Cain runs away from Kenyans to grab gold

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE, Ore. -- It was a moment tailor-made for maximum impact for a World Juniors at Hayward Field, and Mary Cain delivered.

Cain left two Kenyans in her wake over the final 150 meters of the 3,000-meter final and won the first U.S. gold medal in a distance race at the IAAF World Junior Championships.

And in this setting -- Cain's weighed coming to Oregon before turning pro -- the spectacle of an American teen dominating East Africans in a distance race leaves a lasting impression.

"The last 50 meters with the crowd was so amazing," Cain said. "There's no where else they would have been that loud for me."

After crossing the finish line, Cain did something she had seen the Ethiopians do after the women's 5,000 the night before. She grabbed her teammate, Stephanie Jenks, and asked her to join the victory lap and hold one end of the American flag.

"That would not have been the same victory lap if I didn't get to share it with somebody," Cain said.

In a year where Cain distanced herself from the high school crowd by stepping up to the challenges and rewards of professional track and field, this was a chance to come back to her peer group, connect with it, and inspire. On Friday, Cain will become a bigger rock star than she already is, with an autograph signing party at 2 p.m. at the Wild Duck (USATF headquarters).

Perhaps in hindsight it was almost silly to wonder whether Cain would run at World Juniors. Into the fall, Cain and her coach, Alberto Salazar, were non-committal.

But moments like this -- the rare sight of an American blowing past East Africans -- are why Salazar and Nike formed the Oregon Project back in 2001. And it is surely one of the reasons why local organizers wanted to bring World Juniors to Eugene.

The race itself was tactical, alternately slow and fast, with East Africans dictating the tempo. Cain burrowed herself into the lead pack and dared them to do something she couldn't handle. And they didn't.

With 200 meters to go, a patient Cain began to turn the corner for home with Kenyans Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and Valentina Chepkwemoi Mateiko still in front of her.

"She was in a little bit of a box, but I could see she still had so much left. She stayed collected," Salazar said.

Cain rounded the final curve, pulled away and watched her lead grow as she glanced up at the video board.

"I told myself if I'm there with 200 meters to go, that's my sort of race," Cain said.

Cain ran 8:58.48, which is just shy of the U.S. Junior record but breaks the all-time high school record. (And yes, we're counting it).