Cam Levins Leaves Nike Oregon Project, Returns To College Coach
Cam Levins Leaves Nike Oregon Project, Returns To College Coach
Cam Levins has left the Nike Oregon Project to train with Eric Houle at Southern Utah University.
Cam Levins has officially left the Nike Oregon Project and is currently working with Eric Houle, who coached him to two NCAA titles at Southern Utah University. Levins was the 2012 Bowerman Award recipient after sweeping the 5K and 10K at the outdoor nationals that year.
"I left the Oregon Project and am training under Coach Houle again; I feel excited about the future," he said to Athletics Illustrated in a report published today. "I'm training really well now actually. However, not back to where I was before getting injured. I'm consistently improving though, and I think it's just a matter of time until it begins to show in races."
It was under Houle's guidance that he represented Canada in both the 10K and 5K at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Following that competition, he switched coaches to Dave Scott-Thomas, before joining the Nike Oregon Project in 2013.
He made Canada's World Championships roster in 2013 and 2015. Career highlights during his time with NOP included a bronze medal in the 10K at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and setting the Canadian national record for 10K in 27:07.51 in 2015.
He has since struggled with injuries and failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics last year or the London World Championships in 2017. He was also dropped by his sponsor, Nike, this year.
The 28-year-old has run just two races in 2017: a 13th place, 30:04 run at the B.A.A. 10K, and a fifth-place, 14:10.92 5K at the Stumptown Twilight in Portland in June.
​Watch Cam Levins race vs. Galen Rupp at the 2017 Stumptown Twilight 5K:
Athletics Illustrated surmises that Levins may soon try his legs at the marathon.
Houle produced some impressive performances this outdoor season from his collegiate athletes. Redshirt junior Mike Tate ran the second-fastest 5K in school history with a 13:39.81 run in his debut at the distance at the Stanford Invitational, and sophomore Kasey Knevelbaard broke school records in the 1500m and 800m in 3:41.76 and 1:49.3, respectively, the former of which belonged to Levins.
"I left the Oregon Project and am training under Coach Houle again; I feel excited about the future," he said to Athletics Illustrated in a report published today. "I'm training really well now actually. However, not back to where I was before getting injured. I'm consistently improving though, and I think it's just a matter of time until it begins to show in races."
It was under Houle's guidance that he represented Canada in both the 10K and 5K at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Following that competition, he switched coaches to Dave Scott-Thomas, before joining the Nike Oregon Project in 2013.
He made Canada's World Championships roster in 2013 and 2015. Career highlights during his time with NOP included a bronze medal in the 10K at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and setting the Canadian national record for 10K in 27:07.51 in 2015.
He has since struggled with injuries and failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics last year or the London World Championships in 2017. He was also dropped by his sponsor, Nike, this year.
The 28-year-old has run just two races in 2017: a 13th place, 30:04 run at the B.A.A. 10K, and a fifth-place, 14:10.92 5K at the Stumptown Twilight in Portland in June.
​Watch Cam Levins race vs. Galen Rupp at the 2017 Stumptown Twilight 5K:
Athletics Illustrated surmises that Levins may soon try his legs at the marathon.
Houle produced some impressive performances this outdoor season from his collegiate athletes. Redshirt junior Mike Tate ran the second-fastest 5K in school history with a 13:39.81 run in his debut at the distance at the Stanford Invitational, and sophomore Kasey Knevelbaard broke school records in the 1500m and 800m in 3:41.76 and 1:49.3, respectively, the former of which belonged to Levins.