Webb and Lagat get through
By Christopher Hunt
photo by Tim Fulton
EUGENE, Ore. – Lopez Lomong doesn’t care what the pace will be in the final. He just knows he’ll be in it.
“If it goes out slow, fine, he said. “If it goes out fast, fine. If it goes out medium, that’s okay too.”
Lomong, a graduate of Tully High School in upstate New York, advanced to Sunday’s final in the 1,500 at Hayward Field yesterday at the University of Oregon. He finished second in the second semifinal heat in 3 minutes, 40.26 seconds. Gabe Jennings won the heat in the fastest semifinal time, 3:40.07. Alan Webb, Bernard Lagat and Leo Manzano all advanced in the first section, producing what many expect to be a blistering final. All credentials aside, Lomong, the 2007 NCAA 1,500-meter champ at Northern Arizona, isn’t settled for just a spot on the Olympic team.
“I’m going to win the race,” he said. “I’m winning the race.”
Lomong finished fifth in the 800 Monday, just missing the third spot in the final stages. But after three rounds of 800’s and now two 1,500 races. The field has a day off today before the final Sunday but Lomong didn’t’ seem concerned about his legs regardless.
“I feel like we just started,” he said. “I’m ready to go.”
The 23-year old Lomong’s well-document journey to the United States at one of the Lost Boys of Sudan makes him of the most compelling athletes at the Olympic Trials. He was taken from Kimotong, Sudan at age 6 by a government-backed militia in a war-torn country and weeks later led to the Kakuma refugee camp with no parents, no family. He lived there for 10 years.
Lomong was amoung thousands of Kakuma refugees to be sent to the United States. He was sent to Tully, where he enrolled in high school as a sophomore later joined the track team. Three New York state championships, an NCAA title later and a Nike shoe contract later, Lomong is one race away from representing the country that built him into a star athlete in the Olympics.
All he needs to do is finish top three.
“It’s not just Lopez Lomong made it to the Olympics,” Lomong said. “It’s this kid that came from nowhere with no parents made it. I’m representing for all the people like me – that anything is possible.”
His main competition raced in the first heat. Webb led nearly the entire way before Rob Myers sparked a surging pack that engulfed Webb on the straightaway. Lagat was badly boxed with 200 left but once he found daylight he took off to win the heat in 3:43.83 with Myers second in 3:43.98. Webb was fifth in 3:44.23.
“I was trying to keep myself calm and not get tripped up,” Webb said of the last 50 meters. “I should have been more aggressive to the 200. I wanted to make move but Rob literally had the exact same though a split second before I did.”
Jennings has looked strong through the rounds. Lagat said he feels like he’s in top shape and easily wiggled out of danger to win. The 1,500 will be as competitive as it’s ever been on Sunday and Lomong could find himself in a similar frantic finish that he saw in the 800 final.
“I’ll be ready,” he said.
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.