Lagat wins 5000 meters at IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup...

SPLIT, Croatia--Washington State University graduate Bernard Lagat (left/photo by Paul Merca) used a 51-second final lap to win the 5000 meters at the IAAF Continental Cup and earn the $30000 first place check and eight points for Team Americas.

After the field went through the first 3000 meters in a ridiculously slow 8:46.81, a time good enough to compete in most US high school state championship meets, Uganda's Moses Kipsiro picked up the pace marginally, taking the field through the 4000 meter mark at 11:33.47 or 2:46.66, as all nine runners remained in contention.

The final kilometer was covered in 2:24, as Lagat's miler speed took him across the line in a final time of 13:58.23, .22 seconds ahead of Kipsiro. The WSU grad took the lead for good shortly after entering the home straight.

Afterwards, Lagat said, “It’s 12 and a half laps, so that's never easy,” said Lagat who, at 35 set new U.S. records at both 3000 and 5000 metres this season. “But I felt very comfortable and felt very confident.” Particularly over the final lap, which he covered in just over 51 seconds.

Already a World Cup champion in the 1500m from 2002, Lagat will now be aiming for a double in Sunday'’s 3000m to become the first person to win titles in three different events. “I’m looking to take another tomorrow,” he said.

In the women's javelin, Vancouver's Kara Patterson, perhaps feeling the effects of a long season, finished sixth with a throw of 190-6 (58.07m) and a check for $3000; however the mark was well short of her season long goal to throw 200 feet on a consistent basis.

Russian Maria Abakumova won the competition with a meet record throw of 223-7 (68.14m).

On her Twitter page, Patterson said, "Worst meet of season to end it..my body hurt, couldn't get my mind past it, pretty frustrated."

Results from the IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup are available here.

OTHER RESULTS AND LINKS--Three time US Olympian Aretha Thurmond, a Renton HS & University of Washington graduate, finished fourth in the discus at the Meeting Citta' di Padova on Friday in Padova, Italy.

Thurmond threw 192-8 (58.72m), as Poland's Joanna Wisniewska won with a toss of 195-8 (59.64m).

Results from the Citta' di Padova are available here.

In advance of this weekend's IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup (formerly the World Cup) as a member of the Americas team, here's an article written by David Woods of the Indianapolis Star on Vancouver's Kara Patterson.

Patterson has eight of the 11 longest U.S. throws ever -- all of them this year. Track & Field News has touted her as a candidate to be U.S. female Athlete of the Year in the sport.

You can read it here…