuizen RSA

DNF Martin Conrad GER

DNF Demma Daba ETH

DNF Moritz Waldmann GER

DNS Nicholas Kiptanui Kemboi KEN

Anyone know lap/split times?

Ask Gianni - he may have stolen a watch to time his stolen athlete with.

Nice PR for newly minted Euro champ Casado, looking to eclipse his 2005 form when he took 5th in the WC. If he can lower it another 1.5s, look for him to be a threat for bronze in 2011 with his blazing kick (IIRC he ran final 300m of ~38.low in tactical Spanish champs).

Kiplagat is a very gifted athlete. One thing is interesting though. Every time a non-Kenyan is winning over Choge, Kiplagat sprints past like a devil to win the race. Last time it was Laalou of Morocco. Looks as if he would not run fast to overtake his compatriots if no non-Kenyan in contention. He might be another Joseph Ebuya.

Choge has had a very long season compared to Kiplagat.usually by this time Choge's fitness is dropping but this year he has managed to maintain for abit longer.I reckon Choge can still do better if he improves his focus because he is one of those athletes that tends to relax abit too much which is both a good thing and sometimes a hindrence to better performance.

The reason because Silas wins in Monaco and Berlin is not that he didn't want the winner from another Country, but is that these two races were very fast. Silas has a very high AEROBIC POWER, superior to the most part of other specialists (last year, being weaker than this year, he ran 28' flat in a road race of 10 km in Tilburg). His training presents a very high volume (for example, he went for 5 x 800 in 2'02" + 5 x 600 in 1'29" + 5 x 400 in 58" 5 x 200 in 26" / 27", using recoveries of 3' between 800m, 2' between 600, 1' between 400 and 200m, for a total volume of 10 km), or very short recovery (last training before going to London was 6 x 400m in 56" / 57" / 54"6 / 55"8 / 56"5 / 56"2 with 50" / 60" recovery (100m jogging) + 6 x 200m in 26" with the last in 25"2 with 40" recovery, in the track of Chepkoilel). However, he is not very fast, and cannot have any chance with athletes as Asbel Kiprop or Laalou in case of tactical race (like in African Championships).

In Berlin, he showed good personality, starting to understand a different way to run.

In the history of the event, the strongest specialists always preferred to go in front in the last 500m (Morceli, Aouita, El Guerrouj, Cram), and Silas must follow the same tactic.

Personally, I think he can become a very strong specialist of 5000m, too. That's the reason because his plan is to run 1500m in Lille tomorrow, again 1500m on 29 in Rieti, and after to prepare for running his first 3000m in Milan (9.09), where the scheduled event was 5000m, but now was changed for giving Silas the opportunity to run about 7'30" in his first attempt in something longer on track.

Thanks so much for this great information, Renato. Kiplagat's strengths and characteristics as a runner do seem very much in line with his countryman, Augustine Choge who has struggled to get on the podum in 1500 finals. Kiplagat does seem to have a superior finish to Choge even if he doesn't have great speed. For a guy like Morceli, perhaps he didn't have great speed, but he closed in 50 or 51 seconds either way. Kiplagat ran a very nice close to run his 3:29, and if he can close his last lap in 52 seconds at a slower pace, his lack of speed wouldn't be as much of an issue even against Laalou or maybe even Kiprop.

I disagree with you .I reckon Choge is better than Kiplagat in every way i.e aerobic fitness,finishing speed,talent etc.Choge's problem is not physical ability neither is it lack of mental strenght because he has shown that when he won aganist Motram in that 5000m race at commonwealth.I reckon Choge's problem could be something very simple e.g lack of sufficient rest before racing or poor warmup, or loosing concentration or maybe over-hyping himself.

As far as Kiplagat is concerned i agree with Renato's assesment however i reckon he does not run smoothly/efficiently and perhaps if he improved in this area he would knock off 1/2 secs his PR.