Chris Solinsky (born December 5, 1984) is a retired
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
distance
Distance is a numerical or occasionally qualitative measurement of how far apart objects or points are. In physics or everyday usage, distance may refer to a physical length or an estimation based on other criteria (e.g. "two counties over"). ...
runner
Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...
and an American college
cross country coach. Solinsky is the current assistant coach of the
Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Oregon, located in Eugene. The Ducks compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. ...
cross country team at the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
. Among his more notable achievements, he won eight state championships in high school and five
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
Division I championships at the
University of Wisconsin
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...
. He was the American
10,000 meters record holder with a time of 26:59.60 as well as the first non-
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
n to break the 27-minute barrier in the 10,000 m.
Running career
High school
Solinsky was born in
Junction City,
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, and attended high school at
Stevens Point Area Senior High
Stevens Point Area Senior High (commonly called SPASH) is a high school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Stevens Point Area Public School District. SPASH serves the Stevens Point area, including Stevens Point, ...
(SPASH). Solinsky dominated the competition after his
freshman year, winning the state cross country title three times. He won 11 state
medal
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
s, eight state titles, led the nation in time on six occasions, and earned four 1st Team
All-American awards. He broke Wisconsin high school state records in the indoor 1600 m, the indoor 2-mile, and the outdoor 3200 m. He also broke state meet records in cross country and the outdoor 3200 m. He is the 2nd athlete in Wisconsin state history to ever win 3 straight 3200 meter championships (Ben Porter is the first). As a Junior Chris finished second to Bobby Lockhart from Virginia in both the Nike Indoor Championships 2 Mile and the Adidas Outdoor Classic 2 Mile Championships. His winning time of 14:41 at the 2002
Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships gave him a 21-second winning margin, the largest margin of victory in the history of the meet. He finished his high school career with personal records of 4:03.80 (1600 m) and 8:43.24 (3200 m).
Collegiate
Solinsky chose the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
after graduating from high school in the spring of 2003. There, training under coach
Jerry Schumacher Jerry Schumacher is an American coach for the University of Oregon track and field and cross country program, specializing in distance running. He has coached Olympic silver medalist and the former American women's 10k record holder Shalane Flanaga ...
, he continued to improve as a national-class runner. The
Badgers
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by the ...
were undefeated in
Big Ten
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
championships during Solinsky's career, sweeping the 2003-2007 cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field titles.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
also won two
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
team titles during those years (2005 cross country, 2007 indoor track and field), and finished as national runner-up three times (cross country 2003, 2004, 2006). As an individual, Solinsky earned four Big Ten individual titles, 14 All American accolades, and five individual national titles (2005 and 2006 indoor 3000 m, 2007 indoor 5000 m, 2006 and 2007 outdoor 5000 m). He also formerly held the Wisconsin school record in the indoor 3000 m and currently holds the record in the outdoor mile.
At the Badger Twilight Meet on May 6, 2006 (52 years to the day after
Roger Bannister broke the barrier for the first time), Solinsky and four other athletes ran a
1-mile race at the
Dan McClimon Track. Former Badger
Matt Tegenkamp
Matthew "Teg" Tegenkamp (born January 19, 1982) is a retired professional runner from Lee's Summit, Missouri who specialized in various long-distance events. Tegenkamp represented the United States at two Summer Olympics, in 2008 and 2012. He tr ...
finished first in 3:56.58 and Solinsky finished second in 3:57.80, both becoming the first to dip under
four minutes on Wisconsin soil.
Solinsky graduated from Wisconsin in December 2007 with
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
degrees in
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
and
sociology
Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of empirical investigation an ...
.
Professional running
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Solinsky signed contracts with
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
and
KIMbia Athletics. He continued to live and train in
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...
, until January 2009, at which point he moved to
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
, and became part of the Bowerman Track club (along with his coach,
Jerry Schumacher Jerry Schumacher is an American coach for the University of Oregon track and field and cross country program, specializing in distance running. He has coached Olympic silver medalist and the former American women's 10k record holder Shalane Flanaga ...
, and teammates including
Matt Tegenkamp
Matthew "Teg" Tegenkamp (born January 19, 1982) is a retired professional runner from Lee's Summit, Missouri who specialized in various long-distance events. Tegenkamp represented the United States at two Summer Olympics, in 2008 and 2012. He tr ...
).
In 2008, Solinsky failed to qualify for the
2008 Summer Olympics in the
5,000 meters. In 2009, Solinsky qualified for the
2009 World Championships in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
with a second-place finish at the
U.S. Championship. At the
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics () were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg ...
in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
, Solinsky finished in 12th place with a time of 13:25.87.
Solinsky achieved several of his greatest professional successes during the spring and summer of 2010. On May 1, 2010, Solinsky ran his first
10,000 meter race at the
Payton Jordan
Payton Jordan (March 19, 1917 – February 5, 2009) was the head coach of the 1968 United States Olympic track and field team, one of the most powerful track teams ever assembled, which won a record twenty-four medals, including twelve golds. ...
Invitational. Although the race was marketed as an American record attempt by fellow American
Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp (born May 8, 1986) is an American long-distance runner. He competed in the Summer Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, 2012 in London, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and 2021 in Tokyo. He won the silver medal in the men's 10,000-meter run in London ...
,
Solinsky finished first and set the
American Record of 26:59.60 (bettering
Meb Keflezighi
Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi (; Ge'ez: መብራህቶም ክፍልእዝጊ, ''Mebrāhtōm Kifl'izgī''; born May 5, 1975) is a retired Eritrean-born American long distance runner. He is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon and fin ...
's 2001 mark of 27:13.98 by fourteen seconds). Solinsky was the first non-African to break the 27-minute barrier for the 10,000 meters. At 6'1" and 165-pounds, Solinsky was also the first man over 6 feet or over 141 pounds to break the 27-minute barrier.
Several weeks later, on June 4, 2010, Solinsky improved his personal best in the
5,000 meters
The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to or . It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over laps of a stan ...
, breaking the 13 minute barrier by running 12:56.66 at the
Bislett Games
The Bislett Games is an annual track and field meeting at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the Diamond League.
History
The first international athletics meeting at Bisl ...
. Two months later, on August 6, 2010, Solinsky further improved his personal best with a 12:55.53 performance in the
DN Galan event in
Stockholm, the second-fastest time ever recorded by a non-African-born runner.
Beginning in 2011, Solinsky suffered a series of injuries. He developed a chronic left hamstring strain, which became an avulsion after Solinsky tripped over his dog. The injury required surgery, making it impossible for him to compete in the 2012 US Olympic Trials. In 2015, Solinsky suffered from an injury to his Achilles tendon, which led to a calf problem and a limp, and interfered with his ability to train for the 2016 US Olympic Trials.
Solinsky chose to retire from professional running in April 2016.
Coaching
Solinsky served as a volunteer coach at the
University of Portland
, mottoeng = The truth will set you free
, established = 1901
, type = Private university
, religious_affiliation = Catholic (Congregation of Holy Cross)
, endowment = $218 million
, president = Robert D. Kelly
, students = 3,731 (fall 20 ...
from 2012 to 2014. During that time the men's team placed 12th at the NCAA Championships in 2012 and improved to seventh in 2013.
On August 8, 2014,
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...
Director of
Track and Field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
and Cross Country Stephen Walsh announced that Solinsky would be hired as an assistant coach, working primarily with the distance and middle-distance athletes. In September 2016, Solinsky was promoted to the position of Head Distance Coach.
On July 13, 2017,
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
Head Coach
Mike Holloway announced that Solinsky would join the
Florida Gators track and field and cross country programs as an assistant coach.
In December 2022, it was announced that Solinsky would leave his position with the Gators to become an assistant coach at the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
.
[https://athleticsillustrated.com/chris-solinsky-to-move-from-the-university-of-florida-to-the-university-of-oregon/]
Personal
Solinsky is married to Amy Dahlin, who competed in the
pole vault
Pole vaulting, also known as pole jumping, is a track and field event in which an athlete uses a long and flexible pole, usually made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, as an aid to jump over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the Myc ...
at Wisconsin. Together they have a daughter, Ayla, a son, Archer, and dog, Tucker.
Personal bests
Achievements
*2006 Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete Of The Year
*2006 Big Ten Outdoor Track Athlete Of The Year
*2007 Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete Of The Year
*2007
USTFCCCA The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based professional association representing men's and women's cross country and track & field coaches in the United States. The organization has abo ...
National Indoor Track Athlete Of The Year
References
External links
*
*
USATF
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the United States national governing body for the sports of track and field, cross country running, road running and racewalking (known as the sport of athletics outside the US). The USATF was known between 1979 a ...
profile fo
Chris SolinskyBiographyfrom KIMBIA Athletics
*
Audio interviews
TheFinalSprint.com's 5/29/07 interview with Chris Solinsky before the 2007 NCAA and USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsTeleconference interview with Former Wisconsin Badger teammates and current training partners Chris Solinsky & Matt Tegenkamp on June 13, 2007
Video links
Flotrack videos of Chris SolinskyNorwich Union Grand Prix, Sheffield July 15 07
{{DEFAULTSORT:Solinsky, Chris
1984 births
Living people
American male middle-distance runners
People from Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Florida Gators cross country coaches
Florida Gators track and field coaches
Portland Pilots cross country coaches
Portland Pilots track and field coaches
William & Mary Tribe cross country coaches
William & Mary Tribe track and field coaches
Wisconsin Badgers men's track and field athletes
Wisconsin Badgers men's cross country runners