Posted: September 7, 2005

Athletics: USATF News & Notes, Volume 6, Number 69

Lagat, Arnold, Glover win in Berlin

Bernard Lagat, Dominique Arnold and Sandra Glover each won their respective events Sunday at the final IAAF Golden League event of the year, the ISTAF meet in Berlin, Germany.

One of a pack of six runners at the bell, Lagat demonstrated his miler's speed by flying away from his opponents to win the men's 5,000 meters in a new personal best time of 12 minutes, 59.29 seconds. The time makes him the second-fastest American of all time, behind American record holder Bob Kennedy, and is the third-fastest time by an American behind Kennedy's 12:58.21 AR and 12:58.75, both run in 1996. The 30-year-old former Kenyan star, Lagat easily bettered his previous career best of 13:14.71 set earlier this year on April 15.

World champion Benjamin Limo of Kenya was the runner-up in 13:01.45.

After posting Golden League wins in Rome and Zurich earlier this season, the resurgent Dominique Arnold won yet again in Berlin. Arnold crossed the finish line in 13.20 seconds to defeat a strong field that included 2005 world outdoor champion Ladji Doucoure of France, who hit the seventh hurdle and nearly fell down before finishing sixth in 13.82.

In the women's 400m hurdles, 2005 World Outdoor Championships bronze medalist Sandra Glover blew away the field with her winning time of 54.17 seconds. Poland's Anna Jesien was a distant second in 55.09.

The event was highlighted by Russian Tatyana Lebedeva's victory in the women's triple jump, which gave her 'six wins out of six events,' to win the TDK Golden League Jackpot of One Million Dollars. Her winning mark came on her second attempt when she soared 14.85 meters/48 feet, 8.75 inches.

For more information on the 2005 TDK Golden League and the ISTAF Berlin meet, visit IAAF.org.

Fans to help select IAAF athletes, performances of the year.

Track fans around the world have the opportunity to vote for the world's top track and field performances and athletes of 2005.

Until Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time [London Time], fans can go to www.iaaf.org to vote for Athlete of the Year and Performance of the Year.

Americans eligible for the Athlete of the Year are Justin Gatlin, Bershawn Jackson, Allen Johnson, James Carter, Dominique Arnold and Dwight Phillips among men; Lashinda Demus, Sanya Richards and Sandra Glover among women. American candidates for Performance of the Year are Gatlin, Jackson, Adam Nelson, Jeremy Wariner and Allyson Felix.

Candidates for Athlete of the Year are those in the Top 15 of the IAAF Overall World Rankings, while Performance of the Year candidates were chosen based on the context of each performance and its significance.

Upon completion of the public voting, a shortlist of five men and five women for each category - Athlete of the Year and Performance of the Year - will be presented to a Special Jury of the International Athletic Foundation, who will make a final selection of Athlete of the Year after the World Athletics Final in Monaco on Sept. 9-10. The winners will be announced during the 2005 World Athletics Gala on Saturday night, Sept. 10.

For more information, and to vote, visit IAAF.org.

Stork Report

2000 Olympic finalist and three-time USA Outdoor women's 5,000-meter champion Marla Runyan gave birth to daughter Anna Lee Runyan Lonergan on Thursday, September 1. It is the first child for Runyan and her husband, Matt Lonergan.

Anna entered the world at 6 pounds, 11 ounces and 19 inches long, with dark brown hair. The family is home now and doing well.