When Gabby Douglas won the individual all-around gold medal a few nights ago, NBC sports anchor Bob Costas called attention to the 16-year-old’s race. So did virtually every media outlet:

Slate writer Aisha Harris penned an entire article (titled Why I’m Proud a Black Gymnast Won Olympic Gold) about Douglas’ race:

Gabby Douglas has become the first black individual all-around gymnastics gold medalist in the Olympics, as well as just the fourth American woman to win the event. (The others: Mary Lou Retton, Carly Patterson, and Nastia Liukin.) I couldn’t be prouder. Sure, Jordyn Wieber, the reigning all-around world champion, came into the games with a lot of hype, but Gabby’s the only one I’ve really been paying attention to. I could say it’s because she’s an amazing athlete (she makes it all look so effortless, like Astaire in his dancing shoes) and that would be partially true. But a big reason why I’ve been cheering so hard for her is that the 16-year-old from Virginia looks like me, and that makes me incredibly happy.

I don’t usually throw my support blindly behind anyone of color, whether they’re athletes or politicians or business owners. In fact, I consciously avoid it since that can lead to ill-informed and naïve decisions. But seeing a young black girl perform such amazing feats in a sport where black faces are so rare has been nothing short of exhilarating, and it makes me throw aside my worries about having a racial bias towards a specific athlete.

Fast forward to last night. American distance runner Galen Rupp scored a silver medal — the first white male of any nationality to win a medal in the 10,000 meters since 1984 (28 years ago).

Twitter users (both black and white) noticed:

Such a great picture! Rupp you have given me faith that white guys can beat africans! #ruppisaninsparation pic.twitter.com/TamRnof1 — Brandon Nairn (@BrandonNairn) August 4, 2012

Jus watched the mens Olympic 10000M…How this white boy Galen Rupp from USA take 2nd place b4 all those Africans?lol congrats tho n Farrah — EvryBodysFavriteDude (@MinotMusic4real) August 4, 2012

In my opinion biggest achievement was Galen rupp (the white guy) coming second in the 10,000m, totally against genetic ability! Awesome! — George (@R_U_George) August 4, 2012

https://twitter.com/StevenDaniels50/status/231933691679617024

The American Galen Rupp finish 2 in the 10,000m. This white guy can run. — King Dedrick ♋ (@DedrickSuccess) August 4, 2012

I love Rupp! White guy beating all them Ethiopians and Kenyans! — Alyssa Moody (@justcallmeMOODY) August 4, 2012

https://twitter.com/kaetlinhope/status/231925366275579904

Congrats to @G_Rupp (Galen Rupp) for medaling in the 10,000 m, score one for the white boys! — Unarmed Citizen (@Jcolby45) August 4, 2012

Galen Rupp won silver in the 10k! Only white guy that can run with Kenyans — Omar Solis (@o_solis2) August 5, 2012

Props to Galen Rupp. A white man finishing second in the 10,000 meters! #USA — Arlen Mardoian (@arlen_mardoian) August 5, 2012

galen rupp: the only white guy in the top 20 — Kyle Johnson (@kyleVT95) August 5, 2012

Galen Rupp has given all white distance runners hope! #TrackNation — Track Nation (@Sickpostsandy) August 4, 2012

Galen Rupp is an inspiration, showing that white men can run long distance. — Peter Chämbers (@PeterChambers_) August 4, 2012

Galen rupp makes all of us white distance guys proud. He got a bloody knee, and outran the kenyans and ethiopians. ALWAYS BELIEVED IN YOU! — Ben Ubert (@B_Ubert1) August 4, 2012

Galen rupp is actually superhuman he was like half a lap ahead of the next white man — J (@JamiePFinnigan) August 4, 2012

Galen Rupp got to be the first white person to medal in a 10k lol — El DJuapo (@ThatGuyDJ10) August 4, 2012

By contrast, NBC sports anchors Al Michaels and Jimmy Roberts said not one word about Rupp’s ethnicity. Nor did other media outlets.

We don’t like seeing Rupp reduced to “a white guy.” He is first and foremost an incredible athlete, just as Gabby Douglas is.

But could the media double standard be any more blatant? Make the media live up to their own rules.