Posted: January 5, 2007

Athletics: Lagat, Mottram to headline Wanamaker Mile

Hoffa to defend shot-put title at 100th Millrose Games on Feb. 2 NEW YORK CITY (Jan. 4) – Seeking his fifth Wanamaker Mile victory, top American Bernard Lagat will return to the 100th Millrose Games, organizers announced today. Among his challengers will be Australian Craig Mottram, in his Millrose Games debut. They will be joined by Reese Hoffa, coming back to Madison Square Garden in a quest for his third-consecutive title in the shot put. Last year Hoffa was named the meet’s Outstanding Performer for breaking the meet record with his massive throw of 71 feet, 0.5 inches (21.65 meters). He also had the three longest indoor throws in the world in 2006 on his way to becoming World Indoor Champion. Lagat, a two-time Olympic medalist at 1500 meters, is the reigning USA Outdoor Champion at 1500 and 5000 meters and holds US records at 1500m and the mile indoors and 1500m outdoors. A fifth victory here would tie him with Marcus O’Sullivan at #3 on the all-time Wanamaker Mile list, behind only Eamonn Coghlan and Glenn Cunningham. Mottram is the 2005 World Championships bronze medalist at 5000m, the first non-African to win a medal at that distance in a major championship since 1987. He is also a two-time World Cup titleholder at 3000m, where in 2006 he upset Kenenisa Bekele for the victory, and won the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile in 2005. Add the previously-announced Yelena Isinbayeva, the reigning Olympic gold medalist and World Champion pole vaulter, making her U.S. debut, plus dozens of past champions and Millrose legends on hand to be honored that evening and the centennial celebration is shaping up as one of the most star-studded events in Madison Square Garden history. The 100th Millrose Games, the second stop in USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series, will be held Feb. 2 at Madison Square Garden beginning at 6 p.m. For tickets or more information, visit www.Millrose-Games.com. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster (call 212-307-7171, visit www.Ticketmaster.com or at Ticketmaster outlets); or at the Madison Square Garden box office. Comment on this story. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest

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