NEW YORK, Feb 2, 2008 - Kenyan-born US star Bernard Lagat, the world outdoor champion at 1,500 and 5,000 meters, has set his sights on 2008 Beijing Olympic gold but will take aim at another big prize at the 2009 Millrose Games. Lagat will try to match Irishman Eamonn Coghlan's record of seven victories in the century-old meet's Wanamaker Mile next year after capturing his sixth crown in the race here Friday, edging Australian Craig Mottram for the victory. "This means a lot," Lagat said. "I'm the first one right now to confirm my participation for next year. I'm coming back again for my seventh win." Lagat, who tuned up with a 1,500m victory last weekend in Glasgow, edged the Aussie for the second year in a row in a winning time of 3mins, 57.51secs. New Zealand's Nick Willis was third. Next for Lagat is a return to Britain for his next race, a 1,500m indoor matchup on February 16 at Birmingham. "I'm really excited about that," Lagat said. "I'm also going to try and run a fast 3000m in Stockholm on the 21st. That will end my (indoor) season and I'm going to come back to Tucson and start preparing for the Olympics." Lagat, who became a US citizen in 2004, will skip the US national indoor championship February 25-26 in Boston and not qualify for the world indoors next month in Spain to focus on his bid for gold at Beijing. "It's unfortunate I won't be going to Valencia but I want to have my strategy straight," Lagat said. "I just want to be able to come back to Tucson at the beginning of March and sit down with coach (Dan) Lee and plan the training for the Olympics. That is my priority right now."
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