A few records were challenged in Stockholm, but one important mark was broken. In the men's 3000m, Galen Rupp’s winning time of 7:30.16 broke Bernard Lagat’s previous American record of 7:32.43.

Finally.

After falling short in his last two American record attempts, the third time was the charm for Rupp. In two consecutive weeks, Rupp missed two records in Boston (the American indoor mile and 3000m) and was then unable to run the 5000m in Birmingham after the race was cancelled.

 

Unnerved Determined, Rupp decided to travel to Stockholm and take another shot at the 3000m. Rupp tucked himself into the pack and let the rabbits do their work. An early pace of 1:30 at 600m and 2:00 at 800m meant the record was still on schedule.

 

Unfortunately, the live stream did not show the majority of the race. When the feed returned to the track, Rupp was passing 2800m in 7:01.85. He needed to run roughly 31-seconds for his last lap to finally claim the American record. However, time may have not been Rupp’s main concern as Caleb Ndiku was clipping his heels with 200m to go.

 

On the backstretch, the American glided away from the Kenyan to come away with both the win and a piece of history. There would be no repeat of the New Balance Grand Prix for this Nike Oregon Project member.

Men 3000 m
1	Galen Rupp	86		USA	7:30.16		WL MR NR
2	Caleb Ndiku	92		KEN	7:31.66		PB
3	Abdelaati Iguider	87		MAR	7:34.92		PB
4	Paul Kipsiele Koech	81		KEN	7:38.35		SB
5	Hayle Ibrahimov	90		AZE	7:39.59		PB
6	Albert Rop	94		KEN	7:40.16
7	Tesfaye Cheru	93		ETH	7:43.47		PB
8	Aman Wote	84		ETH	7:43.99
9	Bouabdellah Tahri	78		FRA	7:44.18
10	Nacerddine Hallil	88		ALG, Hässelby SK	7:52.07		PB
11	Niclas Sandells	84		FIN	8:02.33		PB
12	Olle Walleräng	85		SWE, Spårvägens FK	8:05.98
13	Johan Hydén	89		SWE, Hammarby IF	8:09.23
	Benson Seurei (pace)	88		KEN	DNF
	Vincent Rono (pace)	90		KEN	DNF

 

Rupp’s new record ranks 12th on the all-time world indoor 3000m list (below):

7:24.90	1.	1.	Daniel KOMEN	76	KEN	F	1.	Budapest (HUN)	06.02.1998
7:26.15	2.	2.	Haile GEBRSELASSIE	73	ETH	F	1.	Karlsruhe (GER)	25.01.1998
7:26.80	-	3.	Haile GEBRSELASSIE	73	ETH	F	1.	Karlsruhe (GER)	24.01.1999
7:27.80	3.	4.	Yenew ALAMIREW	90	ETH	F	1.	Stuttgart (GER)	05.02.2011
7:27.93	-	5.	Daniel KOMEN	76	KEN	F	1.	Stuttgart (GER)	01.02.1998
7:28.00	4.	6.	Augustine Kiprono CHOGE	87	KEN	F	2.	Stuttgart (GER)	05.02.2011
7:28.29	-	7.	Haile GEBRSELASSIE	73	ETH	F	1.	Karlsruhe (GER)	28.02.2003
7:29.34	-	8.	Haile GEBRSELASSIE	73	ETH	F	1.	Karlsruhe (GER)	15.02.2004
7:29.37	5.	9.	Eliud KIPCHOGE	84	KEN	F	3.	Stuttgart (GER)	05.02.2011
7:29.94	6.	10.	Edwin Cheruiyot SOI	86	KEN	F	2.	Karlsruhe (GER)	12.02.2012
7:29.94	-	10.	Augustine Kiprono CHOGE	87	KEN	F	1.	Karlsruhe (GER)	12.02.2012
7:30.16	7.	12.	Galen RUPP	86	USA	F	1.	Stockholm (SWE)	21.02.2013

 

The names surrounding the lone American on the list are distance running legends. With this indoor season coming to a close, is Rupp slowly making a case to be mentioned among those names?

Surely not yet, but at age 26, there is still plenty of time. Once only considered a 10,000m runner, Rupp has shown incredible range and tactics this indoor season. When he finally begins his outdoor campaign, who knows what he’ll be able to run in his primary events.

 

Though Rupp had the spotlight for us Yanks back home, the show wasn’t solely about him. Both Genzebe Dibaba and Abeba Aregawi came close to the world indoor record in the women’s 3000m and 1500m, respectively.

 

When it comes to describing Dibaba this indoor season, unstoppable is an understatement. In her last two races, she’s missed two world records in the 1500m (4:00.83 in Birmingham) and 3000m in Stockholm. Her winning time at the XL-Galan of 8:26.57 had her lapping multiple runners and put her 23-seconds ahead of second place.

The world record of 8:23.72 set by Meseret Defar (2007) lives another day.

 

Not to be outdone, Aregawi stole the show in the final event of the evening, the women’s 1500m. The former Ethiopian (now Swedish citizen) put on a clinic for her adopted country and they should be a bit excited to see her race in the future.

Aregawi’s winning time of 3:58.40 was only 0.12-seconds off the women’s indoor 1500m world record of 3:58.28 (Yelena Soboleva, 2006)

 

The XL-Galan had incredible performances and near misses, but not everyone fit into that mold. Galen Rupp, after missing two American records, after being forced to cancel his 5000m in Birmingham, after Bernard Lagat took back his American indoor 2-mile record, finally crossed the line before time ran out.

Lagat no longer owns all five American indoor records from 1500m to 5000m.

 

Galen Rupp - 7:30.16.