Rupp will easily dispose of Levins in the olympics.

Levins has really made a jump to a higher echelon of competition. But he will undergo a baptism of fire when he lines up with the East Africans, Rupp and Mo.

Cam will pay the price for too much mileage. He will need to change his training if he wants to be healthy and be a pro. Mileage is a tool, a means to an end. When used as an end in itself, you get injured. You burn out.

Rupp will probably be a better marathoner than Ryan Hall but will probably not get a medal in 2016 if he goes to 26.2.

Rupp > Levins right now, Levins might be better in the 5k 10k by 2016 but it won't matter because Rupp will have moved to the marathon.

Ignorance Watch wrote:

This thread is stupid, Rupp will never close anything in 54.26.

You're right.

Last summer in Birmingham Rupp closed his 13:06 in 54.6, taking down Merga in the last 100m.

But, again, you're right as it wasn't 54.26 to close out a blistering 13:40 against the best that the NCAA has to offer!!

"the fewer Africans in the final the better". Now there is some blatant racism. Does running fast and winning somehow ruin the sport if it's done by Africans???

ramxc wrote:

[quote]Ignorance Watch wrote:

This thread is stupid, Rupp will never close anything in 54.26.

And then there's this LetsRun quote from last year's USATF 10000m final:

"A 58.1 penultimate lap by Rupp put five in contention: Rupp, Teg, Nelson, Curtis and Bauhs.

The big show came in the final lap as Rupp looked like a possible medalist at the World Championships, running 54.4 despite shutting down the engine with 20 meters to go, as he claimed his third-straight national title at 10k in very impressive fashion with a 1:52.5 final 800m."

But, again, you're right.. it wasn't 54.26.

Levins is a winner and has the strong burst and acceleration needed for winning races and medalling on the global stage. Rupp has never shown to possess these qualities as is very evident at last years worlds where he was in the front pack with 600 to go until the kicking started and the pace picked up. Rupp cant accelerate quickly or throw down a 53 last lap and he isnt strong enough like a guy like Bekele to hammer the last 2K in 4:55. He will forever be remembered as a PR time trial guy who was never a winner or threat to medal because he lacks those skills and will be nothing more than an Alan Webb type guy. Great PR's but never a threat in a championship race. Levins on the other hand has that acceleration and 53 last 400 capability that Rupp will never have. Because of this he will be a threat at a medal in the future. You want an example of how important acceleration and kicking a low 50 last 400 is? Look at Centro's bronze from last year. He had one of the slowest PR's in the field but came away with the hardware cause of his winning ability, kick and acceleration. He is a racer, something Rupp is not and thus why he is not and will never be a threat in a championship race

Cam MF Levins is still just at university , and it seems he is already ahead of Galen's level for that time.

Cam is probably in 27:05 -27;10 shape if he is pulled along in perfect conditions. Anybody who saw how he finished at payton jordan would admit that. He simply however will fall off a 26 48 pace in my estimate ..just a bit beyond him at this stage. that said the 54 second finishing laps are not what is so impressive wth him..it is rather the explosiveness of his last 150 that is just through the roof. If rupp or someone is to let him hang around in the last 4-600 mytrs they are in deep sh#@t as far as I am concerned ..as they have nothing resembling cam's speed over the last 150.

Because he is still off the radar internationally it could legitimately happen that he gets himself into some action in the 10km final in london...just wait and we may be surprised.

Would it be racist for a Jamaican to say "the fewer Americans in the 400 the better?" Africans simply have a history of dominating distance events in the same way Americans dominate the 400.

Also, the sport DOES become less interesting when you know that maybe 6 guys from Kenya and Ethiopia have a shot at medalling and everyone else is just an also-ran. Adding different guys like Rupp to the mix just adds some more variety and opens up more possibilities. I'd definitely be more into a race where you have Farah, Rupp, Bekele and a couple Africans from different countries battling out the final lap than watching 3 Kenyans and 3 Ethiopians do the same thing.

And then there's this LetsRun quote from last year's USATF 10000m final:

"A 58.1 penultimate lap by Rupp put five in contention: Rupp, Teg, Nelson, Curtis and Bauhs.

The big show came in the final lap as Rupp looked like a possible medalist at the World Championships, running 54.4 despite shutting down the engine with 20 meters to go, as he claimed his third-straight national title at 10k in very impressive fashion with a 1:52.5 final 800m."

But, again, you're right.. it wasn't 54.26.[/quote]

Oh I guess I must have forgotten how he looked like a clear medal threat at last years world champs in that 10k since he was so close on that last lap. HAHAHAA NOT!!

His way of finishing that 10k at the US champs last year is exactly why he wont ever be a threat on the world stage. Sure closing in 1:53 or whatever is nice, but running nearly 55 for the last lap is his problem as world champ 10K are won in the last 200m where guys close in about 25-26 for a 52 last lap. Not long drawn out kicks from 800m+ out going 58-55. Face it fanboy, he's a time trialer like Webb who cant do anything in a real championship race

SmallTimeTC wrote:

And then there's this LetsRun quote from last year's USATF 10000m final:

"A 58.1 penultimate lap by Rupp put five in contention: Rupp, Teg, Nelson, Curtis and Bauhs.

The big show came in the final lap as Rupp looked like a possible medalist at the World Championships, running 54.4 despite shutting down the engine with 20 meters to go, as he claimed his third-straight national title at 10k in very impressive fashion with a 1:52.5 final 800m."

But, again, you're right.. it wasn't 54.26.

Oh I guess I must have forgotten how he looked like a clear medal threat at last years world champs in that 10k since he was so close on that last lap. HAHAHAA NOT!!

His way of finishing that 10k at the US champs last year is exactly why he wont ever be a threat on the world stage. Sure closing in 1:53 or whatever is nice, but running nearly 55 for the last lap is his problem as world champ 10K are won in the last 200m where guys close in about 25-26 for a 52 last lap. Not long drawn out kicks from 800m+ out going 58-55. Face it fanboy, he's a time trialer like Webb who cant do anything in a real championship race[/quote]

I was simply replying to the previous post that "Rupp will never close in 54.26.."

That's it. While he may not have run 54.26 like Levins (in a 13:40 race), he did run 54.6 in his 13:06. That's all I'm sayin'.

Levins' acceleration in these races does appear to be spectacular, and it will be exciting to see how he'll fare this summer and in the future against the big boys.

It'll be great to see both Levins and Rupp in the 10000m in London.

The list of rupp dethroners is long indeed. They are either burned out, injured ( or a combination of the 2 ), retired or running as also rans in his races.

This is not a joke, rupp is the tried and true real deal. Comparing against him is only a recipe for failure based on historical evidence.

If your a Levine fan, let him come into his own and not become a list of people whom I'd rather not discredit.

The discussion comparing the kicks of Rupp and Levins is ridiculous. Kicking in 54 in a slow race doesn't require any significant "raw speed" that Rupp doesn't have. If you ran 5 seconds per lap slower than you were capable of for 24 laps, you'd have a pretty good kick too. I'd put money on Rupp having a 54 second kick too after jogging 28+ pace.

Put Levins in a 27:27 race and all of a sudden his kick diminishes to 60... put him in a low-27s race like the Olympics and he may not even make it to the bell.

Fun fact, Rupp actually has more of this so-called "raw speed" over 100m than Farah (10.9 to 11.1 in a rolling 100m start). Clearly both are capable of running 54 second 400s, but farah comes into the last lap less tired than Rupp every time.

Strength IS speed mofos.

Once Rupp starts really sharpening, why is everyone so convinced that he won't possess the ability to go sub-4:00 over the last 1600 and in the low 50s on the last lap? He was damn close last year, and he'll be ready this year. Still might not be enough.

SmallTimeTC wrote:

Levins is a winner and has the strong burst and acceleration needed for winning races and medalling on the global stage. Rupp has never shown to possess these qualities as is very evident at last years worlds where he was in the front pack with 600 to go until the kicking started and the pace picked up.

Has everyone forgotten what Rupp did his senior year of college? People are freaking out about Levins winning two championships, Rupp won 5 between indoors and outdoors blowing people away with a crazy kick, hell he kicked down milers in the DMR only 90 minutes after having won the 5000.

Of course Levins kick looks insane right now, he's doing it against college guys. Rupp is kicking against the best runners in the world and he has been improving every year since he got out of school. Both are great runners but Levins is the flavor of the month right now, he will have a few years until he does anything at the world stage, just like Rupp had coming out of college.

Sagarin,

Don't count me in that "everyone"

Rupp could definitely medal.

As I said a few years ago when the Brojos were saying no American Male had a chance to medal again at the mid-d and distance events ever again... we absolutely can and will.

We may not have the depth, but at the top end... the outliers in America can compete with the outliers from Africa or elsewhere. An outlier is an outlier... and Rupp, Solinsky, Ritz, Fernandez, Wheating, Webb are all outliers and can compete with the world's best.

100% fully agree! a young 23 year old body can only do so much. And right now he needs to cut back on the miles. he has the shelf life of rookie running back in the NFL. You can only take so many hits before you are done. And every time he straps on the GPS watch its happening.

Goldenboy wrote:

What's to discuss ? You're right. I wasn't a Rupp fan for a LONG time, but I've turned the corner. He's the best 5K/10K threat we've had in a long time. Rupp is a solid medal contender in the 10K, and while Cam has had a phenomenal season, he is not.

Rupp won't TOUCH Lagat who is the best we've EVER had!

Sam Chelanga ran 19 seconds faster than Cam Levins in college.