London Olympic 10,000-metre runner-up Galen Rupp won his marathon debut Saturday to book a Rio Olympics berth while 40-year-old Meb Keflezighi qualified for his fourth Olympic trip.
Rupp won the US Olympic Marathon Trials in Los Angeles in an unofficial time of 2hrs 11mins 13secs, becoming the first American since 1968 to qualify for the Olympics in his debut at the 26.2-mile distance.
“I was very happy with the way it went,” Rupp said. “It was a big change running the marathon but there is no bigger honour than representing your country at the Olympics.”
Eritrean-born Keflezighi, the 2004 Athens Olympic silver medallist who turns 41 in May, was second in 2:12:21 with Jared Ward third in 2:13:00 to qualify for his first Olympics.
On the women’s side, Amy Cragg bounced back after being the fastest finisher not to qualify for the 2012 Olympics by winning the trials in 2:28:20. Desiree Linden was second, 34 seconds adrift, with Shalane Flanagan, who collapsed just after crossing the finish line, third in 2:29:19 to take the last Rio spot.
“Finishing fourth, looking back on it, was something that was so good for me,” Cragg said. “It made me so determined as an athlete. I’m just so thrilled to be going to Rio.”
Rupp, who turns 30 in May, finished second to Britain’s Mo Farah at the 2012 Olympics at 10,000m for the first US medal in the event since Billy Mills won in 1964.

OLYMPIC DOUBLE BID FOR RUPP?
Rupp was also seventh at 5,000m at London but this time he spoke confidently of an Olympic marathon-10,000m double in Brazil next August.
“I think it’s definitely a do-able double,” Rupp said. “There’s plenty of time to recover in between. I think it’s possible.”
The men’s marathon is August 21, the last day of the Olympics, while the men’s 10,000 is August 13. Rupp would have to qualify for the 10,000 at the US Olympic athletics trials on July 1.
Keflezighi, who became a US citizen in 1998, became the oldest American Olympic marathoner and the first to reach the Games three times in the event.
The 2009 New York Marathon and 2014 Boston Marathon winner made his Olympic debut in 2000 at Sydney in the 10,000, took second in the marathon four years later and placed fourth in 2012.
“As a 40-year-old to make it, I’ve been blessed more than I could ever think possible,” Keflezighi said.
Cragg, 32, and Flanagan are training partners, and helped each other through difficult moments in Saturday’s race.
“She was instrumental,” said the 34-year-old Flanagan, the 2008 Games 10,000m bronze medallist who booked a fourth Olympics berth. “There was a point I thought, ‘I’m dying. I can’t do it,’ and she talked me through it.”
Linden, 32, failed to finish in the London Olympic women’s marathon due to a leg stress fracture.
“I feel like it has been this Sisyphean task where every time the rock comes down,” Linden said of her fight for a second Olympic chance. “When I get to the finish line in Rio, it’s going to be great.”