Races: Lagat wins 1,500M, Webb Eighth at World’s in Osaka

This morning at the World Track and Field Championships, Alan Webb was set to challenge for the 1,500M title, but it was another American that won the gold. Bernard Lagat, formerly of Kenya but now running for the USA, won the 1,500M, as Alan Webb faded late in the race to finish eighth.

Here was the call from Sports Scope on USA Today:

9:04 a.m.: Getting set for the 1,500-meter final. Alan Webb, one of the biggest names in track since breaking Jim Ryun’s high school mile record in 2001, has been in great shape this year and has the world lead at 3:30.54. But he struggled in the semifinal, needing a furious kick to advance. Bernard Lagat, now running for the USA, has the fastest personal best (3:26.34) in this field but hasn’t been close to that this year. Bahrain’s Rashid Ramzi, the defending champion, also has been under 3:30 in his career.

9:06 a.m.: Webb pushes the pace, taking Lagat with him. He won’t try a solo breakaway here, but he doesn’t want to get caught up in another tactical race as he did in the semis.

9:07 a.m.: USA-Kenya duel here, with Webb conceding the lead for the moment but happy with the pace. One lap to go … Webb running with Kiprot.

9:09 a.m.: Webb dropped like a rock down the straight but it’s a U.S. gold … Bernard Lagat sails past the Kenyan runners for the win.

9:12 a.m.: Webb, who was in second around the final turn, wound up eighth, less than a second behind Lagat but more than five seconds off his world-leading time. Lagat won in 3:34.77, with Ramzi second at 3:35 even. Next came the two Kenyans, with Shedrack Kibet Korir at 3:35.04.

More coverage will coming from Osaka at the World Championships as it unfolds this week.

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