Tokyo ticket for Galen
29th February 2020 – Galen Rupp (USA) will have the opportunity to add to his Olympic medal haul as he secured his place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by winning the US Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta on Saturday.
Four years ago, Galen made his marathon debut at the 2016 trials and employed almost track like tactics of stalking the leader until late in the race before moving away to win. Here, the extra experience and confidence that the past four years has given him meant he made his move to the front far earlier (around the 16 mile mark) and gave him the last 10 miles to show that the injury woes of 2019 are behind him and he is back to his best.
On an undulating course and windy conditions Galen passed the halfway mark in 65:41 and then strode to victory in 2:09:20 to become only the second man to defend an Olympic Trials title. Come Tokyo, Galen will be looking to add the silver medal he won in the London 2012 and the bronze from Rio 2016.
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