Olympic champion Lagat floors Ethiopia's Burka in 1,500m

Fans expected a showdown between Ethiopia's Gelete Burka and Olympic champion Nancy Jebet Lagat on Friday and they got exactly that here as the two chased each other to the wire before the Kenyan claimed gold in 4:10.43 at the Africa Athletics Championship.

Lagat proved yet again to be in her best form this season as she took under her belt the African title at home to get applause from the over 30,000 fans.

The arrival of Burka, the world indoor champion, aroused the excitement of another potential battle with the Lagat, whom she has beaten twice this year, in Doha while winning the World Indoor Championship and in Lausanne last month during the IAAF Diamond League race.

But that excitement quickly died as the athletes started the four lap race on a very slow pace and it was not until the final lap that the two athletes moved in from the outer lane with Lagat in front while Burka tried to catch up.

With 500m to go, it was certain Lagat had the edge with over six meters gap separating her and Burka and it remained that way until the final straight where the Kenyan pulled away to strike gold in 4:10.43.

Burka held on strongly to claim silver in 4:11.12. With both 800m and 3,000m races having returned gold for Kenya, Lagat and Irene Jelegat were under immense pressure to win Kenya's fifth gold. They did just that.

"I was under too much pressure; both (David) Rudisha and Richard Mateelong (3,000m SC) did not do me any good in winning. But I am happy I was able to get the victory," said Lagat.

"I wanted to run a good time but in a championship you know it is hard to get that. Now I target to go to Europe and try to improve on my personal best," she said.

However, Burka revealed that she was not in her best form having pulled out of the Paris leg of the IAAF Diamond League with a hamstring injury.

"I have been suffering from the injury for the last three weeks and I am just getting back to shape. But also Lagat is a strong athlete especially in the final sprint. I am happy to get silver," she added.

The two athletes will now face off again in Stockholm in the Diamond League where revenge will be in the air. Lagat has got even with Burka who beat her in Lausanne where she set the fastest time over the four lap race.

However for Jelegat, she could not shake off veteran Btissam Lakhouad (Morocco) who took 4:11.81 bronze and she had to settle for the fourth place in 4:12.15 ahead of Meske Assefa (Ethiopia) 4: 14.37 while Ann Karindi was happy with a sixth place finish in 4: 14.81.

Lagat, who have always had a fierce relationship with Burka in the field, earns a place in the African team for the World Cup, which will be held in September in Split City, Croatia.

It wasn't an easy run for Lagat in the first two laps, but when the chance presented itself, she went immediately to the front, much to the approval of the hometown crowd.

After three hundred meters she looked around for some help but that wasn't forthcoming as her compatriot Irene Jelagat was far behind.

Source: Xinhua