In curveball, Kip Lagat named USATF Masters Athlete of the Year

Bernard eyes finish of a honkin' 5K in Boston in American record. (Photo by Adam Hunge)

Bernard eyes finish of a honkin’ 5K in Boston in American record. (Photo by Adam Hunge)

Last winter and spring, when M40 Bernard “Kip” Lagat was crushing mile and other records, I thought: What a shame he won’t win masters end-of-year awards. I thought wrong. Tuesday in Houston, site of the USATF annual meeting, Kip was named Masters Athlete of the Year. Turns out the Masters T&F Committee and Masters LDR Committee had a powwow and decided to bypass Anselm LeBourne, Kathy Bergen and Irene Obera as top master. The MT&F Committee has a rule: Play in our pen to be eligible for our honors. Not so for MLDR. That panel’s president, Don Lein, wrote me: “Anyone who is a Master and runs in LDR events is eligible. … Lagat was chosen by the MLDR Executive Committee in October, as I recall unanimously. We have no exclusions nor are we parochial. When measured by performance data (age-graded percentage, records, etc.), he had the best year of any American Master who participated in Masters LDR events.”

Here’s the formal announcement:

HOUSTON — USA Track & Field will recognize high school phenom Candace Hill as Youth Athlete of the Year and Olympic medalist Bernard Lagat as Masters Athlete of the Year at the Jesse Owens Awards, held Saturday, Dec. 5 in conjunction with the USATF Annual Meeting.

Hill (Conyers, Georgia) set two World Youth Records (WYRs) in 2015. She ran an astounding 10.98 in the 100 meters on June 20 at the Brooks Invitational in Shoreline, Washington, and she ran 22.43 in the 200m as a member of Team USA at IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia.

Hill claimed the sprint double at World Youth Championships, setting meet records in both events in Cali. She was named Gatorade National Track & Field Athlete of the Year and went on to become the only high school sophomore and only female non-senior to win Gatorade National Athlete of the Year.

Lagat (Tucson, Arizona), an M40-44 athlete, set six masters world records indoors in 2015, starting with his 3:54.91 Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games. He finished the 3,000m in 7:48.33 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on Feb. 7, lowering that to 7:37.71 at the 7th Annual Metz Moselle Athlélor Indoor in Metz, France, on Feb. 25. His indoor record repertoire also includes a 8:17.05 two-mile at the Sainsbury’s Indoor GP at Birmingham, England, on Feb. 21.

On the roads, he set a new masters world record in the 10 km on May 10, finishing the Great Manchester Run in England in 27:48 to tie the American open record.

Outdoors, Lagat set World Masters records on the track, finishing the 1,500m at Birmingham British Athletics Grand Prix in 3:41.87 and the 5,000m at Prefontaine in 13:14.97.

The red carpet for USATF’s Jesse Owens Awards begins at 6:30 p.m. CST at the Hyatt

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December 2, 2015

7 Responses

  1. Matt B. - December 2, 2015

    Jen Rhines set some US records too.
    She is racing 10,000 in Sacramento on Sunday
    Current American record is listed as
    34:58.54 Madelyn Noe-Schlentz
    (41)
    Rhines set the 12 K record a couple of weeks ago on the road.
    Rhines ran a 1:12 half marathon this year at age 40 back in Feb. She is 41 now.
    Her track 10K PR is 31:17,(2007), but she ran a 10,000 4 years ago – 31:30 in Eugene

    I’m guessing high 32. US Olympic qualifier is 32:58 I believe, but 32:15 for Rio.

  2. Jeff Davison - December 2, 2015

    Congrads to Kip.

    And go get-um Jen.

  3. Ken Stone - December 2, 2015

    I’m told by USATF masters leader:

    This is an LDR year. Which means Lein and his committee, nothing to do with MTF or Gary.

  4. Jerry Bookin-Weiner - December 3, 2015

    Actually Ken, the announcement is a bit misleading. Because supposed time limitations there is only one masters athlete recognized at the Jesse Owens Dinner and that alternates between MTF and LDR. This is LDR’s year. Anselm, Irene, Kathy are still the MTF athletes of the year.

  5. Rick Easley - December 3, 2015

    I have no problem with Lagat being the master’s athlete of the year. He has the best marks as a master and how many of our other masters are still mixing it up with open athletes at such a high level. He should not be penalized because he is still able to compete at such a high level that he needs open competition for a challenge. He is an inspiration to me.

  6. Dale Campbell - December 5, 2015

    I am excited about Lagat and Meb being honored by our association (LDR or whatever). As a member of the Executive Committee that voted on this matter our task was to vet those runners who are of the proper age and have competed in races that are certified and meet all of the criteria worthy of being considered a championship quality race. He certainly met that criteria and age graded over 100 twice (all but of unheard of for masters men). I have heard for years that masters track is inclusive and we allow everyone to compete – generally accepted as no entry marks having to be met. I am excited that we now have the other end of the spectrum coming into play with elites continuing to compete into their masters years. This is only good for our sport.

  7. Matt B. - December 6, 2015

    33:05 AR

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