Lagat wins 3000m in Glasgow with a world leading mark; Cougs earn eight wins in Nampa...
GLASGOW, Scotland--Reigning world indoor champion and Washington State hall of famer Bernard Lagat (left/photo courtesy British Athletics) opened his 2014 indoor season Saturday at the Sainsbury's Glasgow International Match at the Emirates Arena by winning the 3000 meters for Team USA.
In the unique 4-way scoring meet involving the USA, Great Britain, Scotland and the Commonwealth Select team, Lagat earned 4 points for Team USA by winning the 3000 in a time of 7:49.83, the fastest time in the world in this young season, and showed that he intends to defend his world championship in Sopot, Poland in March.
In doing so, he held off the challenge of Great Britain's Andy Vernon in the final kilometer after a modest first two kilometers led by Kenya's Vincent Rono of the Commonwealth select squad, crossing 1000 meters in 2:38.52, and 2000 in 5:21.86.
The Kenyan-born veteran remains highly motivated after proving he remains among the elite. “That makes me think I can do this,” he said. “So now what can I do at 39? It’s not getting any easier. I’m not getting faster. Time is getting shorter. But I still have to be motivated to do the best I can.”
However, Lagat's win for Team USA wasn't enough, as the Commonwealth Select (62) who held off Great Britain & Northern Ireland (59) to grab first place by three points, with the United States in third at 53 and the Scots fourth with 40.
In Nampa, Idaho, Washington State University track and field competitors won eight events Saturday at the Jacksons Invite/New Balance Boise Indoor.
Jacob Sealby was a double winner, taking the men’s 400m dash with an indoor PR time of 47.19 seconds. His twin brother, Lucas Sealby, finished fifth in the 400m with a time of 48.62. The Sealbys returned to the track at the end of the meet, joined by Terrance Chambers and CJ Allen, to win the 4x400m relay in a time of 3 minutes 16.75 seconds.
Jesse Jorgensen won the men's 800m in 1:51.87.
Abby Regan and Ruby Roberts finished one-two in the women’s 800m with Regan’s time of 2:11.90 and Roberts at 2:12.28.
The WSU women’s 4x400m relay team of Erin Allen, Christiana Ekelem, Bree Winfrey and Dominique Keel won with a time of 3:49.69.
On the field, Charlotte Muschamp won the women’s triple jump with an indoor personal-best distance of 39-feet 1/4 inch (11.89m). Austin Sodorff won the men’s pole vault with an indoor PR height of 16-6 3/4 (5.05m). PJ Benedictus won the men’s triple jump with an indoor PR distance of 49-3 (15.01m) while Tay’lor Eubanks was fifth with a leap of 46-3 1/2 (14.11m).
“Overall this was a good meet with a lot of things I was excited and encouraged by," said WSU head coach Rick Sloan.
“Every week we try to improve on where we were the previous week. We make corrections and train a little harder, get better and some people are making those corrections and others need to pick themselves up and get going. Some of the people we are depending on as a team are lagging behind and others are doing a great job. We need to get everybody on board as we move forward.”
NOTE: British Athletics, the IAAF, and the sports information office at Washington State University contributed to this report.
Comments