January 30, 2008

Sitting next to each other today on barstools as they faced the press, Craig Mottram and Bernard Lagat almost looked like drinking buddies. They were relaxed and confident. Praise flowed freely.

“There’s a lot of significance with having a strong athlete like Craig in the race,” Lagat said of Friday night’s Wanamaker Mile, the signature event of the 101st Millrose Games. Lagat, who won both the 1500m and 5000m at last summer’s IAAF World Championships, registered his fifth Wanamaker Mile victory last year, overcoming a strong late race surge by Mottram. “I need to be ready,” Lagat added.

Mottram, who made his first Millrose appearance last year, made a strong bid for victory with two laps to go on the tiny 145m track. At six feet three inches, many said he was too tall for the tight turns, and his aggressive move caught the much smaller Lagat a little off balance.