FAYETTEVILLE Feb 12: Two-time Olympic medalist Bernard Lagat narrowly missed the world indoor mile record on Friday, clocking a three minute, 49.89 seconds at the Tyson Invitational athletics meet.

Running alone for the final 400 metres, Kenya's Lagat passed 1,500 metres in 3:33.34 and finished with the third-fastest time in history and a shade off the world record of 3:48.45.

"Actually I felt very strong," Lagat said. "The pace was fast, and I wanted the guys to get out fast and that happened.

"It's tough (being so far ahead), because I need someone to push me. It was better the last two laps."

Led by pacesetter Fred Sharpe through 400 metres in 56.4 seconds and 800 in 1:51.8, Lagat was ahead of Hicham El Guerrouj's 1997 world record pace of 1:53.7.

The Arkansas meet was the third stop of USA Track and Field's 2005 Championship Series.

American LaShawn Merritt, 18, became the second-fastest man ever indoors with a time of 44.93 seconds.

Merritt came through 200 metres in a blazing 21.04 seconds. His time was slower than only the legendary Michael Johnson's world record of 44.63, set in 1995. But it is the fastest time ever run by a junior (19-under) athlete indoors.

Merritt won three gold medals at the 2004 World Junior Championships, including the 400 metres (45.25).

Bershawn Jackson finished a distant second in the 400 in 45.70, followed by Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist Andrew Rock in 46.01.

American Allen Johnson won the 60 metre hurdles in 7.51 seconds and triple Olympic medallist Veronica Campbell of Jamaica dominated the women's 60 metres in 7.09 seconds.

Results: