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Montano wins 800; Jager advances to steeplechase finals

EUGENE, Ore. — Alysia Montano won the 800 meters in 1 minute, 59.08 seconds at the U.S. track and field trials Monday night to make the Olympic team.

Geena Gall was second in 1:59.24, and Alice Schmidt was third in 1:59.46 on Monday night for the two other spots on the U.S. team for the London Games.

Montano, a three-time U.S. champion, led wire-to-wire while wearing her trademark flower in her hair.

The 3,000-meter steeplechase is a relatively new race for 2007 Jacobs High School graduate Evan Jager. But it could be his ticket to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Jager moved closer to that goal after winning his preliminary heat Monday evening. He finished the race in 8 minutes, 30.6 seconds to finish sixth overall out of 14 qualifiers to Thursday’s event finals. Monday’s top time was 8:29.0.

Jager will need to finish in the top three and hit the required time of 8:23.10 to represent the U.S. in London. Jager ran an 8:20.90 this spring.

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