Date:02/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/02/stories/2008080261182100.htm

Sport

Lagat aiming for a double

K.P. Mohan

Kenya’s loss has been America’s gain

— PHOTO: AFP

FORMIDABLE CONTESTANT: Bernard Lagat’s world champion status and the experience of two Olympics will stand in good stead at Beijing.

In 2003 he was eased out of the Kenyan team at the Paris World championships when the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) told his team management that he had tested positive for EPO. It turned out to be a false alarm. Bernard Lagat’s ‘B’ sample came back ‘negative’.

Lagat, born in Kenya, but now a U.S. citizen, sued the IAAF and WADA in a German court over that “doping incident”, spurned an out-of-court settlement and lost the case.

Today, he is a double world champion, having won the 1500 metres and the 5000 metres at the Osaka World championships last year.

IAAF defended itself by arguing that it had only informed the Kenyan federation of Lagat’s ‘positive’ and the decision to withdraw him from the World championships was that of Kenyan team management.

Perhaps Lagat’s switch in 2005 to the U.S., where he was a student at the Washington University, might have been influenced by his experience in Paris.

Surprising show

Kenya’s loss has been America’s gain. He did compete at the last Olympics under the Kenyan banner, winning the silver in the 1500 metres, but donned the U.S. vest in Osaka, while gaining a surprise double.

Not many would remember him coming third in the Sydney Olympics when another Kenyan, Noah Ngeny shocked Moroccan Hicham El-Guerrouj in the metric mile. Since then Lagat has grown in stature considerably. In a season list dominated by the Kenyans, Lagat does not figure in the top-30 for the 1500 metres this year.

Yet, he is a formidable contestant, if only keeping in mind his world champion status and the medal each he had won in Sydney and Athens.

Lagat will have to tackle Daniel Kipchirchir Komen and Asbel Kiprop, two of his erstwhile countrymen, in the Beijing 1500 metres. Not too far will be Frenchman Mehdi Baala and Bahrain’s Belal Manoor Ali, among a horde of talented runners from Africa.

Lagat qualified to represent the U.S. in both the events by winning the Olympic trials in Eugene from where Alan Webb, one of America’s many hopefuls and American record holder in the mile, failed to make it, finishing fifth.

Lagat will have a much tougher time in the 5000 metres in the Olympics where the Kenyans and Ethiopians are expected to call the shots.

Yet, his victory over Eliud Kipchoge, 13:45.87 to 13:46.00 in Osaka should give him the psychological edge.