Posted: February 9, 2005

Athletics: Lagat Will Go for Mile World Record at Powered by Tyson Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The stage has been set for what could be a historic night of track and field at The Powered by Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., on Friday, Feb. 11. Fans will have the chance to watch Bernard Lagat strive for the greatest athletic achievement as he has decided to try to set a new world record in the mile. As the 2004 Olympic silver medalist and world's top-ranked miler explained, the timing couldn’t be better.

“I’m peaking at the right time and my training has been going very well,” Lagat said. “Boston was the first time I had competed this year and I ran 3:53 there. I thought 3:53 was a good time to begin with, but I was a little tired afterwards. Then I ran 3:52 in New York. I thought I gave a good effort, but I wasn’t really tired and that was on a 145-meter track. Now I think I can go out and try to get the world record, because it’s on a fast track in Fayetteville.”

The current record stands at 3:48.45 and is held by Morocco’s legendary Hicham El Guerrouj. The two-time Olympic and seven-time world gold medalist is also a close friend of Lagat’s and breaking his friend’s record would mean a lot to the Kenya native.

“Getting the world record would mean a lot to me,” Lagat said. “I would also be breaking a record that is held by my great friend and competitor, Hicham El Guerrouj. I spoke with him in New York and told him I was going to try to run fast at the Tyson Invitational. He gave me his blessings to break it. He is a man I really respect and I would be honored to have my name by the mile world record. Records are meant to be broken.”

El Guerrouj established the world record standard on Feb. 12, 1997 in Gent, Belgium with a time of 3:48.45. No runner has even come close to breaking it in the past eight years. Portugal’s Rui Silva almost cracked into the world’s all-time top-10 list when he ran a 3:52.18 in 2001 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Lagat is coming off an outstanding performance at the Millrose Games in New York City where he ran a personal-best and Kenyan national record time of 3:52.87 on a 145-meter short track. At the Randal Tyson Track Center he will have the advantage of running on a 200-meter banked track that is known as one of the fastest in the world. He will also have two designated pacers that will help set up this world-record attempt, including Fred Sharpe and Laban Rotich.

“I want the first one to take the first 800 in 1:51.6 or 1:51.8, and at 1,200 meters we should be at 2:49,” Lagat said. “Then hopefully I’ll run strong in the last 400 for the record.”

The last time Lagat competed at the Tyson Invitational was in 2000, when he captured the mile title with a time of 3:56.48. This year he is looking forward to returning to the Randal Tyson Track Center and running in front of an enthusiastic crowd that will help propel him to the world record. The mile run is scheduled to be the final running event of the evening at 9 p.m. CT.

“When I ran here in 2000 I won and had a good time,” Lagat said. “Right now the track feels good and easy to run on. I also like running here, because the fans are very close to the track. They’re right there on top of you. When they are close it helps me run well. They push you along. In New York they really helped me get through the last three laps. I hope to have the same thing in Arkansas. The fans there are great and very knowledgeable.”

If Lagat is successful in his quest to set a new mile world record time he will also enjoy the spoils of a $25,000 world-record bonus offered by Tyson Foods. Tyson Foods recently expanded the original $25,000 world-record bonus prize pool to include every athlete that sets a new world record at the meet.

The Powered by Tyson Invitational will be held on Feb. 11 from 7-9 p.m. at the Randal Tyson Track Center. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-766-4626.

About Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods, Inc. [NYSE: TSN], founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is the world’s largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork and the second-largest food company in the Fortune 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products, which are marketed under the “Powered by Tyson™” strategy. Tyson is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves, providing products and service to customers throughout the U.S and more than 80 countries. Tyson has approximately 114,000 Team Members employed at more than 300 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world.