Lagat GOLD in 3k

Bekele ran like a rookie leaving the first lane open for Lagat.

Impressive race by Piedra...but why did he press his Garmin at the line? Official timing is pretty accurate.

So a dude with a 7:47 PR who ran the 800 in the 2004 Olympics gets the bronze. Nice.

beats Tariku Bekele! niceeeee

great! what was his last lap?

the second wrote:

The Ecuadoran's iaaf athlete bio-

http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=ECU/athcode=174594/index.html

WHAT THE F***????

wow, he really came outta nowhere and beat little bekele, that has to be a decent step forward in his career...

Guy ran a 1:47 last year ... it was a kicker's race. They ran low 8 pace - which should be an easy pace for these guys, and the guys with the "wheels" and fire in their bellies kicked like mother f*****s

the second wrote:

The Ecuadoran's iaaf athlete bio-

http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=ECU/athcode=174594/index.html

WHAT THE F***????

Lagat competed for Kenya in the Olympics while an American citizen. What part of that is confusing to you? I do like the guy though.

Wow. So you would have forfeited your chance to run in the olympics in which you were the favorite for your event (anyone remember EL G's 2004 before Athens?), just to call yourself an American for a few weeks longer? Kenya does not allow dual citizenships and therefore Lagat would have been banned from international competition. Would you really have done something different than what he did? I know 99% of us would not have.

I have met Mr. Lagat twice and, as the son of an immigrant, I find what he has done for this country to be truly admirable. Bernard is a role model not only because of his athletic and personal achievements, but the grace and honesty with which he has completed them. I really pity that you do not feel the same way.

He came to the US to live a better life; at one point didn't we all? I just can't comprehend why someone would have gripes with that fact.

'he isNOT AN AMERICAN'

Are you a native American? Were your ancestors who first cnale over treated in such a reprehensible way

Being xenophobic is un-American. Being born in Kenya is not.

"Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free"

Great race for Lagat, congrats to him on a great meet. The ecuador guy just got lucky, everybody is entitled to at least one fluke race in their life.

Lagat is American!

He is a human being.

That is enough to inspire another human being.

he's lived in the U.S. for something like 14 years, longer than many of you have been alive, and he is the greatest middle distance runner ever to don the U.S.A. jersey. This event had something of the feel of a world champs, and pretty solid competition, with obviously some key figures missing, but what he did was extremely impressive, particularly at his age. When Malmo was talking about Lagat running poorly for Lagat, he was overlooking his peaking schedule (go after world indoors, run an AR in the 5k early outdoors, then peak in August with an AR in the 3k) and the fact that he had run his best 1500m of the year at Monaco in July. Now he's run recently a 7:40 kicker's race, a 7:33-35, where he dropped off the pace, a 7:29.00 just back of little Bekele, and now 51 and 53 second hammers to win the only semblance of a world champs this year, on consecutive days. Sure, he competed for Kenya in 2004 just after becoming an American citizen, but he had no real choice: it was compete for Kenya or miss competing in the last Olympics during his peak years. Anyone else would have done the same. Stop for a moment obsessing about where he was born and what is the color of his skin and be grateful that the man CHOSE to make his home the U.S.A.

Nuff said!

Melting Pot wrote:

"Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free"

"...and your really fast guys too if you don't mind"

And a few more besides wrote:

Melting Pot wrote:

"Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free"

"...and your really fast guys too if you don't mind"

____________________________________________________________

At least the US didn't buy Lagat. He had to earn his citizenship just like every other immigrant who has earned citizenship in the last 40 or so years. He wasn't paid handsomely by the government, given a new "American-sounding" name and passport, and suddenly don a new jersey and citizenship, a la Bahrain and Qatar.

Notice how when Kenyans speak of Lagat it is almost universally with respect, despite his citizenship change, and despite their desire (and occasional team tactics) to beat him on the track. However, from what I've seen most of the top Kenyans universally despise the guys who run for Bahrain and Qatar.

The Stache wrote:

And a few more besides wrote:

"...and your really fast guys too if you don't mind"

____________________________________________________________

At least the US didn't buy Lagat. He had to earn his citizenship just like every other immigrant who has earned citizenship in the last 40 or so years. He wasn't paid handsomely by the government, given a new "American-sounding" name and passport, and suddenly don a new jersey and citizenship, a la Bahrain and Qatar.

Notice how when Kenyans speak of Lagat it is almost universally with respect, despite his citizenship change, and despite their desire (and occasional team tactics) to beat him on the track. However, from what I've seen most of the top Kenyans universally despise the guys who run for Bahrain and Qatar.

I am in full agreement with you. And I have a great deal of respect for Lagat - in how well he races, how he carries himself, and his well-earned status as an American.

I just wouldn't mind if they sent us a few more really fast folks.