NCAA Champion Cameron Levins Advances to Olympic Final

Cameron Levins has qualified for the men's 5,000-meter final with a personal best time of 13:18.29, in the second of two heats during Wednesday morning's qualifying. The Campbell River, British Columbia native improved on the career-best time he established in April by 0.18 seconds. 

In a field of 43 men, Levins qualifies with the eighth-best time of the 15 headed to Saturday's final, after an 11th-place finish in the 10,000-meter race on Day 8. 

Two-Time NCAA Champion Levins Finishes 11th at London Olympics

Historically, Canadians haven’t had much to cheer about in the long-distance races. But Saturday was different. Cam Levins of Black Creek, B.C., hung with the lead pack until the final lap, finishing 11th in 27:40.68. Mohammed Ahmed of St. Catharines, Ont., was 18th in 28:13.91. 

Levins, 23, a two-time NCAA champion this year, hadn’t faced competition at the highest level until the Olympics. He will regroup to run in the heats of the 5000m on Aug. 8.