Syracuse Orange distance star Justyn Knight entered last night’s Stumptown Twilight Meet in Portland, Oregon looking to hit the Olympic qualifying standard in the 5k. With a talented and experienced field led by Portland native and top American distance runner Galen Rupp, the hope was that Knight could reach the 13:25.00 standard before the Canadian Olympic Trials next month.
What no one expected was for Knight to out-kick Rupp in the final lap to take the victory. Rupp, the 2012 Olympic Silver Medalist in the 10k and this year’s Olympic Trials Marathon winner, wasn’t running all-out, but he doesn’t lose many races, especially in a final-lap kick.