With the movie McFarland, USA set to hit theaters on Feb. 20, USA TODAY High School Sports is looking back at some of the top athletes to be part of the American Family Insurance ALL-USA track and field teams over the years. Based on a true story from 1987, McFarland, USA tells the story of coach Jim White, who took an unlikely group of athletes in a predominantly Latino small town in California and built a legacy of cross country runners.
GALEN RUPP
Event: 3000 meters, 5000 meters
High school: Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.)
ALL-USA history: Rupp was twice named to the ALL-USA first team in 2003 for the 3000 and 5000-meter events and in 2004 for the mile, 3000m and 5000m.
After ALL-USA: Considered one of the greatest distance runners in the history of the University of Oregon University, Rupp won five NCAA track titles: 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters twice, distance medley and 10,000 meters. He set the outdoor American record in the 10,000 (26:48.0) and 3,000 indoor (7:30.18). Rupp has won six USA Outdoor 10,000 titles. He captured the 10,000m silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Today: Rupp currently trains with legendary track coach Alberto Salazar in Portland as a member of the Nike Oregon Project, which was established in 2001 to promote American distance running. He is aiming to compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio with the goal of becoming the first American 10,000m Olympic champion since Billy Mills won the gold medal in 1964.
Galen Rupp of Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) runs to victory at the Oregon 4A state cross country championships in 2003. (Photo: Associated Press, The Register-Guard, Brian Davies)
Galen Rupp (left) celebrates with Great Britain’s Mohamed Farah after the final of the 10,000 meters at the London Olympics in 2012. Rupp won the silver and Farah won the gold (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)