Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley After winning both the 1500 meter and 5,000 meter titles at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, Bernard Lagat set his sights on a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At Osaka he became the first athlete to double in the 1500 and 5,000 at a world championship meet. The Kenyan-born Lagat had become a naturalized U. S. citizen in 2005, and was ready to win gold for his newly adopted country. An injured Achilles tendon left him with no medals at Beijing. His next target was the recently completed 2009 World Championships at Berlin. Unfortunately, his fellow Kenyans and many other African runners were not happy with his becoming a U. S. citizen, and showed their displeasure in the 1,500-meter run at Berlin, purposely blocking in Lagat against the rail when it came to final finish. Ten runners had a chance to win in the final stretch. Lagat had to fight his way away from the rail and still finished 3rd in 3:36.20 to claim the Bronze Medal. Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain won in 3:35.93, and Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia was runner-up in 3:36.01. Two Kenyans followed Lagat. There were 8 Africans among the 12 runners (not including Lagat); such is the state of middle and long-distance running in world competition. Lagat was spiked in the prelims of the 5,000, but ran in the finals anyway with a bandaged leg and ankle, picking up the Silver Medal, and almost beating Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, who won in 13:17.09. Both Lagat and Bekele ran the last lap of the 5,000 in 53 and change. For one brief, fleeting moment, Lagat pulled ahead in the stretch but Bekele's foot speed was better as Lagat was nipped by 24-hundredths of a second, finishing in 13:17.33. For the record, Bekele is 27, and Lagat is 34, 7.5 years older. America's middle distance runners have not had many moments to celebrate. Former University of Oregon star Galen Rupp, a favorite of American fans, is an example. Rupp ran a season-best 27:37.99 in the 10,000 meters, but finished 8th and was 51 seconds behind Kenenisa Bekele, who won in 26:46.31. Bekele became the first runner to double in the 5,000 and 10,000 at a world championship meet. While Lagat and Rupp did not win gold at Berlin, other American competitors did. Among the men, Christian Cantwell won the shot put, Dwight Phillips the long jump, Hardee Trey the decathlon, Kerron Clement the 400-meter hurdles (47.91), LaShawn Merritt the 400 meters (44.06), and the American 4x400 relay team won in 2:57.86 with Angelo Taylor, Jeremy Wariner, Kerron Clement and LaShawn Merritt. Among the women, Brittney Reese won the long jump, Allyson Felix the 200 meters (22.02), Sanya Richards the 400 meters (49.00), and the American 4x400 relay team won in 3:17.83 with Debbie Dunn, Allyson Felix, Lashinda Demus and Sanya Richards. Jamaica's Usain Bolt proved his 2008 Beijing Olympic world-record wins in the 100 and 200-meter dashes were no fluke. Bolt lowered both of his world records by taking the 100 in 9:58 (becoming the first man to ever run under 9.6) and the 200 in 19.19 (becoming the first man to ever run under 19.2). Is Usain Bolt THE greatest sprinter of all time? Well, yes, without a doubt. His only doubters might be the runners he beat on the way to the records.
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