| Graham Blanks | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Birth Date: | April 24, 2002 |
| Hometown: | Athens, Georgia |
| Height: | 6 ft |
| Sport: | Athletics |
| Event: | Long-distance running |
| Collegeteam: | Harvard Crimson |
| Education: | Athens Academy |
Graham Blanks (born April 24, 2002) is an American long-distance runner who competes for the Harvard Crimson. A two-time NCAA Champion and Olympian, Blanks ran in the men's 5000m at the 2024 Olympics, finishing in 9th place in the final with a time of 13:18.67.
As a sophomore at Harvard, Blanks finished 6th at the 2022 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. In spring 2023, he won the Ivy League titles in the indoor mile and 3000 meters, as well as in the outdoor 5000 meters.[1] He capped off the season with a second-place finish in the 5000 meters and sixth place in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[2] He won the 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in November 2023, making him the first male runner from an Ivy League school to win the race.[3] Two weeks later, he set the collegiate record for the indoor 5000 meters, running 13:03.78 in Boston.[4]
At the end of 2023, Blanks signed an NIL deal with New Balance.[5]
On July 7, 2024, Blanks qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in the Men's 5000-meter run. Although Blanks placed fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials with a time of 13:12.61, the third-place finisher had not met the Olympic cutoff time of 13:05.00.[6] Blanks competed in the Olympic 5000m, and in the final finished 9th with a time of 13:18.67.
On November 23, 2024, Blanks won his second consecutive NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship, becoming the 13th men's athlete in NCAA history to do so.[7]
Outdoor
Indoor