Lagat, Webb move on to final

Bob Ramsak / Special to the Daily Yomiuri

OSAKA--A pair of American medal contenders--Bernard Lagat, the field's most experienced, and Alan Webb, the year's fastest--moved on to Wednesday evening's final in the 1,500 meters, but the pair's passage, like their respective semifinal races, couldn't have been more different.

In the first of two semifinals--a sluggish, tactical, and downright brutal affair--there was the Kenyan-born Lagat, running in his first World Championship for his adopted United States, after spending much of his career chasing the shadow of all-time great Hicham El Guerrouj.

In the second was Webb, the darling of U.S. miling since taking down the event's national high school record in 2001, one that had stood for a quarter of a century.

At 32, Lagat, an Olympic silver and bronze medalist and world runnerup in 2003, has seen and lived every possible scenario in the metric mile, and he clearly illustrated that experience en route to his victory in 3 minutes 42.39 seconds.

"I didn't want to get in trouble. So I ran from the back much of the way," Lagat said. Despite having to swing extremely wide down the homestretch, his decision was a wise one.

With elbows flailing down the homestretch as the tightly-knit pack fought towards the line, two men--Kenyan speedster Daniel Kipchirchir Komen and Youssef Baba of Morocco--took a tumble as Frenchman Mehdi Baala forged his way through to nab one of the five automatic qualifying spots.

His aggressiveness resulted in a protest and he was later disqualified. In the meantime, Lagat managed to avoid the tussle altogether.

Because Spaniard Juan Carlos Higuero was impeded by Baala, he was given a spot in the final. New Zealand's Nick Willis moved up to fifth, and also went through.

Conversely, the relative inexperience of the 24-year-old Webb, this year's fastest in the 1,500 (3:30.54) and the mile (3:46.91), clearly showed. He ran from the back as well, but unlike Lagat, it was not his intention.

"I wasn't aggressive enough at the start," Webb said, "and I had to do something I don't like doing--being at the back the whole time. And it almost cost me a spot in the final."

Last at the bell, Webb managed to knock off seven runners over the final lap to barely clinch the fifth and final automatic spot. He covered the final lap in 52 seconds, burning crucial energy that may cost him in the final.

"I knew I was close," said Webb, who lowered the U.S. record in the mile this year to 3:46.91. "I was just kind of trying to count the guys coming in."

In the meantime, defending champion Rashid Ramzi cruised onward, winning the second heat in 3:40.53, the fastest of the night.

Prior to Monday's first round race, the enigmatic Moroccan-born Bahraini hadn't raced since December's Asian Games in Doha, where he took the bronze.

"I'm improving from one race to another," Ramzi said. "So it is a good sign for the final."