EUGENE, Ore. — For the second straight summer games, former University of Portland distance runner Woody Kincaid has qualified for the Olympics.
Kincaid was one of just three runners who met the Olympic qualifying standard of 27 minutes prior to the race and finished on Friday with a time of 27:50.74.
He graduated from the University of Portland in 2016, where during his time with the Pilots, he did not post any times that popped off the charts. He missed out on the 2016 Olympics, placing eighth in the 5,000-meter event; however, this did not deter him from beginning his professional career.
Kincaid chose to stay in Portland, competing for the Bowerman Track Club. Since then, Kincaid has been consistently near the top of distance running his whole career. In 2017, at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, he placed second in the two-mile run, earning his first medal at a major championship.
He dealt with injuries during the early part of his professional career, such as surgery for a hernia in 2018. However, since recovering from his injuries, Kincaid has been at the top of his game.
In 2019, at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Outdoor Championships, Kincaid won bronze in the 5,000 meters, and placed 11th in the two-mile race.
In 2021 at the Tokyo Olympic Trials, Kincaid put together two stellar performances, where he took home the gold medal for the 10,000 meter and bronze medal for the 5,000 meters, officially punching his ticket to his first Olympic games.
At the Olympics, Kincaid placed 14th in the 5,000 meters, and 15th in the 10,000-meter race.
Now three years later, the 31-year-old, who left Bowerman Track Club last year, is heading to Paris, seeking redemption and another shot to immortalize himself among the greats of distance running.
The men's 10,000-meter final will take place on Aug. 2 where Kincaid will hope to take home gold.
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