Lagat Smashes 21-Year-Old Record In NYC

He owns five indoor American records now.

Kenyan-turned-American Bernard Lagat continued his dominance of the indoor track this weekend when he smashed the 21-year-old 2-mile American record at the Armory in New York City on Saturday. Lagat’s time, 8:10.07, was nearly five seconds faster than the previous mark held by Doug Padilla who set it on February 16, 1990, in Los Angeles.

Lagat is now the owner of the following American indoor records:  1,500m, 1-mile, 3,000m, 2-mile, and 5,000 meters.

“I’m so happy I have all five,” an elated Lagat said. “I haven’t felt this good since the world championships in Dohar last year.”

Lagat earned a $10,000 bonus from the New York Road Runners for winning the race while setting a new record.

“I realized with six laps to go that I have to pick it up if I want to get the record,” said Lagat. He ended up running the last three-quarters of a mile solo. “With two laps to go I began thinking I’m going to get it now,” he recalled.

For More: Associated Press