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GOING THE DISTANCE
Olympics Headlines
- Paralympics officials on the lockout for boosting
- Cheating at Paralympics could involve self-harm
- Pistorius to run again, this time at Paralympics
- Pistorius runs again, this time at Paralympics
- Classifying disabilities tricky at Paralympics
- After judo gold, Harrison might go for Rio in 2016
- Paralympic cauldron lit in central London
- Valerie Adams seeks her Olympic gold medal at IOC
- Full TV coverage for Paralympics, just not in US
- Brazil minister not concerned with hotel shortages
By The Associated Press
Updated August 7, 2012
(AP) -- The last time the Americans were a factor in distance running, former world-record holder Jim Ryun was circling the track.
That was 44 years ago, when the U.S. was actually keeping up with the competition.
Ever since, they've been in quite a funk.
That is, until London, where Leonel Manzano and Galen Rupp are leading a U.S. resurgence in the distance events.
Rupp, of Portland, Ore., captured a silver medal in the 10,000 meters over the weekend. Then, Manzano, of Austin, Texas, followed with another silver in the 1,500 on Tuesday night.
So, what gives?
"We've really brought distance running around a corner," Manzano said. "And I know it's going to get better. I definitely hope this is a turning point for everybody. I hope there's a kid out there, sitting on the couch, watching this race and says, 'Hey, I can do this as well.'"
- Pat Graham - Twitter http://twitter.com/pgraham34
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