By: Samuel Lin
Galen Rupp is one of the best long-distance runners in American history. He has won many gold medals at the Olympics and other competitions. Though there is much controversy around him because of his relationship with disgraced coach Alberto Salazar, many still view Rupp as a hero.
Rupp won silver in the 10,000m at the 2012 Olympics debut, finishing second to his training partner, Mo Farah. In 2016 Olympics, he won bronze in the marathon with a time of two hours, ten minutes, and five seconds. His superb speed and endurance, along with his tactical running, made him one of the world’s best long-distance runners.
“Rupp is hands-down the greatest American distance runner of all time,” said Amby Burfoot, a former marathoner.
After attending the University of Oregon, he trained in the Nike Oregon Project with Salazar and Farah.
“I’m training with the best distance runner in the world right now,” Rupp said at the time. “We do 99.9 percent of our training together. I’m right there with him in all that. So there’s no reason I can’t beat everybody.”
Yet, there has been controversy around coach Alberto Salazar. Salazar was also a runner, and won the New York City and Boston Marathons. But during his coaching career he sexually assaulted some athletes and committed doping violations. Nike discontinued the Nike Oregon Project in 2019, after the doping incident.
Rupp’s relationship with Alberto Salazar does not prove he is guilty. He has never failed a drug test, and is still revered as the greatest American long-distance runner.
Now, Rupp trains with a new coach, Mike Smith, the head coach of Northern Arizona University’s track teams. When Rupp first asked Smith to become his coach, Smith was unsure. But after a while, he agreed.
“I’m extremely grateful and thankful that he chose to undertake this. It is certainly a bit of a unique situation,” Rupp said.
Smith prepared him for the 2020 Olympic trials and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Rupp placed eighth in that competition.
Though Rupp has faced many injuries, such as a herniated disc and pinched nerves, he continues to fight. Recently he ran in the World Athletics Championship on his home field, finishing 19th in the marathon.
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