Posted: December 2, 2007

Athletics: Li Accepts Nike Coach Of The Year Award

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com HONOLULU (02-Dec) -- James Li, the man whose training guidance helped Bernard Lagat earn two gold medals at last summer's IAAF World Championships in Athletics, accepted the Nike Coach of the Year Award here at last night's Jesse Owens Awards & Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the USATF convention. Clearly moved by the honor, his voice cracking a few times, Li said, "Very early in my coaching career I was told that a great athlete makes a great coach." He added: "I guess the best thing I did is not mess him up." Lagat, who had earned two Olympic medals at 1500m for his native Kenya, represented the United States for the first time at a major championship last August in Osaka. Silencing his critics who said he had bitten off more than he could chew by doubling in the 1500m and 5000m, he won both races in spectacular fashion. His 1500m title was the first ever in a world championship or Olympic Games by an American in 99 years. Lagat was generous in his praise for Li, his longtime coach. "He showed me the plan," Lagat said after his 1500m victory. "I followed it and at the end, I was the winner." Four days later, he won the 5000m in a classic kicker's race, becoming the first man to win both the 1500m and 5000m at an IAAF World Championships in Athletics. He also became the first American to win a 5000m world title. His winning time was the slowest ever in the history of the world championships, 13:45.87, but his 52 second final lap was simply too fast for any of his rivals. Li, who coached Lagat at Washington State University, was born in Chengdu, China, and became an American citizen in 1998. "This nation has been great to me," concluded Li, who will be the USA athletics team manager at the Beijing Olympics next summer. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest