Farah Wins Men's Olympic 10,000 Meters
Rupp earns silver medal for first U.S. men's 10,000 medal since 1964
By USATF
Rupp earns silver medal for first U.S. men's 10,000 medal since 1964
By USATF
LONDON - (August 4, 2012) - Not since Billy Mills' storied sprint to win the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games has an American man graced the podium of the men's 10,000 meters. That changed Saturday night at Olympic Stadium when Galen Rupp made his own dash into history to take the silver in the 10,000.
Clocking 27:30.90, Rupp, 26, from Portland, Ore., became just the third U.S. man ever to win an Olympic medal in the event, after Mills' gold and a silver by Lewis Tewanina in 1912. It was also the fastest time ever by an American at the Games. Rupp's training partner, 2011 world champion Mo Farah of Great Britain, won in 27:30.42 to give coach Alberto Salazar a 1-2 podium combination (left, PhotoRun).
Post-race, a happy Rupp said, "I'm thrilled for Mo. It's unreal. Two training partners coming in first and second. I couldn't be happier. I wouldn't be where I am today without him. I'm the lucky one - I get to train with the best middle distance runner in the world.
"At this level you are never going to get in the top three if you can't beat somebody in that last bit. That is something we've been working on for years now and it is awesome to see it come through."
It was 25 laps of pure drama - part NASCAR, part roller-derby as speed and tactics melded. Six laps into the race, Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea stretched out the pack, with the leaders including Moses Masai of Kenya and Tariku and two-time defending Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia. Rupp ranged from sixth to 10th place, running near Farah as Americans Dathan Ritzenhein (Beaverton, Ore.) and Matt Tegenkamp (Portland, Ore.) strode a few places back.
Until just past the 6000m mark, Tadese handled most of the leading duties, coming through 5000m in 14:05.79. From that point, a series of surges kept a pack that included Tadese, Teklemariam Medhin of Eritrea, Tariku Bekele, Bedan Muchiri and others.
With 8 laps to go, the race was clearly one of both speed and strategy. Masai, Muchiri, Bekele, Rupp and Kenenisa Bekele were most in the mix. Rupp sat in fourth place with six laps to go, right ahead of Kenenisa Bekele and Farah.
Farah, 29, took the lead with four laps left, and the pace ratcheted up as Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia took his turn at the lead. At the bell, Farah moved into the front as the crowd of 80,000 roared its approval, and during the final thrilling, deafening homestretch, Rupp went from fourth to second as he closed on Farah, who won the first Olympic gold for Great Britain in the event. That left Tariku Bekele in bronze in 27:31.43 and Kenenisa, one of the greatest runners in history, fourth in 27:32.44. Ritzenhein finished 13th in 27:45.89 and Tegenkamp was 19th in 28:18.26.
The final Mile was a fast sub-4:10 with Farah and Rupp producing sub-54 second final lap splits. What a race!
Olympic Games
London, GBR, Saturday, August 4, 2012
Men's 10,000m
1) Mo Farah (GBR), 27:30.42, Gold
2) Galen Rupp (USA), 27:30.90, Silver
3) Tariku Bekele (ETH), 27:31.43, Bronze
4) Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), 27:32.44
5) Bedan Muchiri (KEN), 27:32.94
6) Zersenay Tadese (ERI), 27:33.51
7) Teklemariam Medhin (ERI), 27:34.76
8) Gebre Gebremariam (ETH), 27:36.34
9) Polat Arikan (TUR), 27:38.81
10) Moses Kipsiro (UGA), 27:39.22
Other U.S.
13) Dathan Ritzenhein (USA), 27:45.89
19) Matt Tegenkamp (USA), 28:18.26
Full results and more at: www.iaaf.org/mini/oly12/Results/ResultsByDate.aspx
Clocking 27:30.90, Rupp, 26, from Portland, Ore., became just the third U.S. man ever to win an Olympic medal in the event, after Mills' gold and a silver by Lewis Tewanina in 1912. It was also the fastest time ever by an American at the Games. Rupp's training partner, 2011 world champion Mo Farah of Great Britain, won in 27:30.42 to give coach Alberto Salazar a 1-2 podium combination (left, PhotoRun).
Post-race, a happy Rupp said, "I'm thrilled for Mo. It's unreal. Two training partners coming in first and second. I couldn't be happier. I wouldn't be where I am today without him. I'm the lucky one - I get to train with the best middle distance runner in the world.
"At this level you are never going to get in the top three if you can't beat somebody in that last bit. That is something we've been working on for years now and it is awesome to see it come through."
It was 25 laps of pure drama - part NASCAR, part roller-derby as speed and tactics melded. Six laps into the race, Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea stretched out the pack, with the leaders including Moses Masai of Kenya and Tariku and two-time defending Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia. Rupp ranged from sixth to 10th place, running near Farah as Americans Dathan Ritzenhein (Beaverton, Ore.) and Matt Tegenkamp (Portland, Ore.) strode a few places back.
Until just past the 6000m mark, Tadese handled most of the leading duties, coming through 5000m in 14:05.79. From that point, a series of surges kept a pack that included Tadese, Teklemariam Medhin of Eritrea, Tariku Bekele, Bedan Muchiri and others.
With 8 laps to go, the race was clearly one of both speed and strategy. Masai, Muchiri, Bekele, Rupp and Kenenisa Bekele were most in the mix. Rupp sat in fourth place with six laps to go, right ahead of Kenenisa Bekele and Farah.
Farah, 29, took the lead with four laps left, and the pace ratcheted up as Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia took his turn at the lead. At the bell, Farah moved into the front as the crowd of 80,000 roared its approval, and during the final thrilling, deafening homestretch, Rupp went from fourth to second as he closed on Farah, who won the first Olympic gold for Great Britain in the event. That left Tariku Bekele in bronze in 27:31.43 and Kenenisa, one of the greatest runners in history, fourth in 27:32.44. Ritzenhein finished 13th in 27:45.89 and Tegenkamp was 19th in 28:18.26.
The final Mile was a fast sub-4:10 with Farah and Rupp producing sub-54 second final lap splits. What a race!
Olympic Games
London, GBR, Saturday, August 4, 2012
Men's 10,000m
1) Mo Farah (GBR), 27:30.42, Gold
2) Galen Rupp (USA), 27:30.90, Silver
3) Tariku Bekele (ETH), 27:31.43, Bronze
4) Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), 27:32.44
5) Bedan Muchiri (KEN), 27:32.94
6) Zersenay Tadese (ERI), 27:33.51
7) Teklemariam Medhin (ERI), 27:34.76
8) Gebre Gebremariam (ETH), 27:36.34
9) Polat Arikan (TUR), 27:38.81
10) Moses Kipsiro (UGA), 27:39.22
Other U.S.
13) Dathan Ritzenhein (USA), 27:45.89
19) Matt Tegenkamp (USA), 28:18.26
Full results and more at: www.iaaf.org/mini/oly12/Results/ResultsByDate.aspx
this article Courtesy of Running USA wire
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