Oregon22: Despite setbacks, Galen Rupp returning to Eugene with confidence

Former Oregon distance star and four-time Olympian Galen Rupp is entered in the World Athletics Championships for the first time since 2015 and the first-time ever in the men’s marathon, which takes place the morning of July 17.

It will be his first race since dropping out at the 5K mark of the NYC Half Marathon in March.

In an interview earlier this week with reporter Sarah Lorge Butler from Runner’s World, Rupp said an MRI after that race in New York revealed a herniated disc and pinched nerve in his back. He’s been rehabbing with physical therapy, as well as core stability and muscle strengthening exercises.

Rupp, who lives in Portland, also had a mild case of COVID-19 in June.

Rupp, 36, won Olympic silver in the 10,000 meters during the 2012 Summer Games in London and won bronze in the marathon in Rio in 2016. Last summer he finished eighth in the marathon in Tokyo.

But a successful performance next weekend in his former college town would be something else, he said.

“Certainly the goal is to go in there and compete for the win,” Rupp said. “That’s what it’s always been ever since I found out Eugene was going to have the championships. It will be a pretty incredible day if I can pull it off. There’s some unbelievable athletes that are going to be there. It’s going to be really difficult.”

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Long-distance runner Galen Rupp returns from injury for Oregon22