The University of Oregon's Galen Rupp set an American and collegiate indoor record at last night's Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., covering 5000m in 13:18.12. Rupp, a senior and the reigning NCAA cross country champion, finished second to Ethiopia's Bekana Daba (13:17.89) and Liberty University's Samuel Chelanga (13:19.79). Chelanga, a Kenyan, was also defeated by Rupp at last November's NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Rupp's time beat one of America's most venerable indoor records, the 13:20.55 run by Doug Padilla on the wooden, 145m track in Madison Square Garden at the 1982 Millrose Games.
"The crowd was great," Rupp told the Oregon sports information department. "Everyone got into it. Awesome atmosphere."
Rupp also broke Suleiman Nyambui's 1981 NCAA record of 13:20.4, also run in New York. Nyambui, a Tanzanian, ran for the University of Texas at El Paso. Interestingly, Nyambui had beaten Rupp's coach, Alberto Salazar, when he set that mark.
"We talked about the possibility of getting (a record), but you never want to get too focused on a time," Rupp added.
For Daba, it was his second big win of the indoor season. At the Reebok Boston Indoor Games one week ago he won the 3000m in 7:41.88, beating Rupp who ran 7:44.69, the fastest-ever time by a USA collegian.
Also at the Tyson Invitational, New Zealander Nick Willis won the inaugural Tyson Foods John McDonnell Mile in 4:02.70. Willis, who beat Chris Lukezic, Rob Myers and Alan Webb, used a 26.63 final 200m circuit to get the win.
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