NEW YORK, Feb 1, 2008 (AFP) - Kenyan-born US star Bernard Lagat captured his sixth Wanamaker Mile title, edging Australian Craig Mottram for the second year in a row here Friday at the 101st Millrose Games indoor athletics meet.
The 33-year-old reigning world outdoor 1,500- and 5,000-meter champion who became a US citizen in 2004 defended his crown in 3mins, 57.51secs with Mottram second in 3:57.90 in what could preview a Beijing Olympics 1,500m showdown.
New Zealand’s Nick Willis was third in 3:58.14 with American Galen Rupp fourth in 4:02.17 in the feature race at Madison Square Garden.
Lagat took the Olympic 1,500 bronze at the 2000 Sydney Games and a silver medal in 2004 at Athens and hopes to improve once more for Beijing gold.
Lagat won last week at Glasgow while Mottram, 27, was winning at Boston in tuneup races, moved within one Millrose mile triumph of matching Irishman Eamonn Coghlan’s all-time record in the 11-lap event.
Leonard Scott, the 2006 world indoor champion, won the men’s 60m in 6.59 seconds with compatriot Dabryan Blanton second in 6.64.
Carmelita Jeter won the women’s 60m in 7.29 with US 4x100m world outdoor champion relay teammates Miki Barber second in 7.30 and Angela Daigle-Bowen third in 7.32.
Two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson won the shot put with a final heave of 22.07 :eek: meters with 2007 winner Christian Cantwell second at 21.33m and reigning world indoor and outdoor champion Reese Hoffa third at 21.13m.
Canada’s Priscilla Lopes-Schliep won the women’s 60m hurdles in 7.95 with compatriot Perdita Felicien, the 2003 world outdoor and 2004 world indoor 100m hurdles champion, second in 8.05 and American Damu Cherry third in 8.07.
Reigning Olympic 100m hurdles champion Joanna Hayes of the United States was a disappointing fourth in 8.08.
American Kara Goucher, third at 10,000m at last year’s world outdoors, won the women’s mile in 4:36.03 with American Sara Hill second in 4:36.11.
Russian Liliya Shobukova, the 2006 world indoor 3,000m runner-up and former world record-holder at the distance, was third in 4:37.10.
American Bershawn Jackson, the 2005 world outdoor 400m hurdles champion, won the 600 yards in 1:10.34 with Khadevis Robinson, the reigning US outdoor 800m champion, second in 1:10.53 and Jamaica’s Michael Blackwood third in 1:11.88.
[b]Lashinda Demus, who gave birth to twins last June and began training for the Beijing Olympics three weeks later, won her first race since the birth by taking the 600 yards in 1:20.79, .52 ahead of Angel Perkins.
It's really tough. I had to keep myself going because I wanted to give up,'' Demus said of her training. That was my first victory post babies so I’m really excited.’’ [/b]
American Jillian Schwartz won the women’s pole vault by clearing 4.63m with two-time US champion Jenn Stuczynski second at 4.63 on more misses while 2000 Olympic champion Stacy Dragila failed to clear the opening 4.23m height.