Evan Jager Interview

Published by Athletics Illustrated on August 9, 2014

Evan Jager is an American middle-distance runner who specialises in the 3,000m steeplechase. He hails from Algonquin, Illinois, which is a town with a population of 30,000 and is located approximately 70 kilometres northwest of Chicago.

The 25-year-old Jager is the American record holder in the steeple, with his best time of 8:06.01. In 2009 Jager raced in the USATF Championships, finishing in third position, the two athletes that beat him are teammates, Chris Solinksy, who is a former American record holder in the 10,000m distance and Matt Tegenkamp, who owns the American two mile record; he was in good company.

All three athletes train under Jerry Schumacher at Nike, along with approximately 15 others including Simon Bairu, Chris Derrick, German Fernandez, Ryan Hill, Andrew Bumbalough and Elliott Heath. The Nike team recently underwent a rebrand and is now named the Bowerman Track Club, formerly the Nike Oregon Project.

Christopher Kelsall: At what age did you discover running?

Evan Jager: I first started running when I was in 7th grade. That was the first time that I was part of any sort of team or race or anything.

CK: Now apparently you were quite the soccer player. Did you get a chance to watch the 2014 FIFA World Cup?

EJ: I did. My house, which includes Chris Derrick, Elliott Heath, German Fernandez and Ryan Hill and I all watched at least one game each day while the World Cup was going on.

CK: Once the US was out, did you have a back-up team to cheer for?

EJ: My back-up team has been The Netherlands for as long as I have been watching the World Cup. My dad is 100% Dutch and proud of his heritage so “being Dutch” has been something that I related to even as a kid. And it also helps that the Dutch soccer team has been consistently good for the past few World Cups.

CK: Indeed they have been, did you get the opportunity to watch the Glasgow Commonwealth Games?

EJ: I did not get to watch much of the Commonwealth Games aside from a couple races (men’s 800 and 5,000m).