HR1390LRB099 22956 GRL 50399 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Evan Jager, originally
4from Algonquin, on the occasion of winning a silver medal in
5the men's 3000-meter steeplechase in the XXXI Olympiad in Rio
6de Janeiro, Brazil on August 17, 2016; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Evan Jager is a 2007 graduate of Harry D. Jacobs
8High School in Algonquin, where he won three individual State
9championship titles and one relay title for distance running;
10and
 
11    WHEREAS, Evan Jager continued his track and field
12excellence as a distance runner at the University of Wisconsin
13at Madison, where he represented the United States in the 2008
14IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships and advanced to
15the finals of the 1500-meter event in the summer after his
16freshman year; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In the fall of 2008, Evan Jager left the
18University of Wisconsin and moved to Portland, Oregon to train
19professionally with his former Wisconsin coach Jerry
20Schumacher; and
 
21    WHEREAS, After returning to competition following a 2010

 

 

HR1390- 2 -LRB099 22956 GRL 50399 r

1foot injury, Evan Jager was introduced to the 3000-meter
2steeplechase in 2012, where he made his debut in April at the
3Mt. SAC Relays as a steeplechase runner and won first race with
4a time of 8:26.14, just three seconds off of the Olympic
5standard necessary to qualify for participation in the 2012
6London Olympic Games; he followed that impressive first race
7with an easy win at the 2012 United States Olympic Team Trials
8for the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:17.40; in July
9of 2012, he broke the American record for the event with a time
10of 8:06.81; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Evan Jager competed in the London Olympic Games on
12August 5, 2012 and finished sixth in the finals; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Evan Jager is currently a five-time United States
14Champion in the 3000-meter steeplechase; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Earlier this year, in the lead-up to the Rio de
16Janeiro Olympic Games, Evan Jager earned his spot on Team USA
17by winning the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:22.48
18at the Olympic Team Trials; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Upon arriving in Rio de Janeiro, Evan Jager won
20his preliminary heat of the steeplechase on August 15,
21automatically qualifying him for the event final; on August 17,
22he competed in the 3000-meter steeplechase final, where he took

 

 

HR1390- 3 -LRB099 22956 GRL 50399 r

1second place and the silver medal with the second-fastest time
2in Olympic history for the event at 8:04.28; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Evan Jager's silver medal performance marked the
4first American medal in the event since 1984 and the best
5American finish in the event since 1952; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
7NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
8congratulate Evan Jager on his accomplishment of winning a
9silver medal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and
10wish him continued success in the future; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to Evan Jager as a symbol of our esteem, respect, and
13admiration.