Athletics:The Olympic 1,500-metre silver medallist Bernard Lagat has set his sights on claiming gold at the World Championships in Japan in August. And tomorrow's international in Glasgow represents the first step toward his goals for 2007.
The 32-year-old will represent the United States in the five-way match at the Kelvin Hall in what is his first visit to the city and admits the event is key to his preparations for Osaka.
Lagat explained: "The Norwich Union International is an important race for me as it provides the first step towards my key focus for the year - the World Championships in Japan in August."
Lagat switched nationalities from Kenya to the US and had to miss the 2005 world championships in Helsinki as the sport's governing body, the IAAF, insist on a moratorium before athletes compete for a new country.
He is now free to represent the US in Osaka and is desperate to add to the silver medal he won at the 2001 event in Edmonton.
Lagat added: "I missed the world championships in 2005, so that was a sacrifice year in order to secure my American nationality. I have lived in the States for a number of years now so it seemed a natural decision to make, although I consulted my family in Kenya before making any final decisions."
