Sean Graham (born March 6, 1980) is a retired track runner who specialized in middle-distance and

long-distance Long distance or Long-distance may refer to: *Long-distance calling *Long-distance operator *Long-distance relationship * Long-distance train *Long-distance anchor pylon, see dead-end tower Footpaths *Long-distance trail *European long-dista ...

disciplines. Graham was a product of Stillwater High, whose coach Scott Christensen helped make a nationally recognized track history for the high school. Then he ran for William & Mary, after which he ran as a full-time professional for

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...

's Farm Team and subsequently for

Oregon Track Club The Oregon Track Club (OTC) is an American running organization based in Eugene, Oregon. History Emerald Empire Athletic Association Formed by Bill Bowerman, the Emerald Empire Athletic Association (EEAA) was the predecessor to the Oregon Track C ...

. Graham qualified for two US Olympic Trials in 2004 and 2008, although he ran the trial only in 2004 when he finished 11th in the

5000 metres 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 sta ...

. An injury a week before the 2008 trial prevented him from taking the last chance in his running career to earn a place in the US Olympic team for the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...

Running career

High school

Graham attended

Stillwater Area High School Stillwater Area High School (SAHS) is a public school located in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, United States. It serves as the primary high school for the Stillwater Area Public School District (834), the oldest public school district in Minneso ...

, before which he did not have any cross country or track experience. Stillwater happened to have an extraordinary generation of middle-distance and long-distance runners at the time Graham attended. In a remarkable twist of fate, Graham's Stillwater team mate Luke Watson would run against Graham at the 2004 Olympic Trials in the 5000-meter race. In 1997, the Stillwater cross country team was ranked number one in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Stillwater also became the only high school track team whose alumni produced more than three sub- four minute mile runners, who all happened to have been coached in high school by Stillwater's cross country and track coach Scott Christensen before he became a science teacher at the same school.

Collegiate

Graham studied and ran with the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public university, public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III of England, William III and Queen ...

under coach Andy Gerard along with fellow track team mate Ed Moran, who also pursued track professionally after college. Graham graduated in 2003 as an

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

n, the same year he placed sixth in the

race at the

NCAA Men's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships The NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It has been held every year since 1921, except fo ...

Post-collegiate

In 2006, Graham and

Bernard Lagat Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat (born December 12, 1974) is a Kenyan-American former Middle-distance running, middle and long-distance running, long-distance runner. Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya. Prior to his List of eligibility transfers in at ...

were selected to represent the

at the USA vs. Great Britain vs. China track competition held in

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Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, where Graham placed fourth in the

3000 metres The 3000 metres or 3000-metre run is a track running event, also commonly known as the "3K" or "3K run", where 7.5 laps are run around an outdoor 400 m track, or 15 laps around a 200 m indoor track. It is debated whether the 3000 m sho ...

running a time of 7:46.9. After running for Nike's Farm Team based in

Palo Alto, California Palo Alto ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for ) is a charter city in northwestern Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a Sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. Th ...

, Graham began running for

where he competed and trained with athletes including

Nick Symmonds Nicholas Boone Symmonds (born December 30, 1983) is an American YouTube personality and retired Middle distance track event, middle-distance runner from Boise, Idaho, who specialized in the 800 meters and 1500 meters. At Willamette University, he ...

. On May 10, 2007, Graham ran a

mile The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a imperial unit, British imperial unit and United States customary unit of length; both are based on the older English unit of Unit of length, le ...

track race in 3:58.4 (min:sec), one of only thirteen athletes to have broken the sub-4 mile barrier in the country that year.

Coaching Career

Graham is coached the Men's distance coach at the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...

in Lexington, Kentucky. Under Graham's direction Keffri Neal claimed the 2014 NCAA 800 meter Bronze Medal. In addition, Graham has coached 6 individual SEC Champions from the 800 meters to the 10,000 meters, including Matt Hillenbrand to two SEC titles and was a mile and 1,500m All-American.Bio for Sean Graham http://www.ukathletics.com/sport/c-xc/2016/roster/559d9d33e4b01c7eefd67021 In 2016, Graham coached Kentucky native Jacob Thomson to wins in both the SEC 5k and 10k Championships at the 2016 SEC Outdoor Championships. Thomson was the SEC Silver Medalist in the indoor 5k in 2016.The Wild Story of the SEC 11.2K http://www.flotrack.org/article/42046-the-wild-story-of-the-sec-11-2k#.WQIZsIgrKUk He was an NCAA Championships qualifier in cross country. Graham is currently the Head Coach at American University and is in his seventh year at the helm of the AU Cross Country and Track & Field program in the fall of 202

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Sean Living people 1980 births Sportspeople from Washington County, Minnesota American male middle-distance runners American male long-distance runners William & Mary Tribe men's track and field athletes Kentucky Wildcats track and field coaches Kentucky Wildcats cross country coaches