Galen Rupp, Julie Culley Win 5,000m At 2012 Olympic Track & Field Trials

After a rest of two days, the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Track and Field got back into action Thursday night in Eugene, Ore., with a total of five finals, highlighted by the men’s and women’s 5,000 meters.

The women took to the track at Hayward Field first, and it was Julie Culley who emerged victorious, crossing the finish line in a time of of 15:13.77. She will be joined on Team USA in London by Molly Huddle (15:14.40) and Kim Conley (15:19.79). Just missing out -- by 0.04 seconds -- was the fourth-place finisher, Julia Lucas.

Lucas began to falter at the end, which allowed Conley to catch her at the line and get “A” standard in the process, making the cut by just 0.21 seconds.

On the men’s side, it was expected Galen Rupp would win the 5,000m, and he did just that, securing another Olympic berth in 13:22.67, a time that broke Steve Prefontaine’s Trials record of 13:22.8. Rupp will be joined in London by Benard Lagat (13:22.82) and Lopez Lomong (13:24.47). The trio were more than two seconds ahead of the remaining runners.

Rupp, who is going to London in both the 10,000m and 5,000m -- and is a legitimate medal threat in both events -- ran a 52.54 in his final 400 (which is insane).

Lagat won bronze in Sydney and silver in Athens in the 1500m as a runner for Kenya. More recently, he took silver in the 5,000m at the 2011 World Championships, finishing behind Britain’s Mo Farah. Rupp finished fifth.

Team USA - 5,000m:

Men

Galen Rupp
Benard Lagat
Lopez Lomong

Women

Julie Culley
Molly Huddle
Kim Conley

Stay with our StoryStream for the latest from the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field in Eugene as Team USA is decided.