Kaki nicks 800m gold for Sudan, Lagat seals 3000m

Sudan's Abubaker Kaki became the first man since the Kenyan great Paul Ereng, in 1989 and 1991, to successfully retain the men's 800m title at the World Indoor Championships in Doha.

Producing a totally dominant front-running display, Kaki, who became the youngest ever winner of a World Indoor title in Valencia two years ago, once again demonstrated his prodigious talent to land gold in 1:46.23.

Kenya's Boaz Lalang, 21, earned a deserved silver medal in 1:46.39 with Poland's Adam Kszczot, 20, rounding out a youthful podium in 1:46.69 for bronze.

He passed 200m in 24.96 tracked by Lalang, Kszczot and his compatriot Ismail Ahmed Ismail and led through halfway in 52.15.

On the final bend Kaki's pre-eminence appeared under threat when Lalang crept closer to the leader, but the defending champion responsed, gritted his teeth and held off the challenge.

Ismail, the Olympic silver medallist, was also inching close to Kszczot but he resisted to become the first ever Pole to win a medal in this event, with Ismail settling for fourth in 1:46.90.

A buoyant Kaki said:  "I came here o win I like Qatar. All went according to plan but this is only the start for me and I want to win more medals in the future. The ultimate goal is the Olympic Games in London."

Lalang on the other hand, takes lots of positives from his performance.

"The medal will propel my career and showed I can run well at the World Championships and Olympics,"he said.

"I will now prepare for the summer, target 1:42-1.43 and make Kenyan proud at the African Championships."

Lagat dethrones Bekele

Kenyan-born American Bernard Lagat won the men's 3,000m crown in emphatic style at the ASPIRE Dome in Doha, six years after lifting his first title.

The 35-year-old won in emphatic style in the ASPIRE Dome clocked 7:37.97 to take gold ahead of Spain's Sergio Sanchez took the silver in 7:39.55 and Kenya's Sammy Alex Mutahi settling for the bronze in 7:39.90, with defending champion Tariku Bekele of Ethiopia, fourth in 7:40.10.

Having lost his world outdoor 5,000m title to Bekele's older brother Kenenisa in Berlin last year, Friday's semi-final defeat of Tariku was strictly professional for Lagat, the American ensuring he was safely in the medal race.

But there was a sense of revenge in Sunday's final, proving a point to anyone doubters who suspected he was past his peak.