NEW YORK, Jan 30 American Bernard Lagat ran a blistering last quarter-mile to overtake Olympic 1,500 metres champion Asbel Kiprop and win a record eighth Wanamaker Mile at the 103rd Millrose Games indoor meet on Friday.

Lagat burst past Kenya's Kiprop on the last lap to win in 356.34 and break his tie with Irishman Eamonn Coghlin for most victories in Madison Square Garden's mile race.

Kiprop clocked 358.03 to finish second, ahead of Britain's Andy Baddeley in 358.09.

After a victory lap before a cheering Garden crowd of 11,510, Lagat found Coghlin on the side of the track and gave him a warm embrace.

“He told me 'If there was somebody I would wish to break my record it would be you. You are a true gentleman,'” Lagat said. “Those words really mean a lot to me and I really respect that.”

Lagat, 35, who has won two Olympic medals and five at world championships including an unprecedented golden double in the 1,500 metres and 5,000 metres in 2007 in Osaka, said winning the race was among his greatest career achievements.

“To me, it's like winning the Olympics today. I've been here since 2001,” he said about the Madison Square Garden meet. “I was signing autographs tonight from kids not even born yet then.”

Hannah England of Britain won the women's mile, holding off late-charging American Sara Hall by two-hundredths of a second with a winning time of 431.48.

In the sprints, American Lisa Barber returned to the track after being sidelined for 11 months because of an Achilles' injury and edged two-time Olympic gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica in the 60 metres. They both were timed in 7.24 seconds, one-hundredth of a second ahead of third-placed American Muna Lee.

American Ivory Williams won the men's 60 metres in 6.59 seconds and compatriot Terrence Trammell won the 60-metre hurdles in 7.49 seconds. World champion Christian Cantwell won the men's shot put at 21.95 metres.

Leading results

Men's

60 metres 1. Ivory Williams (US) 6.59 seconds; 2. Michael Rodgers (US) 6.60; 3. Travis Padgett (US) 6.62.

800 metres 1. Boaz Lalang (Kenya) 150.51; 2. Duane Solomon (US) 151.14.

Mile 1. Bernard Lagat (US) 356.34; 2. Asbel Kiprop (Kenya) 358.03; 3. Andrew Baddeley (Britain) 358.09.

60-metre hurdles 1. Terrence Trammell (US) 7.49; 2. Ryan Brathwaite (Barbados) 7.61.

Pole vault 1. Mark Hollis (US) 5.60 metres; 2. Derek Miles (US) 5.60; 3. Tim Mack (US) 5.50.

Shot put 1. Christian Cantwell (US) 21.95 metres 2. Reese Hoffa (US) 20.59; 3. Adam Nelson (US) 20.51.

Women's

60 metres 1. Lisa Barber (US) 7.24 seconds; 2. Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) 7.24; 3. Muna Lee (US) 7.25.

400 metres 1. Monica Hargrove (US) 55.07 seconds; 2. Aliann Pompey (Guyana) 55.19; 3. Phyllis Franci (US) 55.82.

Mile 1. Hannah England (Britain) 431.48; 2. Sara Hall (US) 431.50; 3. Sally Kipyego (Kenya) 432.30.

60-metre hurdles 1. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (Canada) 8.01 seconds; 2. Tiffany Ofili (US) 8.04; 3. Virginia Powell (US) 8.07.

High jump 1. Sheree Francis (Jamaica) 1.88 metres; 2. Raevan Harris (US) 1.85; 3. Priscilla Frederick (US) 1.75.

Pole vault 1. Chelsea Johnson (US) 4.51 metres; 2. Becky Holliday (US) 4.41. —Agencies