Who is Matt Tegenkamp - USA 5000m Champ!

"I knew Dathan would make a surge, I just wasn't sure when it would happen. I wanted to be in the top six for the first half, and then when they made their move, I wanted to be ready to go." -- Matt Tegenkamp, after winning the USA Junior XC Championship

Matt attended Lee's Summit (MO) High School. After steadily improving throughout his early career, Matt set a Missouri State Cross Country course record (15:26.7) on the extremely difficult Oak Hills course. He gained national recognition his senior year when he placed second in the Footlocker Midwest Regional in cross country behind Dathan Ritzenhein. He then finished fifth at the Footlocker National Cross Country Championships, behind Dathan Ritzenhein (1st), Donald Sage (2nd), Josh Rohatinsky (3rd) and Ian Dobson (4th). During his senior track campaign, Matt ran 8:57.23 for 3200m and 4:11.43 for 1600m to win both events at the Missouri State Championships. He also ran a 1:55 800m split.

Matt chose to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison along with high school rivals Tim Keller and Josh Spiker. After red-shirting his freshman season, he surprised many by defeating two-time high school national champion Dathan Ritzenhein at the U.S. Junior Cross Country championships, handing Ritz his first cross country defeat in several years. Matt then placed fifth at the World Junior Cross Country Championships behind future world record holder Kenenisa Bekele (1st) and Dathan Ritzenhein (3rd).

Matt had a solid freshman season, running 7:57.08 for 3000m and 13:44.77 for 5000m. He was also the runner-up at the Big-10 5000m. However, Matt soon began to struggle with injuries. The injuries caused him to miss the entire 2003 season and continued to hinder him until Wisconsin coach Jerry Schumacher changed his training regimen to include fewer long runs and more double days.

Matt responded quickly, lowering his 5000m PR to 13:30.90 in 2004. He finished 2nd in the Big-10 Championships 5000m and 3rd at the NCAA Championships 5000m, running 14:11.45.

Matt excelled in 2005, with his first big victory coming at the USATF Club Cross Country Championships (10k) where he ran 29:47. He went on to win the Big-10 1500m Championship (3:39.40), finish 5th in the NCAA Outdoor 5000m (13:41.07), and 6th at the USA Outdoor 5000m (13:25.36).

Matt graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in human ecology.

Sources: Wikipedia, USATF

"I just have to stay focused now and not get ahead of myself and try to make sure I make the (Olympic) Team." --Matt Tegenkamp

Following his graduation from the University of Wisconsin, Matt chose to stay in Madison to train as a professional under coach Jerry Schumacher. In 2006, he set personal bests at 1500m (3:35.96), 3000m (7:34.98) and two-miles (8:16.50). However, his greatest accomplishment in the 2006 season was his 5000m PR of 13:04.90, the 4th fastest time ever run by an American. Matt also ended his 2006 season by getting a Bronze medal at the 2006 IAAF World Cup in Athletics with a time of 13:36.83.

In 2007, Matt won his first USA Indoor National 3k title with a time of 7:46.08. Then, he set a personal best and American Record in the 2-Mile run at the Prefontaine Classic with a time of 8:07.07, breaking the existing record set by Alan Webb by more than 4 seconds.

Matt also finished second behind Bernard Lagat in the 5000m at the 2007 U.S. Outdoor Track & Field Championships, earning the chance to compete at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka. At the World Championships Matt finished 4th in the 5,000m event, missing out on the Bronze medal to Moses Ndiema Kipsiro of Uganda by 4 one-hundredths of a second, running 13:46.78.

Matt has started off his 2008 season with a lot of success. He opened up his season at the USA Indoor National 3k (8:02.52), defeating training partners Chris Solinsky and Jonathan Riley. He opted to skip the World Indoor meet, however, to continue preparing for the Olympic Games.

He finished second behind Lopez Lomong in his first outdoor 1500m race in Tempe Arizona in a time of 3:40.12. He then won his heat of the 1500m at the Payton Jordan Invitational in 3:40.04. His first 5000m was at the Fanny Blankers-Koen meet where he finished 10th in 13:28.

At the US Olympic Trials, Matt won his prelim of the 5k in 13:54, and then came back to finish 2nd at the Finals in a time of 13:29.68 to earn his first spot on an Olympic team. He then ran the fastest 1500m ever on Wisconsin soil when he ran 3:37.94 at a meet in Madison. He followed that up with a 7:40.75 3000m race in Stockholm to finish 4th.

Matt won his Olympic 5000m prelim with ease, running 13:37.36. However, he struggled with the fast pace in the final, finishing 13th (13:33.13) behind Kenenisa Bekele's Olympic Record victory (12:57.82).

In his first post-Beijing race, Matt ran 7:47.17 to finish 6th in a 3000m race in Gateshead, England. He followed that up with a 7:40.90 victory over 3000m in Zagreb, Croatia. He then took 3rd in the World Athletic Final 3k, running 8:03.56. He then ran 13:49 to take 2nd in the USA 5k Championships behind Anthony Famiglietti (13:41).

Matt opened his 2009 outdoor season with a 13:22.60 5000m at the Payton Jordan Invitational. He then ran a 7:37.32 for 4th at 3000m at Pre Classic. He then won the 5000m at the USA Championships, running 13:20.97. His training partners Chris Solinsky and Evan Jager finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Sources: Wikipedia, USATF, KIMbia

"I want to be in that group [of elite Americans], trying to make the World teams and compete with the rest of the world." -- Matt Tegenkamp

Championships

2001 USA 8k Junior XC Championships (24:09)
2005 USATF 10k Club XC Championships (29:47)
2005 Big-10 1500m (3:39.4)
2007 USA Indoor 3000m (7:46.08)
2008 USA Indoor 3000m (8:02.52)
2009 USA Outdoor 5000m (13:20.97)

Personal Records

3:34.25 - 1500m - Athens (2007)
3:56.38 - mile - Madison (2006)
7:34.98 - 3000m - Monaco (2006)
8:07.07AR - 2-mile - Eugene (2007)
13:04.90 - 5000m - Stockholm (2006)

Sources: USATF

10,000 meters

1. 27:13.98 - Meb Keflezighi - Palo Alto (2001)
2. 27:16.99 - Abdi Abdirahman - Eugene (2008)
3. 27:20.56 - Mark Nenow - Brussels (1986)
4. 27:25.61 - Alberto Salazar - Oslo (1982)
5. 27:29.16 - Craig Virgin - Paris (1980)
6. 27:31.34 - Todd Williams - Knoxville (1995)
7. 27:33.48 - Galen Rupp - Palo Alto (2007)
8. 27:33.93 - Alan Culpepper - Palo Alto (2001)
9. 27:34.72 - Alan Webb - Palo Alto (2006)
10. 27:35.65 - Dathan Ritzenhein - Palo Alto (2006)
11. 27:36.99 - Tim Nelson - Palo Alto (2009)
12. 27:37.17 - Bruce Bickford - Stockholm (1985)
13. 27:37.45 - Bob Kennedy - Palo Alto (2004)
14. 27:37.74 - Anthony Famiglietti - Palo Alto (2006)
15. 27:41.05 - Ed Eyestone - Walnut (1985)
16. 27:42.15 - Dan Browne - Palo Alto (2004)
NR. no time - Matt Tegenkamp - hopefully soon!

5,000 meters

1. 12:58.21 - Bob Kennedy - Zurich (1996)
2. 12:59.22 - Bernard Lagat - London (2006)
3. 13:01.15 - Sydney Maree - Oslo (1985)
4. 13:04.90 - Matt Tegenkamp - Stockholm (2006)
5. 13:10.00 - Adam Goucher - Heusden-Zolder (2006)
6. 13:10.86 - Alan Webb - Berlin (2005)
7. 13:11.77 - Meb Keflezighi - Heusden-Zolder (2000)
7. 13:11.77 - Tim Broe - Oslo (2005)
9. 13:11.93 - Alberto Salazar - Stockholm (1982)
9. 13:11.93 - Anthony Famiglietti - Walnut (2007)
11. 13:12.24 - Chris Solinsky - Heusden-Zolder (2007)
12. 13:12.91 - Matt Centrowitz - Eugene (1982)
13. 13:13.32 - Abdi Abdirahman - London (2005)
14. 13:13.49 - Bruce Bickford - Oslo (1985)
15. 13:14.80 - Bill McChesney - Zurich (1982)

3,000 meters

1. 7:30.84 - Bob Kennedy - Monaco (1998)
2. 7:33.37 - Sydney Maree - London (1982)
3. 7:34.41 - Bernard Lagat - Rethimno (2006)
4. 7:34.96 - Adam Goucher - Monaco (2001)
5. 7:34.98 - Matt Tegenkamp - Monaco (2006)
6. 7:35.84 - Doug Padilla - Oslo (1983)
7. 7:36.69 - Steve Scott - Ingelheim (1981)
8. 7:36.90 - Chris Solinsky - Sheffield (2007)
9. 7:37.04 - Jim Spivey - Koln (1993)
10. 7:37.70 - Rudy Chapa - Eugene (1979)
11. 7:38.03 - Marc Davis - Monaco (1993)
12. 7:39.03 - Dathan Ritzenhein - Sheffield (2007)
13. 7:39.28 - Alan Webb - Eugene (2005)
14. 7:39.45 - Tim Broe - Lausanne (2001)
15. 7:40.0 - Daniel Lincoln - Eugene (2006)

1,500 meters

1. 3:29.30 - Bernard Lagat - Rieti (2005)
2. 3:29.77 - Sydney Maree - Koln (1985)
3. 3:30.54 - Alan Webb - Saint-Denis (2007)
4. 3:31.01 - Jim Spivey - Koblenz (1988)
5. 3:31.52 - Steve Holman - Brussels (1997)
6. 3:31.76 - Steve Scott - Nice (1985)
7. 3:31.93 - David Krummenacker - Stockholm (2002)
8. 3:33.1 - Jim Ryun - Los Angeles (1967)
9. 3:33.28 - Chris Lukezic - Rome (2006)
10. 3:33.6 - Joe Falcon - Oslo (1990)
11. 3:33.72 - Seneca Lassiter - Nice (1999)
12. 3:33.89 - Paul McMullen - Monaco (2001)
13. 3:33.99 - Steve Lacy - Oslo (1980)
14. 3:33.99 - Todd Harbour - Zurich (1982)
15. 3:34.25 - Matt Tegenkamp - Athens (2007)

Source: All-Time Athletics