"To me it is like winning the Olympics today" - Lagat wins historic eighth Wanamaker Mile

By Joe Battaglia, Universal Sport

In a race that exemplified his mastery of winning tactics, Bernard Lagat ran comfortably behind the leaders before unleashing his trademark kick on the way to a comfortable victory in the Wanamaker Mile at the 103rd Millrose Games. With the victory, Lagat snapped a tie with Eamonn Coghlan of Ireland, who won seven titles between 1977 and 1987.

As he stood on the track waiting for his formal race introduction, Bernard Lagat craned his neck up to the jumbo screens hanging from the rafters and watched a highlight reel of his past accomplishments.

It was perfect fodder to inspire his competitors, but it also served as motivation for Lagat.

"I actually debated whether I should watch it or not," Lagat said. "I decided, ‘You know what? I'm watching this.' I thought it might give me a boost. As I was watching, I noticed the gap right before the finish line and I remembered that I didn't feel so well at that time. I felt a lot better today and I told myself, ‘You're going to do this.'"

In a race that exemplified his mastery of winning indoor tactics, Lagat ran comfortably behind Olympic gold medalist Asbel Kiprop of Kenya before unleashing a kick that was punishing in both the quickness and effectiveness of its execution.

The final lap served as a coronation as the crowd of 11,510 saluted Lagat with a standing ovation as he cruised to an unprecedented eighth victory in the Wanamaker Mile in 3:56.34 Friday night at the 103rd Millrose Games in Madison Square Garden.

With the victory, Lagat snapped a tie with the great Eamonn Coghlan of Ireland, who earned the moniker "Chairman of the Boards" after conquering the famed banked wooden track here seven times between 1977 and 1987. After taking a victory lap, Lagat found Coghlan, who was trackside, and the two shared a warm embrace.

"To me it is like winning the Olympics today," Lagat, a winner of two Olympic medals and seven World Championship medals, said. "I've been coming here since 2001, and today I was signing autographs for kids who I'm pretty sure were not even born in 2001. I love the crowd here. They never say it's too late and leave. They stay every year to the end to watch this race. To me, that's special."

The fans were rewarded for the dedication by another special performance by Lagat.

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