American Record: Daniel Lincoln, 8:08.82
2007 U.S. Champion: Joshua McAdams, 8:24.46
2004 Olympic Trials Champion: Daniel Lincoln, 8:15.02
Top 5 Seed Marks
1.) Steve Slattery, 8:15.69
2.) Brian Olinger, 8:19.29
3.) Aaron Aguayo, 8:20.34
4.) Joshua McAdams, 8:21.36
5.) Anthony Famiglietti, 8:24.34
The top five runners in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase field are the only ones to have achieved the Olympic ‘A’ standard of qualifying thus far. Heading the list is Steve Slattery, the 2006 U.S. Outdoor runner-up who posted the two fastest times by an American man in 2007, as well as the second-fastest time this year.
A crowded field of talented runners will likely be there, should Slattery slip up. Brian Olinger became the second collegian ever to break the 8:20 barrier, while Aaron Aguayo became the 2007 U.S. Outdoor runner-up after an illustrious career at Arizona State, where he won the Pacific-10 Conference championship four times. Anthony Famiglietti is an Athens Olympian and the fourth-place finisher at the U.S. Outdoor championships in 2007, while Joshua McAdams has an NCAA championship and a U.S. Outdoor Championship – in addition to a personal best of 8:21.36 set at last year’s Prefontaine Classic – to his credit.
Notably missing from the field is American record holder Daniel Lincoln, who pulled out of the Trials to heal a troubled Achilles tendon and continue medical school.
Oregon Track Club Elite’s Thomas Brooks holds the sixth seed, with a time of 8:27.34, and former Oregon runner and 2008 NCAA Champion Kyle Alcorn holds the seventh seed. OTC Elite is further represented in the steeplechase by Max King and Lucas Meyer.