American Evan Jager, a runner based in Portland, Oregon, with the , broke the national record for the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Saturday. His time of 8:00.45 was set at the Paris Diamond League, where he finished second to Kenyan Jairus Birech, according to the (IAFF).
鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 believe how fast I was running,鈥 Jager told the IAAF. 鈥淚 saw the clock said 7:41 with about 100 meters聽to go, and I thought, 鈥業鈥檓 going to run an amazing time here.鈥欌
Since transitioning to the event in 2012, the 26-year-old Illinois native has set and reset the American record in three of the past four years. He holds the 听补苍诲 . In June, he , becoming the 13th-fastest American ever for that distance.