As Galen Rupp prepares for his final cross country season at the University of Oregon, you have to wonder what else the senior from Portland can do to impress us this year. The eight-time All-American – and recent Olympian – will lead the Ducks in their quest for a second straight national championship this fall.
Needless to say, Rupp had a pretty awesome summer.
After finishing second in the 10,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field, Rupp qualified for the Olympic team and finished 13th in the Olympic 10,000-meter race, the fastest time turned in by an American.
“Finishing in the top 10 was a goal I had,” Rupp said. “And I stayed close for most of the race; it was just the last two miles that killed me.”
Though medaling in the event seemed unlikely for Rupp, he came away from his first Olympic experience with nothing but good memories. “I had such a great time while I was there,” he said. “China was really cool, but I didn’t make it to the Great Wall, which I wish I could have done.”
Not only did he enjoy the Olympic experience, Rupp also ran very well in his debut on the world’s greatest stage. Though he said he is glad to be home, it is impossible for him to hide his excitement and aspiration for the 2012 Olympics in London.
“I was really happy with the way I ran,” he said. “It sets me up well for London. I was 30 seconds behind the leaders, so I guess I have to trim 30 seconds off in four years.”
Though London and the Olympics are in the back of his mind, make no mistake: Rupp is currently focused on replicating the success that Oregon had last year. He won’t run until the Pacific-10 Conference Championships in November, but Rupp’s past success and Olympic experience will help set the tone for the rest of the team. The Pac-10 Championship was the first race Rupp ran last year, and he got out to a great start by finishing second, which helped the Ducks capture the team title. He then won the NCAA West Regional meet and finished second in an epic race at the NCAA National Championships.
Now equipped with Olympic experience and surrounded by one of the deepest teams in the country, Rupp said it’s definitely reasonable to expect big things from the Ducks. “We just have such a great team,” he said.
Although he spent the first race of the season watching his teammates run, the impact Rupp makes not just on his team, but on the local community, is immeasurable. As children only as tall as Rupp’s waist clamored around him for autographs, the Olympian and the leader of the Ducks looked on at the hundreds that surrounded him and could not wipe the smile from his face.
“I’m glad to be back,” he said.
Duck fans are glad he’s back, too. Armed with Olympic experience and the desire to help take his squad back to the promised land, Rupp is poised for a big year both personally and for his team.