Galen Rupp (born May 8, 1986) is an American long-distance runner. He competed in the Summer Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, 2012 in London, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and 2021 in Tokyo. He won the silver medal in the men's 10,000 meters in London and the bronze medal in the men's marathon in Rio de Janeiro. Rupp competed for the University of Oregon and trained under Alberto Salazar as a member of the Nike Oregon Project. He won the 2017 Chicago Marathon, becoming the first American to do so since Khalid Khannouchi in 2002. Rupp won the marathon at the 2020 United States Olympic Trials (marathon) in Atlanta with a time of 2:09:20, and qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, where he finished eighth.
Rupp holds or held multiple U.S. records at the high school, collegiate and senior levels. He is considered to be one of the greatest American distance runners of all time.
Early career (2002–2004) Born in Portland, Oregon, into a Catholic family of German descent, Rupp set junior and American high school records while competing for Portland, Oregon's Central Catholic High School. Originally a soccer player, he caught the eye of American marathon legend Alberto Salazar, who coached him to great high school success, including two Oregon state titles in cross country (2002 and 2003) and three individual championships in track and field (the 1500 meters in 2004 and the 3000 meters in 2003 and 2004). After winning the Oregon state title in cross country in 2003, he went on to finish second nationally in the 2003 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. In the spring of 2004, Rupp won his 5000 meters heat against college runners at the Stanford Cardinal Invitational with a time of 13:55.32, fourth-best in U.S. prep history. He went on to break the Oregon state records for the 1500 m (3:45.3) and the mile (4:01.8), the latter mark being the ninth-best in American high school history at the time.
In June 2004, Rupp broke the U.S. high school record for the 3000 m with a time of 8:03.67 (since broken by German Fernandez), also breaking the high school record for the 2000 meters en route (5:18.5). On July 31 in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, he broke Gerry Lindgren's 40-year-old U.S. high school record for the 5000 m by almost seven seconds, with a time of 13:37.91 for the event. He finished his high school career with a 10,000-meter race in 29:09.56 in Brasschaat, Belgium, which was the fourth-fastest ever for an American high schooler. He was the Track and Field News "High School Athlete of the Year" in 2004.
Rupp delayed entering college, instead continuing to train and compete while coached by Salazar. He won the USA Junior Cross Country title in mid-February 2005 then placed 20th at the 2005 World Junior Cross Country Championships in France in mid-March. He then enrolled at the University of Oregon in time for the outdoor track season.
Collegiate career (2005–2009) On May 7, 2005, at the Oregon Twilight Meet, Rupp broke Rudy Chapa's U.S. junior (age 19 and under) record for the 10,000 m with a time of 28:25.52, which is still the current North American and Pan American junior record. Two months later, he placed second in the same event at the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship. On July 17, 2005, Rupp broke Gerry Lindgren's U.S. junior record for the 3000 m in Lignano, Italy, with a time of 7:49.16, which is also the current North American and Pan American junior record.
After he led the team in the Willamette Invitational (sixth) and Pre-NCAA Invitational (12th), an injury brought Rupp's 2005 cross country season to an early end.
In indoor track, Rupp placed fifth in the 5000 m and sixth in the 3000 m at the 2006 NCAA indoor championships, earning All-American status in both events. His 2006 outdoor season was brief due to the onset of hypothyroidism.
Rupp returned to cross country in 2006 to defeat two-time Pac-10 champion Robert Cheseret, Bernard Lagat's brother, of the University of Arizona to become Oregon's 10th male runner to win a Pac-10 Conference cross country title. He also led a young Oregon team to victory over the Stanford Cardinal, who had won the previous six Pac-10 titles. Rupp went on to finish sixth in the 2006 NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship.
The following March, Rupp capped his indoor season by placing third in the 5000 m and fourth in the 3000 m at the 2007 NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship. He began his outdoor season by running a 28:35 over the 10,000 m at Stanford. During the race, he caused some controversy by frequently slowing down to wait for another athlete. On April 20, 2007, Rupp made a huge comeback in the last 200 meters of a 5000-meter race to edge out Chris Solinsky, improving his personal best to 13:30. On April 29, 2007, Rupp defeated a stellar field to win the men's 10,000 m at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational at Stanford. Rupp's time of 27:33.48 set an American-born NCAA Collegiate Record for the event and also gave him the seventh-fastest time in U.S. history. Two weeks later, Rupp won the 10,000 m and 5000 m at the Pac-10 conference meet and helped Oregon to the team title. As in his freshman year, he went on to finish second in the 10,000 m at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Rupp made his global senior debut at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics and came in 11th at the 10,000 m.2007 World Championships - 10,000 Metres - M Final . IAAF (August 27, 2007). Retrieved on 2011-01-09.
A few months later, Rupp finished second – one second behind the winner, Liberty University's Josh McDougal – and led the Oregon Ducks to the 2007 NCAA men's cross country team championship.
Rupp redshirted the 2008 college track season to focus on the 10,000 m at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, where he finished second (27:43.11), earning a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. He went on to finish 13th at the 2008 Olympics with an U.S. Olympic–record time of 27:36.99.
Recovering from the Olympics, Rupp avoided the early 2008 cross country season, running his first race at the Pac-10 Conference Championships, which he won in a course-record 22:55 in the 8000-meter run. He then repeated as NCAA West Regional champion by running 27:41.24 to win the 10,000 m. In the 2008 NCAA national cross country championships, Rupp won his first individual NCAA title by out-kicking Liberty University's Sam Chelanga in a time of 29:03.8, a new course record on the Terre Haute, Indiana, site, and leading the Ducks to repeat as NCAA team champions.
Rupp's 2009 track season was a resounding success. Indoors, he joined the sub-4:00 club for the one-mile run on March 7 with a time of 3:57.86 at the Husky Last Chance Qualifier Meet in Seattle. On February 13, 2009, he broke the U.S. indoor 5000 m record with a time of 13:18.12 at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas. At the NCAA indoor nationals, he won an unprecedented three events: the 5000 m (13:41.45), the distance medley relay (running a 3:57.07 as the 1600 m anchor leg only 90 minutes after his 5000 m victory), and the 3000 m (7:48.94) the next day. This triple victory helped Oregon win its first-ever indoor national team title.
Outdoors, Rupp helped break the NCAA 4 x mile record on May 10. He ran a time of 3:58.93 as the anchor the relay, which also included his Oregon teammates Matthew Centrowitz Jr. (3:59.53), Andrew Wheating (3:59.60) and Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott (4:05.21), and they shaved a little more than one second off the old record with their time of 16:03.24. After helping Oregon defend its Pac-10 title, Rupp won the 5000 m and 10,000 m at the 2009 NCAA Division I outdoor track championships. In all, Rupp earned 14 All-American honors at Oregon, along with five individual championships, a relay championship, two NCAA cross country team titles and an indoor track NCAA team title.
In his last appearance for the University of Oregon, Rupp won the 10,000 m at the 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field with a time of 27:52.53.
In 2009, Rupp won the inaugural Bowerman Award, which is given to college track's Athlete of the Year.
Professional career
2009–2010
Having earned himself a place on the U.S. team for the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, Rupp announced that he was turning pro and that Michael Johnson would be his agent. At the World Championships, Rupp placed eighth in the 10,000 m, in which he was one of only two non-Africans in the top 12 alongside Dathan Ritzenhein.Jalava, Mirko (August 17, 2009). Event Report - Men's 10,000m - Final . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-09.
He then qualified for and competed at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, where he set a personal best of 7:42.40 for the 3000 m, taking fifth place in the final.Landells, Steve (March 14, 2010). EVENT REPORT - MEN's 3000 Metres Final . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-09.
Rupp knocked more than 20 seconds off his previous 10,000 m personal best with a time of 27:10.74 in Palo Alto, California, at the Payton Jordan Stanford Invitational. Before that race, the U.S. record was 27:13.98 set by Meb Keflezighi, and though Rupp's time was over three seconds faster, he was beaten to the punch by Chris Solinsky, who won the race with a new U.S. record of 26:59.60. Two months later, Rupp retained his national title in the 10,000 m with a win at the 2010 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.2010 US Championships - 10,000m Men . USATF. Retrieved on January 9, 2011. Rupp competed on the 2010 IAAF Diamond League circuit and made a series of improvements to his personal records: he broke four minutes for the one-mile run at the Pre Classic, running it in 3:57.72,Monti, Dave (July 3, 2010). Kiprop leads 20 men under 4 minutes at Pre Classic . Universal Sports. Retrieved on 2011-01-09. set an outdoor 3000 m personal best of 7:43.24 at the London Grand Prix,Foster, Anthony (August 13, 2010). Gay's world leader lights up London . Track Alerts. Retrieved on 2011-01-09. and then improved his 5000 m time to 13:07.35 at the season-ending Weltklasse Zürich meeting.Solinsky third, Rupp 12th in PR at Zurich meet. Portland Tribune (August 19, 2010). Retrieved on 2011-01-09.
2011 Rupp took part in the Great Edinburgh Cross Country in 2011 and finished second behind Mo Farah, helping the U.S. team to second place.Wenig, Jorg (January 8, 2011). Kipchoge and Masai prevail in snowy Edinburgh . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-09. He then took part in the New York City Half Marathon, his debut at that distance and finished third in a time of 1:00:30,Farah triumphs in Half-Marathon debut in New York . IAAF (March 20, 2011). Retrieved on 2011-03-20. at the time making him the third-fastest American at the distance. At the 2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, he once again retained his national 10,000 m title, running the last 800 meters in a quick 1:52.59 to seal his victory, and came back the next day to finish third in the 5000 m. In July, he improved his 5000 m personal best to 13:06.86 at the Diamond League meeting in Birmingham, England, out-sprinting the reigning world cross country champion, Imane Merga, for second place behind winner, Mo Farah.
At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, Rupp finished seventh in the 10,000 m with a seasonal best of 27:26.84. He then doubled back to run the 5000 m, and though he was in the lead with Farah with a little more than a lap remaining, he was out-kicked and finished in ninth place with a time of 13:28.64.
Rupp finished his track season with a new U.S. record in the 10,000 m when he ran in 26:48.00 to finish third behind winner, Kenenisa Bekele, at the Memorial Van Damme meet on September 16, 2011.Rowbottom, Mike (September 17, 2011). After Area 10,000 m record, more success for the Rupp/Farah/Salazar team . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-09-18. This time made Rupp the 16th-fastest performer in history for that distance.
2012