A name sports fans should know

While most casual, or even hardcore, sports fans in the U.S. don’t care about running, it’s time they start learning at least a few of the names. In this past summer, a 20-something out of Oregon got a Silver Medal in the 10K. No American has done this in nearly half a century. In most Olympics of recent memory, barely anyone outside of the African continent has even got close to a medal. The man who did this is a blonde-haired stick named Galen Rupp.

While Bernard Lagat (a Kenyan born naturalized citizen of the U.S.) stole Galen Rupp’s two-mile American Record last weekend, Rupp didn't take that lying down. After opening the season with a huge personal record (PR) in the mile, Rupp ran 7:30:16 for 3000M, winning the race in Stockholm, Sweden, breaking Lagat’s 3000M record by over two seconds. In route to the record, Rupp beat Caleb Ndiku, who was a former world junior champ in the 1500M and cross country, as well as Abelaati Iguider, who was the Olympic 1500M bronze medalist.

By running 7:30:16, Rupp ran the #2 time ever by an American in the 3000M race, both indoor and outdoor, only behind Bernard Lagat’s 7:29:00 run outdoors. Only seven men in the world have ever broken 7:30 for 3000M indoors, and Rupp was only .17 of a second off. He also ruined Lagat’s reign of having every indoor American Record from the 1500M through the 5K. Rupp’s magical 2013 campaign is continuing in the right direction.

In the same meet, American Matthew Centrowitz announced an attempt to break the American Record in the 1K. Centrowitz fell way short, running 2:19:56 and finishing sixth and out eight racers. The American Record still stands at 2:17:86. Youngster Mohammed Aman, the only man in recent history to beat World Record holder in the 800M, David Rudisha, ran a blazing race. He ran 1.45.05 for the 800M, setting the world leading time for 2013. 

Photo courtesy of NY Times