Men’s 3000m: Eric Jenkins Just Misses Galen Rupp’s American Collegiate Record as Oregon Goes 1-2

by LetsRun.com
February 14, 2015

New York, NY — Despite a modest early pace of 2:37.88 through the first kilometer (7:53.6 pace), the Oregon duo of Eric Jenkins and Will Geoghegan ran the fifth- and sixth-fastest times in NCAA history on a standard track, and Jenkins just missed former Duck Galen Rupp’s American collegiate record of 7:44.69 by an agonizing .21 seconds (everyone else faster is a foreigner).  The two collegians separated from the Bowerman Track Club’s Andy Bayer with two laps to go, closing the final 200 meters in 27.55 (Jenkins) and 28.21 (Geoghegan).

The Ducks: Parker Stinson, Will Geoghegan, Jake Leingang, Eric Jenkins The Ducks: Parker Stinson, Will Geoghegan, Jake Leingang, Eric Jenkins

After the race Jenkins said Rupp’s record was never on his mind in the race. Coach Andy Powell wasn’t happy with the pacing early in the race, repeatedly yelling at the rabbit to pick it up before finally giving Jenkins the go-ahead to take the lead with eight laps to go. Though Jenkins probably could have run a record time with a slightly faster first kilometer (his splits went 2:38.10-2:36.81-2:30.00 while leading several laps in the middle of the race), the Ducks can’t be too unhappy. They now occupy spots #1, #2 and #3 on the all-time American collegiate list at 3k (Ryan Hill and Diego Estrada have run faster on oversize tracks). They’re also #1/#2/#3 on the 2015 NCAA list (with Edward Cheserek in third).

Article continues below player.

Oregon’s #2 and #3 3000m runners just went 1-2 in a pro meet at the Millrose Games and nearly broke Galen Rupp’s record. Impressive.

Interview with Jenkins and Geoghegan below including this gem from Jenkins when a reporter asks him, ‘tell us who you are’, and Jenkins replied,  “Just an average guy, with exceptional hair, trying to run fast.” It’s in the 1st 10 seconds of the video below.

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Results

1 Jenkins, Eric Univ of Oregon 7:44.91
2 Geoghegan, Will Univ of Oregon 7:45.71
3 Bayer, Andy Nike BTC 7:52.47
4 Awad, Thomas Univ of Pennsylvania 7:54.81
5 Crawford, Graham NC State 7:55.89
6 Stinson, Parker Univ of Oregon 8:02.87
7 Hehir, Martin Syracuse 8:04.65
8 Thomson, Jacob NC State 8:11.30
9 Leingang, Jake Univ of Oregon 8:18.44
10 Santana, Alfredo Juventus 8:24.00
Chorney, David BAA DNF

Fastest Collegiate 3000 Times According To TFN

7:38.59 Alistair Cragg’ (Arkansas) 02/14/04
7:42.79 Lawi Lalang’ (Arizona) 01/26/13
7:44.69 Galen Rupp (Oregon) 02/07/09
7:44.90 Nick Willis’ (Michigan) 01/31/04
7:44.91 Eric Jenkins (Oregon)        2/14/15
7:45.71 Will Geoghegan (Oregon) 2/14/15

Oversized tracks

7:43.08 Ryan Hill (North Carolina St) 02/11/12
7:44.63 Diego Estrada’ (Northern Arizona) 02/11/12

Jenkins’ focus is now squarely on next month’s NCAA Championships, where he suggested he will likely run the 3k and 5k (though he says nothing is set in stone). Jenkins said he may even skip the MPSF meet as he’s got his qualifiers out of the way. We asked him whether it felt good to finally have a fast 3k officially on the books (he had run 7:46 at the 2013 NCAA Championships (when he ran for Northeastern) but the time was annulled after he was DQ’ed) and Jenkins said that he feels today’s performance validates that time, which he always considered his PR anyway.

*All LRC Millrose Interviews here

Disclosure because our trust with you matters: The NYRR Millrose Games was an advertiser on LetsRun.com this week. This is not part of any advertising package.

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