RIO DE JANEIRO -- The moment left Evan Jager struggling to find the words.

The one he settled upon was: "Indescribable."

The Portland-based steeplechaser clinched Olympic silver Wednesday with a hard, flawless finish.

He passed two-time Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi on the home straight to cross into history with a time of 8 minutes, 4.28 seconds.

"It all happens in like five seconds time," Jager said of the emotions flooding him at the finish line. "I was completely calm. I didn't know I had a medal wrapped up until like 100 meters to go. As soon as I got over the last barrier, I could fully enjoy it. That was very fun."

Kenyan Conseslus Kipruto won in 8:03.28, and won comfortably enough to jog down the home straight playing to the crowd. Kemboi, 34, Olympic champion in 2004 and 2012, appeared to take bronze in 8:08.47. But he later was disqualified for stepping off the track after a water jump during competition.

That elevated France's Mahiedine Mekhissi to bronze.

Jager, who trains with the Bowerman Track Club, became the first U.S. man to medal in the steeple since Brian Diemer in 1984.

He has held the U.S. record since 2012, and reset it last year. But Jager disappointed himself with a sixth-place finish in the 2015 World Outdoor Championships.

There was nothing disappointing about what unfolded Wednesday at Olympic Stadium.

"There were a lot of years of hard work and daydreaming and dreaming about that moment all coming true," Jager said.

Jager executed the race plan perfectly. He wanted an honest pace. If the race started to drag, Bowerman Track Club coach Jerry Schumacher and assistant Pascal Dobert thought Jager should take it over himself.

Which explains why Jager went to the front with four laps remaining.

"I wanted to keep it in my hands, and keep control of the race," Jager said. "I definitely wasn't planning or thinking about taking the lead from that far out and controlling the whole thing. But in the moment I thought it was something I needed to do."

Kipruto and Kemboi both jumped Jager at the bell, but Jager held his composure and stayed in third place.

"I didn't want to get flustered if anyone passed me in the last two laps," he said. "When Conseslus and Kemboi went around me I just tried to stay as relaxed as I possibly could, and not tighten up -- just hang on to Kemboi.

Kipruto was disappearing into the distance, but Jager had Kemboi measured.

"He kind of looked back at me, took a glance on the back stretch," Jager said. "I thought at that moment I might have him. I stuck with him, tried to have a good water jump and came up on his shoulder. He didn't respond."

Jager accelerated into second place, cleared the final barrier, eyed the finish line, and took it home with a flourish.

And like that, Jager's lingering hangover from 2015 and the 32-year-old U.S. dry spell in the steeple was over.

"I think we've all known for a while Evan has been on the level to do it," said U.S. steepler Donn Cabral, who finished ninth. "It's a testament to him he was able to conquer his nerves, conquer his bedevilments, and really run the style of race that works for him."

Canadian Matt Hughes, part of the deep and talented crew of steeplers Schumacher and Dobert have put together for the BTC, came across in 11th.

"I'm elated for Jager," Hughes said. "He has put in so much hard work. ... Workouts for the last three months have shown he could do that. You never know about these races. You need them to go out fast, because the Kenyans can kick so fast."

Jager took care of the pacing himself, and it paid off.

He said afterward, had he executed his game plan and run to his potential, he could live with the outcome, whatever it was.

He won't have any problem living with this one.

"I just wanted to make sure I focused on having a good race," Jager said. "I think I had the perfect race today."

Here are results from track and field at the Olympics.

-- Ken Goe

503-221-8040 | @KenGoe