Evan Jager captured the United States’ first Olympic steeplechase medal in more than two decades with a second-place finish, just ahead of a two-time Olympic champion — but still behind a Kenyan.
Jager, 27, finished a second behind Conseslus Kipruto’s Olympic record time of 8 minutes 3.28 seconds, giving the United States its first medal in the 3,000-meter race since Brian Diemer earned bronze at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.
“I think I had the perfect race today,” Jager said. “I was just enjoying every second of it.”
Another Kenyan, the two-time Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi, finished third, but he was later disqualified for stepping outside the track, giving the bronze to Mahiedine Mekhissi of France.