Bernard Lagat Gets The American 3000m Record As Solinsky PRs And Rupp Struggles

Bob Kennedy‘s American 3,000-meter record of 7:30.84 had survived for more than 12 years, but it couldn’t survive a second assault in a week from 12:54 man Bernard Lagat, who after failing to get the record last week in Berlin, got it today in Rieti.

Lagat became the first American to break 7:30 as he ran 7:29.00 to finish second in Rieti. In the process, Lagat also reaffirmed that he is still America’s best man at the 3,000/5,000 distance, as the expected battle between him and Chris Solinsky ended up being a rout. Lagat got the American record but came up just short of winning the race, as Tariku Bekele ran a world-leading 7:28.70 to win.

Kennedy’s unofficial American-born record survived another day, however, as Chris Solinsky ran 7:34.32 and Galen Rupp struggled home in 7:50.46 (American steeplechaser Dan Huling ran 7:46.97 as well). The 7:34.32 time was a personal best for Solinsky, who had run 7:36.90 in 2007. It also moves him up to #4 all time in the US – ahead of Adam Goucher, who ran 7:34.96 in 2001 (#5 if you covert Matt Tegenkamp‘s American record of 8:07.07 for 2 miles to 3,000).

As compared to last week in Berlin, the pace this week was a bit faster, as the opening 1,000 was covered in 2:27.03 (versus 2:29.87) and 2,000 was hit in 5:01.25 (versus 5:02.27).

All-Time US At 3,000
1. Bernard Lagat – 7:29.00
2. Bob Kennedy – 7:30.84
3. Sydney Maree – 7:33.37
4. Chris Solinsky – 7:34.32
5. Adam Goucher – 7:34.96
Note: Matt Tegenkamp has run 8:07.07 for 2 miles, which Track and Field News converts to 7:31.00 for 3,000.

3000 Metres – Men                                         

•     1 Bekele , Tariku                  ETH    7:28.70 WL
•     2 Lagat , Bernard                  USA    7:29.00 AR
•     3 Soi , Edwin Cheruiyot            KEN    7:29.75 PB
•     4 Kipkoech , John                  KEN    7:32.72
•     5 Solinsky , Chris                 USA    7:34.32 PB
•     6 Tahri , Bouabdellah              FRA    7:35.50
•     7 Birmingham , Collis              AUS    7:38.77 PB
•     8 Rashed , Essa Ismail             QAT    7:39.61 PB
•     9 Blincoe , Adrian                 NZL    7:46.38 PB
•    10 Huling , Daniel                  USA    7:46.97
•    11 Longosiwa , Thomas Pkemei        KEN    7:48.67
•    12 Simotwo , Suleiman Kipses        KEN    7:49.41
•    13 Lebid , Serhiy                   UKR    7:49.45
•    14 Rupp , Galen                     USA    7:50.46
•    15 Songok , Isaac Kiprono           KEN    7:52.59