Bekele defeated in mile debut, more fireworks from Hoffa - Millrose Games

New York, USATwotime World athlete of the year Kenenisa Bekele suffered a rare defeat in his mile debut while Reese Hoffa extended his World lead in the Shot Put to highlight the 99th Millrose Games in New York City.

In his highly anticipated appearance at the shorter distance --and his first time competing on the narrow confines of the 145.5m Millrose Games track-- the 23-year-old Ethiopian was soundly defeated by Bernard Lagat, who cruised to a 3:56.85 win in his 2006 debut, nearly five seconds clear of Bekele.

Fourth Wanamaker Mile victory for Lagat

Lagat, a two-time Olympic medallist in the 1500m, was never threatened by Bekele en route to his fourth win in the prestigious Wanamaker Mile. Lagat followed pace setter Elkanah Angwenyi through 55.7 through the first quarter mile, with Bekele a few strides back. But Lagat began to pull away when he reached the halfway mark in 1:53.7, and was all alone when Angwenyi dropped out with 440 yards to go in.

Lagat, who passed through 1500m in 3:39.4, failed to challenge the meet record of 3:52.87 he set last year when he broke Eamonn Coghlan’s 24-year old meet standard of 3:53.0. But the Kenyan-born American said he was satisfied with the effort after missing several days of training as complications from his wife's birth of their son last month weighed heavily on his mind.

“Today’s race was a tough one,” said Lagat, who also won the event in 2001, 2003, and 2005. “The first competition is not always easy. The intention was to run exactly like last year but the first 800 was really quite fast."

"I missed a few days of training the last few weeks," Lagat added, "and that was not my intention to do that. My coach kept on pushing me, because I had to be in shape to be here."

Bekele humbled in first Millrose appearance

Bekele, the World record holder in the 5000 and 10,000m, had boldly predicted that he could run close to 3:50 in his first professional race under 3000m and only his third indoor competition. He fell well short, clocking 4:01.57, but did hold off Rui Silva of Portugal, the reigning World and Olympic bronze medallist, who was third in 4:01.70. The eight-time World Cross Country gold medallist also came away with an added respect for the Wanamaker.

"The mile is a short distance and a difficult race," Bekele said, explaining that he had trouble keeping his balance along the tightly banked turns. "I am used to the 5000 and 10,000m. I had never raced under 3000m, so this is a very tough race for me. Maybe for the future, it gives me confidence to improve. The beginning was very fast, 55 flat," Bekele said. "I am not disappointed."

Hot 2006 start for Hoffa

While the Mile received the largest ovation from the crowd of 14,851, Reese Hoffa generated his share of applause after wining the Shot Put with a World-leading and Madison Square Garden record of 21.65m. The performance netted Hoffa the Fred Schmertz Waterford Crystal Trophy as the Outstanding Performer of the Meet.

Hoffa began his season with a win last weekend at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, with a then World-leading 21.07m. In New York, Hoffa surpassed that performance on three of his four throws to easily defend his Millrose title.

Competing in a four-man competition that took centre stage under a spotlight with Led Zeppelin’s 'Rock'N'Roll' blaring in the background, Hoffa opened with a 21.00m heave, an effort that would have sufficed for the win. As insurance, he followed with his winning 21.65m, and concluded with 21.47m and 21.22m throws in the third and fourth rounds. Each throw bettered the best that the rest of the high calibre field could muster.

Christian Cantwell, the reigning World Indoor champion, was second with a 20.88m best, with Adam Nelson, the 2005 World champion, who had a long foul in the third round, finishing third with a 19.42m effort. John Godina failed to achieve a legal mark.

Hoffa, who won’t compete again until the U.S. national championships later this month, anticipated that it would take a throw in the 21.35m range to win the emotionally-charged competition. He said that the fast pace with little rest between throws helped his consistency.

“I thought that if I threw near 70 feet that I would have a chance,” Hoffa said. “If someone went out there and got another big one than hopefully I would have enough in me to throw further." Hoffa, who trains with Nelson, expects even better things on the horizon. "At Boston we weren't quite throwing to the standards of last year, but I think I'm coming into form." Hoffa reached his indoor PB of 21.74 at last year's national championships.

Hayes, Arnold Post Hurdle Wins

Joanna Hayes showed the form of 2004 when she set an Olympic record of 12.37m in the 100m hurdles after her win in the 60m hurdles, clocking 7.93.

"My start was pretty bad," said Hayes. "After I false started, I had to sit and hold. After the second hurdle, I started to get a little groove."

Jenny Adams was second in 8.03

Devers not retired after all

Finishing fourth in 8.13 was U.S. record holder Gail Devers, in her first race since giving birth to daughter Karsen Anise last 20 June.

"I heard everybody said I retired, but I didn't retire," Devers explained. "My husband [Mike] and I decided that after the [Olympic] Games we were going to start our family and we did. I had a great pregnancy and I said OK I'm going to come back." Devers said she had to wait six months after giving birth to return to training, due to an emercency Cesarean section.

"I'm 39, but I'm not over the hill yet. To be honest, the one title I didn't have was motherhood. And that's what I wanted.”

Dominique Arnold, who rose to the global forefront last season after running a career best 13.01 in the 110m hurdles and finishing fourth in Helsinki, won in 7.59 seconds. Antwon Hicks was second in 7.64 and Terrence Trammell, who was attempting to become the first athlete to post a Millrose sprint-hurdle double, was third in 7.66.

Crawford and Campbell take the short dashes

The men's 60m was won by Shawn Crawford, the 2004 Olympic 200m champion, who appears to have recovered from the painful bunions that forced him to withdraw from the World Championships last August.

I felt pretty good, coming back off of an injury last year," Crawford said after his 6.59 dash, 4/100s ahead of John Capel. "I was kind of nervous at first, with it being my first race back. I was able to pull off the win, so any time you're able to win a meet, it's good."

A close race was expected in the women's contest, and the crowd was not disappointed. Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell of Jamaica edged Me’Lisa Barber, with both credited with a 7.10 performance. World 100m champion Lauryn Williams was third in 7.19 with Angela Daigle-Bowen, the 2005 U.S. champion, fourth at 7.29.

Elsewhere, Helsinki silver medallist Chaunte Howard followed up her Boston win with another High Jump victory with a 1.93m leap, and added three close attempts at the Millrose record 1.97m. In the men’s Pole Vault, 38-year-old Jeff Hartwig claimed his fifth win at Millrose with a 5.73m effort, defeating Helsinki silver medallist Brad Walker, who cleared 5.68m. Toby Stevenson was third with a 5.60m clearance. Mary Sauer won the women’s Pole Vault with a 4.40m clearance on fewer misses over Canadia Dana Buller of Canada and Americans Jillian Schwartz and Jennifer Stuczynski.

Elsewhere on the track, Carmen Douma Hussar led a Canadian sweep of the top three places to win the women’s mile with her 4:35.64. Courtney Babcock (4:36.00) and Malinda Elmore (4:36.28) were second and third. LaShawn Merritt won the men's 500m (1:03.38) over World 400m hurdles gold medalist Bershawn Jackson (1:03.80).  Other men’s winners were Khadevis Robinson in the 800m (1:49.38) and Tim Seamon won the mile race walk (5:47.29). Other women turning in victories were Hazel-Ann Regis of Grenada in the women's 400m in 55.54 and Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica in the 800m in 2:05.62.

Kirby Lee and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF