Posted: June 10, 2004

Athletics: Alan Webb Taking His International Breakthrough In Stride

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

by Bob Ramsak

(BERGEN, Norway) -- After his world record run in the 10,000 meters, Kenenisa Bekele was certainly the happiest athlete in Ostrava's Vitkovice Stadium on Tuesday evening. But if a measure of personal delight can be accurately assessed, U.S. miler Alan Webb was certainly a close second.

When he powered across the finish line to win the 1500 meters with a personal best and world-leading 3:32.73, Webb punched his fist into the eastern Czech sky. As collective jaws dropped in the sold-out stadium, a vivacious ear-to-ear smile emerged.

“I feel great!” Webb said after the race, clutching his winner’s trophy, a dazzling crystal running shoe laced with gold trim. “I just raced away. I figured, I’ll either die and run fast, or I’ll win and run fast.”

Topping the deepest 1500 meter field assembled yet this season, Webb managed to beat back the challenge of fast-closing Ukrainian Ivan Heshko, perrenial top miler Bernard Lagat, and Olympic champion Noah Ngeny, among others.

Tucked in behind the pacemakers from the outset, Webb took the lead when the rabbits dropped out. He was expecting a move by others, but none emerged.

"I was waiting,” Webb said. “I made a move with about 150 to go, then I sort of relaxed a little bit. Then with 50 to go, I went again, just to make sure, and not take any chances. Just go all the way. And, there you go.”

Unaccustomed to seeing a top-level metric miler from the U.S. in recent years, members of the international press corps gathered in Ostrava were notably impressed with their first glimpse of the young American their colleagues across the Atlantic had been talking about for the past three years. Sprinter Justin Gatlin met Webb with a strong embrace. Even Stacy Dragila, who cleared a world outdoor best of 4.83 in the pole vault, interrupted an interview when Webb crossed the line. Stunned, she asked, "Did Alan just win?"

It was the international breakthrough that so many expected from the 21-year-old since he broke Jim Ryun's 36-year-old national high school record in the mile at the Prefontaine Classic in 2001. Moreover, his 3:53.43 that year was the fastest mile by an American since 1998, signaling the start of his role as “the next great American miler.” But after a successful freshman cross country season at the University of Michigan, troubles began. Failing to meet his own high expectations, Webb left college the following spring to pursue the sport professionally, but struggles with both injury and illness followed. In July 2003, he underwent surgery for a burst appendix and didn’t race again until late last autumn.

Gradually he returned to form last winter, highlighted by a fourth place finish in the 12-K race at the national cross country championships. Doubts nonetheless trailed Webb, until his recent 17-day competitive stretch. On May 22, he lowered his personal best to 3:35.71 at the Home Depot Invitational in Carson, Calif. while notching his first major win. Nine days later, he was fourth at the FBK-games in Hengelo, Netherlands, improving again to 3:33.70. Last Saturday in Seville, he won the 800 meter ‘B’race handily in 1:46.53, another personal best.

Webb said that despite his recent success, he arrived in Ostrava with few expectations.

“It's a lot different running over here than it is in the U.S.,” he said. “It's so competitive, and I feel like I can't have any expectations. You just have to go in. It sounds as if you don't believe in yourself," he continued, "but it's so competitive. There's no guarantees in anything. It's almost easier, you know you're not expected to win every time. So you're just like, 'I'll go, if I get fourth, that's fine, if I get first, that's cool too. I tried, and it worked. I feel like I have no pressure. I'm so young on the circuit, anything can happen. I've already accomplished some of my goals this year."

But now that some of the world’s premiere milers have seen his back, expectations are going to grow.

"Sure, a little bit, but mainly because I always think I can do better. It's just one step on the road. It's a long year. I'm just taking it in stride. You can't back off in your training or anything like that. You always have to go into a race being ready.”

Originally scheduled to run in Friday’s Evergood Bislett meeting in Bergen, Norway, the first stop of the six-meet Golden League series, Webb decided to end his brief European tour in Ostrava.

"This was like a little min-racing season, I guess you can call it. And this was a good way to end my mini-European tour.”

His next race will be the mile at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore. on June 19, then he said he will resume his preparations for the U.S. Olympic Trials in mid-July.

Despite his notable improvement this spring, Webb doesn't seem too concerned that he’s running too fast too soon.

"I don’t think so. I’m just out there. I think there's a lot of room for improvement in terms of training, it's just a matter of continuing. For me, this is super fast, but for these guys, they’ve run 3:30, 3:29. I'm very happy, but there's a lot of running left to do. It's early. I'm not going to back off at all.”

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