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Lagat Victorious in 5000m;
Teg, Dobson Round Out Team

Posted July 1st, 2008 at 2:09 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Image details: U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials - Day Four served by picapp.com

Double World Champion Bernard Lagat used a magnificent finish to cruise away from the field and win the 5000m at the 2008 US Olympic Trials. Matt Tegenkamp and Ian Dobson also used strong kicks to book their tickets to Beijing in what turned out to be a battle between five men for three Olympic spots.

The field assembled for the 5000m finals at this year’s Olympic Trials was billed as one of the deepest ever to lineup for a US championship. Seven athletes in the field (Tegenkamp, Solinsky, Asmeron, Lagat, Vaughn, Dobson, and Riley) had achieved the A standard of 13:21.50 within the qualifying window and several others were considered capable of reaching the standard in this race. The team would be comprised of the top three finishers with the A standard, either from this race or a previous one. This rule forced those without the standard to worry about keeping the pace honest while allowing those with the standard to relax and focus on their opponents.

The race started out with a surprise as recent University of Colorado runner Brent Vaughn (who did have the A standard) took it out hard with a 63s first quarter, leading the rest of the field by about 4 seconds. Vaughn is not known for his closing speed so he was perhaps hoping to be helped to a breakaway by those without the A standard. Vaughn continued to lead by 30-40 yards for most of the first mile, but the pack began reeling him in towards the 1600 mark (4:19 for Vaughn, 4:21 for the field) and he was caught on the next lap. The pack relaxed for two laps before Adam Goucher took initiative shortly before the 3k.

Goucher tried to get the leaders back on track for the A standard, but was eventually engulfed and stepped off with two laps to go to save himself for the Friday’s 10000m final. With three laps remaining OTC runner Bolota Asmeron went to the front but was overtaken by a big Chris Solinsky move 200m later. Solinsky quickened the pace significantly in an effort to take the sting out of some of the field’s kickers and quickly whittled the contenders down to five (Solinsky, Asmeron, Lagat, Tegenkamp, and Dobson). At the bell these five runners were jockeying for position but Solinsky still held the lead with 200m remaining.

At that point Lagat smoothly shifted gears and just blew away the other runners with his remarkable closing speed. Tegenkamp appeared to stumble with about 175m remaining but quickly gathered himself to power home in second. Dobson moved up on the outside and sprinted home for the last Olympic berth ahead of Asmeron and Solinsky. Villanova’s Bobby Curtis led the second group while Vaughn held on for ninth.

Tonight’s race added yet another chapter to the famed distance legacy of Oregon’s Hayward Field. It is fitting that the strongest US men’s 5000m team in recent memory was assembled on Steve Prefontaine’s old stomping grounds, and we look forward to seeing them compete in Beijing.

1 Bernard Lagat Nike 13:27.47
2 Matt Tegenkamp Nike 13:29.68
3 Ian Dobson adidas 13:29.76
4 Bolota Asmerom Oregon TC Elite 13:31.24
5 Chris Solinsky Nike 13:32.17
6 Robert Curtis Reebok 13:35.00
7 Stephen Pifer Colorado 13:37.46
8 Matthew Gabrielson Reebok 13:38.06
9 Brent Vaughn Nike 13:39.15
10 Thomas Morgan ZAP Fitness 13:47.76
11 Kyle King ZAP Fitness 13:51.03
12 Ryan Vail Oklahoma State 13:54.77
13 Jonathon Riley Nike 13:57.58
– Adam Goucher Nike DNF
– Galen Rupp unattached DNS
– Josh Rohatinsky Nike DNS

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