Oregon Public Broadcasting

Hometown favorite Galen Rupp took the national title in the men's 10,000 meter race at Hayward Field Thursday night. KLCC's Angela Kellner reports from Eugene.

An excited crowd of more than 8,000 drowned out the announcer as 23-year-old Rupp sprinted across the finish line. After this weekend he's turning pro – this was his final race as an Oregon Duck.

“It's really not going to hit me for probably another five years to ten years. And I'll say, man that was really cool to go out at Hayward Field. It's been unreal just the five years here. I really could not have asked for anything more. And to close it out with a win -- I'm just so happy.”

Rupp will represent the U.S. at the World Championships in Berlin in August, where he says his biggest competition is the African runners.

In the women's 10,000 meter, Nike runner Amy Yoder Begley of Beaverton took the national title.