Lagat gets second in 5000m at Van Damme meeting...
BRUSSELS, Belgium--Washington State University alum Bernard Lagat (left/photo by Paul Merca) finished second in the 5000 meter run in the final IAAF Diamond League meet of the season, the Belgacom Memorial Van Damme at the King Baudouin Stadium.
The 38-year old American record holder in this event ran a season best time of 12:58.99, marking the fourth consecutive season that he's broken 13 minutes, and sixth season in his career with a sub-13 clocking.
After pacesetters Garrett Heath and Vincent Rono led the field through 3000 meters in 7:52.02, a group of nine men, including fellow Americans Galen Rupp and Evan Jager stuck together for the next four-plus laps.
At the bell, Lagat, who was positioned in fourth, moved past Rupp as the field entered the backstretch, positioning himself on the outside shoulder of the leader for the mad dash home, taking the lead with 200 to go.
As they entered the final straightaway, Ethiopia's Yenew Alamirew, who was ninth at this event at the world championships in Moscow a few weeks ago, turned the tables on Lagat, shooting past him on the outside with about 80 meters to go, taking the win in 12:58.75.
After Lagat, Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia, the silver medalist in this event in Moscow was third in 12:59.33.
Courtesy of Universal Sports, here's highlights of the race:
TRACK SHORTS: University of Washington alum Katie Mackey of the Brooks Beasts is on the start list for the 3000 meters for Sunday's Rieti Meeting, the final stop on the IAAF World Challenge meet of the season.
Mackey's run two meets in the month of August, winning the Falmouth Mile on the 10th in 4:41.39, and an 800 meter race last Saturday (8/31) in Amsterdam in 2:05.19
Her PR in the 3000 is 9:11.87, set lat year in Uppsala, Sweden.
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