Lagat ends U.S. drought with 1,500 win

Bernard Lagat became the first American man to win a global 1,500-meter title in 99 years when he swept to victory down the home straight at the world championships on Wednesday. The Kenyan-born 32-year-old only qualified to run for his adopted country last year but his finish in three minutes 34.77 seconds was enough to a break an American drought stretching back to the 1908 Olympics. (WCSN, WCSN.com)

[@ernesttubb]

To those of you saying "doesn't count, he's a Kenyan": The USA is a nation of immigrants. If he's done what it takes to become an American citizen, then he's an American. I'm proud to have him on our team.

[@seanhendricks5389]

I agree. I’m proud to have him on the team too. It is understandable that people want to see their athletes “domestically bred”. In a way it shows that American running culture is going in the right direction

[@slaythedragonstrackclub]

I’m sorry but he was born and raised in Kenya. There really is no way around this 😭

[@ernesttubb]

@@slaythedragonstrackclub I'm sorry but he is now an U.S. citizen. There really is no way around this.

[@slaythedragonstrackclub]

@@ernesttubb signing some paperwork is completely different then being born and raised somewhere

[@robinbauer1975]

@@ernesttubba kenyan won this World Championship and his name is Bernad Lagat, he is a US american he is a US american citizen but a Kenyan won this race with the heart of a kenyan, plus he represented kenya already in two Olympic games He is no american and kenya was cheated on for one World Title

[@AgTFXCRunner]

I met him today, here at Washington State University. He's an amazing person.

[@bzman149]

with 100m to go, lagat still looked so relaxed! amazing!

[@trackandfieldarchive]

Ramzi at 1:13 is thinking "I need a new steroid supplier, this stuff obviously isnt good enough"

[@kenxhas]

Bernard Lagat was from Kenya. He and Eric were recruited from there by WSU. At least, that's what they told me. I was friends with him, Eric, and Rasto at WSU in Pullman. He ran this at the Kibbie Dome at the University of Idaho broke the record. He's a great athlete, as well as a great guy.

[@TheMachanga]

Ramzi at 1:11 lol. "Damn i need a new dealer this stuff isn't working"

[@MrKylepg]

I do enjoy seeing this comment being almost exactly the same as the one above it. At least we are all on the same page .

[@kenxhas]

Bernard and Eric were definitely beyond most of the others. They told me that they would trade off who was kicker. It was something else.

[@bootymanager]

Webb, this guy needs to get his shit together. A bloke of his calibre is capable of winning a race like this.

[@YiftertheShifter1]

@Makbelly Lagat used to run 1.5 miles to school and back (for lunch) and then the same trip after lunch- 6 miles every day. The transportation system in many of these countries are faulty, forcing schoolchildren to run... and they are punished if they're late, so often they had to hurry. That provided a base for many of the great distance runners of our day.

[@MrKylepg]

Paul Tergat lived right next to his school

[@joe03056]

The "Lagat ends the US drought".... What a kind thing for a Kenyan to do ;-)

[@coolcat139]

Thanks strikthrice...represent indeed. Lagat really showed that it takes more than raw talent to achieve success. His smart running in the trials paid off. I am not sure what Webb was thinking. Oh well.

[@MarkSyno]

That is one hell of a flying pack, and they mostly all finish with a second of the winner!

[@joe03056]

@mikepannellgraber I'm glad you approve. As you liked my first comment so much, you might be interested to know that he lived in his native country, Kenya, up until the age of 22 and competed for Kenya up to the age of 30. Magnificent runner he is, US runner he ain't although I can see the financial value of him running for the US. If you have any other compliments or comments, pleas do let me know.

[@cicirunner]

I'm with you on that

[@javelot800g]

I agree with you, rabbits are so helpful for world rocords, I myself wanted to be one, I did 1:49:00 when I was 20. i'm 25 and haven't been training for almost 3 years, so a dream is gone away.

[@gunjitsingh]

Lagat is clearly the second most famous Kenyan American

[@thenotice]

oh wow. finally someone who doesn't hate America.....that.....that is rare nowadays. and thank you.

[@uncheelpride23]

chyeah chyeah bernard lagat

[@davd1986]

Good for you. As well you should be, because if it wasn't for him these last few years, US distance running would be rather irrelevant.

[@AssHoleThunder]

lol who won the race? i was busy staring at kiprops long legs

[@AgencyEric]

The landscape has definitely changed in the three years since your post. USA has plenty of good runners now, and lots of up and coming talents!

[@westasics]

Haha, he was born in Kenya, but we'll take what we can get!

[@hibbitish]

@ViresVeneratio Life expectancy is an unimportant statistic. The fact that the living conditions are so difficult in Kenya assure that only the strongest survive. The fact of the matter is, while American kids are eating McDonalds and playing Black Ops, Kenyan kids are running to and from school. This base will help them when the start racing competitively at the normal high school age.

[@groupthree314]

Alan Webb faded like a champ

[@keanureeves3319]

Bro faded like Alan Walker

[@javelot800g]

A car accident, that's why I dont see Noah Ngeny anymore, but El G was great, and his time speaks for itself 3:26:00, and the 2000 Olympics ended in 3:32:07

[@rossleavitt1662]

This may sound really stupid but was Alan Webb in this race?

[@imchamp4324]

Right there till the last hundred

[@shoot210]

if u are not 100% sure dont say nothin he aint kenyan he's from sudan

[@donkeykong4712]

Really random: the 1200 meter split was the exact same as the 2004 Athens Olympic 1500m final..2:55.21!

[@Steven679]

I agree completely, I think nerves get to him though. he always seem to choke at the crucial point in a big race.

[@xcrunner000]

with the way webb was that year I was really surprised that he didn't medal in this race :^/

[@boomboombam6]

Sorry I'm not American, I just like to give respect to other countries by spelling their names right

[@memgrizz1132225033]

@futuremodal hopefully rupp, solinsky, and maybe in a few years lukas verzbicas can turn it around

[@freedomm]

uhh...No. He's from KENYA. The American flag bearer at the opening ceremony, Lolmolong, who also runs 1500 is the one who's from Sudan. They don't even look alike. Lagat is shorter, Lolmolog is taller and darker.

[@henryniciuhh]

everybody stop fighting and just remember this, everyone has a chance to be as great as him, you just have to awaken your inner kenyan haha (;

[@paintballx2008x]

how the hell did lagat make that win look soo easy?

[@AssHoleThunder]

woah...teenager....god damn

[@boomboombam6]

If you're such a "Kanyan" fan, spell it right, it's KENYAN with an "e"

[@javelot800g]

I wanna tell you something, going after rabbits it's not easy, it is still a hard work to do, to follow them you really have to be up to it, trained well and in a good form

[@59ALILO]

bravo hichamm le rifi du 59 vous di ca va comme ca vive mohamed6 vives les marocains et vive le maroc ..allah alwoitan almalik.le sahara dima marocaines

[@linearmemories]

webb is alot better than you think..just because hes not in the top 3 of the world doesnt mean he's nowhere. he's 7th in the mile i believe.

[@love2CUsmile86]

He is still American even though he is born in Kenyan. American is not an ethnicity but it is a nationality.

[@USATFJUMPER]

Wooow yea USA i feel a great Olympics yet again this summer :D Cant wait

[@shoot210]

srry man ur rite it was lopez lomong srry u rite

[@shoot210]

srry 2 break it 2 u but he's from sudan

[@BattleRifle112]

Oh c'mon, of course he'll get somewhere. He's competing with the best in the world, maybe you should consider that.

[@st00pidfart]

HOLY FUCK. Why does EVERYONE always have to take hits at the US? Calm the fuck down, seriously.

[@467076]

They all got nike matumbos.

[@HeWentToJared23]

um. webb has the us record. salted

[@HeWentToJared23]

3:46*

[@Tomdude25]

Hmm if I lived in Kenya I would love America so much more too! And who won the world championship in the 1500 in this video? I think his name was Bernard Lagat. So you're trying to say he's worse than they Kenyans when he was the one who beat the whole world?

[@coolcat139]

No, he's an American. He lives here, he's a citizen here, he wants to live and work here. He calls this place home. I am pretty sure he didn't go through all the hard work and trouble of getting his citizenship for you to say he is not an American...alrighty?

[@467076]

Hey remember when Lagat was kenyan.

[@Winston408]

if being beat by Bekele means your weak then everyone in the world is a weak egg.

[@MrHichamovish]

Ramzy should have won this Race he just took the false Side and didn't had the space to sprint in the last 60m neverthelese he got the 2nd place

[@YiftertheShifter1]

@SunnyIllusion Please, track and field does not need or appreciate your cynicism. Lagat has never been charged with illegal performance-enhancing drug use, and no malice has ever been proven. Lagat is a very highly-respected athlete and I understand why you're so jealous of him and his accomplishments. If you are so convinced of drug use... why not complain to the IAAF?

[@hibbitish]

@ViresVeneratio People in comments before me echo what I have said about the cultures in which we live in. I don't know what you think about Kenyans being superior to American distance runners as you haven't stated your opinion on that, but I assure you that I'm not trolling.

[@coolcat139]

If you spell Kenya, S U D A N, then yes, he is from Sudan..Also, if Sudan is in the Kaptel village, near Kapsabet town in Nandi District, then yes, he is from Sudan. Do you spell Sudan, K E N Y A? lol...

[@joeschmo5699]

Lagat takes it for "America."

[@RazerGonth]

Lagat came to the U.S because it was a place of opportunity. He had a chance to leave the poverty of Kenya to have a brighter future. Like many immigrants, they go to places of opportunity. He didn't deny anyone of the Olympics in america. It isn't his fault that he was talented and others couldn't compete with him. Just because they are lifetime american's doesn't mean the deserve anything. So quit with the whole childish nationalism bullshit. Lagat earned his place. Just like everyone else.

[@RazerGonth]

To those of you saying "doesn't count, he's a Kenyan": The USA is a nation of immigrants. If he's done what it takes to become an American citizen, then he's an American. I'm proud to have him on our team.

[@brenwalsh9232]

Lagat is Kenyan, and noting will change that.

[@RazerGonth]

Lagat came to the U.S because it was a place of opportunity. He had a chance to leave the poverty of Kenya to have a brighter future. Like many immigrants, they go to places of opportunity. He didn't deny anyone of the Olympics in america. It isn't his fault that he was talented and others couldn't compete with him. Just because they are lifetime american's doesn't mean the deserve anything. So quit with the whole childish nationalism bullshit. Lagat earned his place. Just like everyone else.

[@coolcat139]

Were you replying to me? Hope not. I was speaking to the idiots who said he wasn't American...and if you want to get technical, yes, he is Kenyan American. But who the hell runs around saying "here is my Scotish-American friend Josh?" or "hello, have you met my English-American wife?". For the record, I am Irish/Scotish/Native American American....but who cares! lol

[@SmoothMike]

@futuremodal ok do you think chinese people are genetically equal with black people in high jumping ability? Genetic ability overlaps for the different races, but some races are clearly better suited for certain things. Not saying that all Kenyans are genetically faster than all Americans, but in general a Kenyans have better genes for distance running.

[@coolcat139]

Lagat is an American. If your litness test for an America is dependent on where someone was born...you are in for a rude awakening. I see you are an American...only 20 years old...too bad you couldn't have told your great great great grandparents they weren't Americans - priceless.

[@SmoothMike]

@futuremodal umm, no it tells you something about the pathetic state of US distance running genetics. Our distance training is just as effective as anywhere else. Bernard Lagat proves this. He is Kenyan, but he trains in America and wins anyway. It's just the Kenyan gene pool is better suited for distance running than the American gene pool.

[@Haileynh20]

I wonder if Allen Webb get's it...that he is not the greatest runner that he said he is. He is too Arrogant and can't prove his talent when it matters.

[@randyevermore9323]

Don't recall Webb ever saying anything like that. You need to provide a source for your claim. But Webb was great sometimes. He blew Lagat away at the U.S. championships just a couple of months before the race shown in the video. And Webb ran 1:43.8 for 800 and 27:34 for 10,000, both much faster than Lagat's PRs. Webb did not fare well in major championships, though.

[@hibbitish]

Maybe if we cut all public transportation, made kids run to school every day, and then glorified running as the only way out of poverty so that a majority of American kids would want to run instead of let's say... play football, maybe we'd have a chance. Until then, Kenyan phenoms who run 10 miles a day growing up and 80 miles per week of professional training all throughout high school will continue to beat us.

[@EndlersaurusRex]

@awhackk We swept the 400 in Beijing. Wut.

[@aricvh]

ofcourse hes not gunna win the olympics next year, webb is

[@jwkaricho]

@MrViolentlyHappy i thought every one came to America accept Native.

[@savinorojas6836]

USA USA USA!!!!

[@TheKrazydreams]

you could tell he wanted to win he speed up at the end when others slowed down

[@christopherhosford7805]

Was Maree American so he could circumvent the then boycott of South Africa? Was Budd British for the same reason? And one of the most laughable, was Kipketer Norwegian? Great runners all, but no, I'll never accept Legat as "American."

[@smooveXXX]

Couple of drug cheats in first and second there. No big deal

[@rochelleluv]

haha the US has to get a kenyan to run for them hahaha steroids must be good

[@MrKylepg]

A Kenyan who was educated in America, trains in America, lives in America, and legally is an American. Welcome home Kip

[@warner003]

The unitied states wouldnt even get an athlete in the final 1500m! ...ket alone 3rd and if it wasnt for drugs, the united states would get shit all medals in athletics all together

[@addis11100]

lagat is weak athlete he just lost 3000 again by kenenisa

[@coolcat139]

Wow, seeing so much xenophobia and irrational nationalism here....hilarious, but really sad though.

[@kornado8833]

American man?...are you kidding me?...he is Kenyan living in america

[@donkeykong4712]

He's an American citizen now

[@RazerGonth]

Lagat came to the U.S because it was a place of opportunity. He had a chance to leave the poverty of Kenya to have a brighter future. Like many immigrants, they go to places of opportunity. He didn't deny anyone of the Olympics in america. It isn't his fault that he was talented and others couldn't compete with him. Just because they are lifetime american's doesn't mean the deserve anything. So quit with the whole childish nationalism bullshit. Lagat earned his place. Just like everyone else.

[@RazerGonth]

To those of you saying "doesn't count, he's a Kenyan": The USA is a nation of immigrants. If he's done what it takes to become an American citizen, then he's an American. I'm proud to have him on our team.