U.S. Olympic Team Trials
EUGENE, Ore. – University of Portland alumnus Woody Kincaid '15 punched his ticket to the Tokyo Olympics after winning the 10,000-meter run and finishing third in the 5,000-meter run at the Olympic Trials in Eugene.
Kincaid, a member of the Bowerman Track Club, was patient throughout the 10K and slowly worked his way toward the front before bursting out and pulling away by covering the final 400 meters in 53.47, more than a second faster than the rest of the field. A blistering last lap of 52.47 allowed him to crack the top three in the 5K.
Kincaid was a two-time track All-American while at Portland and also helped the cross country squad earn it's first podium finish in third place at the 2014 NCAA Championships. Long-time Portland coach Rob Conner was in Eugene on June 18 to cheer on Kincaid.
"To see Woody's full potential be realized is the story in this," Conner said. "He worked hard in college but had setbacks that didn't allow him to achieve his goals. To get the opportunity to train at the highest level with Jerry (Schumaker) and Nike Bowerman TC for the past five years has allowed him to realize that awesome full potential. Not a lot of people would sign up for the work required to make this happen. I am so proud of him. There was a large contingent of former teammates here to cheer him on too. It was awesome for him to win in front of his friends and family."
Kincaid wasn't the only Pilot to compete when he won the 10K on June 18. Reid Buchanan '16 finished ninth in the 10K but was towards the front of the pack throughout and pushed out to the lead with less than two laps remaining. Earlier in the day, Taryn Rawlings '19 competed in the women's 1,500-meter run.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are scheduled for July 23-Aug. 8. The 10,000-meter run is scheduled for Friday, July 30 while the first round of the 5,000-meter run will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 3.
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