Villanova record-breakers Liam Murphy and Marco Langon have formed a ‘terrific rivalry and a tremendous friendship’ on the track

Villanova runners Liam Murphy and Marco Langon accomplished a feat in the first week of the outdoor season that their coach, Marcus O’Sullivan, hadn’t seen in his 27 years at the helm.

At the Raleigh Relays on March 27 in North Carolina, Murphy shattered the NCAA record in the 1,500 meters in 3 minutes, 33.02 seconds. Langon was right behind, clocking in at 3:33.38. Virginia’s Gary Martin, a graduate of Archbishop Wood, also came in under the previous record time of 3:33.74.

It was the first time in O’Sullivan’s coaching career that one of his runners broke an NCAA record — let alone two athletes.

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“The excitement that Liam displayed when crossing the line was like somebody scoring a soccer goal,” O’Sullivan said. “You shouldn’t have that much energy at the end of the race, running that fast. It was incredible to be a part of from a coaching standpoint.”

Murphy, a fifth-year graduate student, and Langon, a junior, have been bolting across finish lines together all year.

In the 3,000-meter run at the NCAA indoor championships on March 15 in Virginia Beach, the New Jersey natives became the first Villanova duo since 1995 to earn podium finishes in the same event; Murphy finished fourth, while Langon came in seventh.

“There’s a tremendous rivalry and a tremendous friendship,” O’Sullivan said of his two star pupils. “They’ve brought the best out of each other.”

Murphy owns seven school records and has broken three of them since November. In his final year on the track for Villanova, he is the team’s oldest distance runner and is pursuing a master’s in business administration.

“I sometimes feel like I’ve experienced everything, and nothing else in a race will be new for me from this point,” Murphy said. “But there’s always something new to learn, new expectations and pressure.”

Murphy’s determination in the record-breaking race came after he made the finals of last summer’s U.S. Olympic trials in the same distance. In June, Murphy ran a then-personal-best 3:36.37 — 3 seconds away from the Olympic standard of 3:33.50 that he needed to qualify for Paris.

In Raleigh, Murphy bested that standard by 0.48 seconds. O’Sullivan attributes Murphy’s progress to the maturity and perseverance that he has honed across the years. He also set a powerful example for his younger teammates.

Langon even calls Murphy his “big brother.”

“The team is stronger than it’s ever been,” O’Sullivan said. “We lost a lot of great guys last year, a lot of what I call ‘true leadership.’ It’s interesting to see how [Murphy and Langon] have stepped up in their own ways and inspired the team.”

While the pair often are neck-and-neck, Langon had never beaten Murphy in a race until Jan. 25.

In the indoor mile at the Penn 10 Elite, it looked as if Murphy would seal yet another first-place finish. But as the finishers rounded the final corner in Penn’s new Ott Center, Langon tore through the pack and threw himself across the finish line — surpassing Murphy by one-hundredth of a second.

It was a spirited moment that O’Sullivan deemed “quintessential” of Langon.

“I thought it was pretty funny,” Langon said. “In years past, I’ve wanted to beat Liam. But this year I realized, ‘Why would I compete against Liam when I could just focus on seeing how far I could take myself?’ I realized you’re going to get further in running, and life in general, if you’re focused on pushing yourself rather than others.”

O’Sullivan has been particularly impressed with how Langon has finished races this season, including his historic run in Raleigh, where he accelerated and cut through the last 400 meters in a mere 54.37 seconds.

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“To come home that fast is impressive,” O’Sullivan said. “That’s partly the influence of Liam, the training we do, and the faith and trust [Langon] has in himself to finish that fast. The impressive thing was the time, but the more impressive part was how they [both] got there.”

The starting line can be a lonely and stressful place in Murphy and Langon’s sport. But their rare companionship has helped the pair thrive amid the pressure of high expectations.

“It was really fun, being in [the 1,500 meters] with Liam,” Langon said. “I love racing against him and with him. He makes it feel like just another day of training, and it kind of takes the edge off of everything.”

The highly anticipated Penn Relays this month serve as another reminder that collegiate runners aren’t fighting only for themselves on the track. In last year’s 4 x mile championship relay, Murphy and Langon recorded the second-fastest time ever. alongside Wildcats teammates Seán Donoghue (now a senior) and Charlie O’Donovan (graduated).

The only time faster than theirs? The one that O’Sullivan set with the Irish national team in 1985, following his own graduation from Villanova.

“That’s why we enjoy the Penn Relays so much: You can see all the alumni that come back and all the fans that follow track and field,” Murphy said. “It’s special, contributing to something bigger than yourself.”

At the Penn Relays, which are April 24-26, O’Sullivan said Murphy and Langon will team up again for the 4 x mile, a Villanova specialty.

“A lot of times I might have to manage [the rivalry] and keep them separated,” O’Sullivan said. “But they seem to revel in it. They feed off of it, which is easy to coach. So, for the most part, it’s been a joy to watch because they’re not afraid of each other. They just go at it, and we’re happy for both of them.”