Bernard Lagat turned on the gas at the perfect moment to snatch a third world indoor 3000m title here on Sunday. The Kenyan-born American was defending champion and also winner of the event in 2004 when racing for Kenya, but is now a relative veteran on the international circuit at the age of 37. But that proved to be no barrier in an extremely high-quality field as the lithe runner broke for home with 100 metres to go and clocked a season’s best of 7min 41.44sec for a memorable gold. Kenyan Augustine Choge took silver in 7:41.77 with compatriot Edwin Soi claiming bronze (7:41.78), one-hundredth of a second ahead of vaunted Briton Mo Farah, reigning world outdoor 5000m champion and silver medallist in the 10,000m. Choge took up the early running in the 15-lap event around the packed Atakoy Arena, with team-mate Soi, Lagat, Ethiopian world 5000m bronze medallist Dejen Gerbremeskel and Farah in their wake. With three laps remaining, Farah hit the front, but the Briton’s pace and rhythm didn’t seem all there. Choge hit back and was in the lead at the bell. But with half the final lap to go, Lagat accelerated to storm past a helpeless Farah. Choge and Soi followed, but Lagat, with his eyes pinned on the big screen beyond the finish line and every sinew stretching, had enough to keep the Kenyan pair at bay.
