Long-distance runner Lagat aims at twin gold medals in China's first Olympics

(L-R) Silver medalist Leonel Manzano, gold medalist Bernard Lagat and bronze medalist Lopez Lomong (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Photo Gallery>>(BEIJING, July 8) -- On winning the men's 1500-meter championship on the last day of the US track and field trials, Bernard Lagat qualified for a position on the US Olympic team to run in both the 1500-meter and 5000-meter races in the Beijing Games, which open August 8.

Lagat finished the 1500-meter event at the trials with a time of 3:40.37, just 0.53 second faster than second-place runner Leonel Manzano.

Manzano, who is a loyal fan of the champion, was quoted on the official website of USA Track & Field as saying: "Barnard is an incredible competitor. Every time that guy goes out everybody has a lot of respect for him. He is the man."

Lagat, a Kenyan-American, started competing for the US in early 2005, and won two gold medals in the 1500-meter and 5000-meter races at the 2007 World Championships. His personal best in the 1500-meter race is 3:26.34, which he posted at Brussels in August of 2001, according his official biography on the website of the International Associations of Athletics Federations.

Earlier this month, Lagat qualified for the men's 5000-meter competition with a time of 13:27.47. He was quoted on the USATF website as saying the pressure on him has eased a bit since qualifying for the US team heading to Beijing.

The 33-year-old athlete won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Games. Lagat has now become America's overwhelming favorite in the men's long-distance races. "The Olympics are the biggest meet. Everyone dreams about going to the Olympics, and to be here on Team USA is unbelievable. I'm going to take the same hunger I had in 2004 and try and bring home the gold," he was quoted as saying on the USA Track & Field site.

The third place in the men's 1500-meter qualifying race was seized by Lopez Lomong with a time of 3:41.00.