Growing up in Kenya, Bernard Lagat often ran to and from school — and even home for lunch. For Lagat, running was a family sport: “Even when I was a little boy, I was seeing running in my family. I was seeing my older sisters, Mary and Angelina, and my brother William running. And I thought this means family and it is something that I love doing.” In college, he was recruited to run for Washington State University, where he grew “as an athlete and a person.” Reflecting on his successful career, Lagat said, “You have to be patient. All of us have to have patience in working so hard towards our goals. I think that is the thing that has actually set me aside. I have always said I want to be the best I can be, and I want to train as hard as I can.” He would go on to become one of the greatest distance runners of all time. A five-time Olympian, Lagat competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games for Kenya, winning the bronze and silver medals in the 1,500 meters, respectively. He also competed in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Games for the U.S.
At the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, Lagat became the first athlete to triumph as world champion at both 1,500 and 5,000 meters. “The two gold medals in 2007 was the best performance ever for me,” said Lagat. “I was able to represent the United States for the first time and I didn’t come home with just one medal but two. Two gold medals.” Holding multiple U.S. and Kenyan records, Lagat is the second-fastest 1,500 meter runner of all time, behind Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj. He continues to run in major marathons, including his first New York City Marathon in 2018, where — at the age of 43 — he placed 18th. He is currently head coach of the University of Arizona’s cross country program. Lagat’s success on the track runs alongside a deep need to give back, which is why in 2004 he started the Lagat Foundation to educate student athletes. As he explains, “I try to put my emphasis on helping children … because I truly do think we need to be giving them the best opportunities they can have, so that they too can grow up to be successful in something they love.” In 2010, the United States Track and Field Association named Lagat their Humanitarian of the Year.
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