The Greatest Duck Ever?
UO track and field phenom Galen Rupp just finished up his collegiate career in a big way, taking first in the 10,00o at the U.S. Track and Field Championships. It’s hard to really get a handle on his mountain of wins, records and assorted achievements, but here’s the highlights:
- 2008 Olympian and fastest non-African in the 10,000
- 2009 U.S. champion in the 10k
- Currently holds the American indoor record in the 5,000 and collegiate records in the outdoor 10k (fastest American-born) and indoor 3k
- Three-time consecutive U.S. national team member
- Only person in NCAA history to win the 3k, 5k and distance medley in a championship. If Rupp had entered the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships as a one-man team, he would have taken 10th.
- Overall, six NCAA distance titles in the 2008-2009 season – first in cross country; first in the indoor 3k, 5k and DMR; and first in the outdoor 5k and 10k.
- Ran anchor leg on the Ducks’ record-breaking 4xmile relay team.
- You might as well throw in a handful of Pac-10 championships, as well as nine time All-American and NCAA Division I Men’s Track Athlete of the year.
Rupp is the most decorated Duck in school history. Of course, this begs the question: Better than Pre? When I get the time and the gumption, I’ll stack them up against each other.
(The ODE also has a list of Rupp’s stats.)
