There’s a much smaller but equally prominent American contingent in the men’s steeplechase (3:45 Eastern).

The three names American fans should watch most closely are Evan “The Cuban Homeboy” Jager, Dan Huling (the Chris Solinsky anointed-“scum of the earth in track & field”), and DL leader Jairus Birech. Ezekiel Kemboi was on an earlier startlist but has scratched with a leg injury.

ATHLETE	DATE OF BIRTH	NATION	PB	SB
BIRECH Jairus Kipchoge	14.12.1992	KEN	8:02.37	8:02.37
GARCÍA Víctor	13.03.1985	ESP	8:15.20	8:17.40
HUGHES Matthew	03.08.1989	CAN	8:11.64	8:29.65
HULING Daniel	16.07.1983	USA	8:13.29	8:15.87
JAGER Evan	08.03.1989	USA	8:06.81	8:06.97
KEMBOI Ezekiel	25.05.1982	KEN	7:55.76	8:04.12
KEMBOI Clement Kimutai	01.01.1992	KEN	8:16.96	8:16.96
KIPRUTO Brimin Kiprop	31.07.1985	KEN	7:53.64	8:04.64
KIPRUTO Conseslus	08.12.1994	KEN	8:01.16	8:11.93
KIRUI Gilbert	22.01.1994	KEN	8:06.96	8:11.86
KOECH Paul Kipsiele	10.11.1981	KEN	7:54.31	8:05.47
KOECH John	23.08.1995	BRN	8:16.96	8:19.99
KOWAL Yoann	28.05.1987	FRA	8:12.53	8:25.50
LAGAT Haron	15.08.1983	KEN	8:15.80	8:20.01
NDIKU Jonathan Muia	18.09.1991	KEN	8:07.75	8:10.72
NGANGA Bernard	01.01.1985	KEN	8:05.88	8:17.29
TALEB Brahim	16.02.1985	MAR	8:07.02	8:15.48
YEGO Hillary Kipsang	02.04.1992	KEN	8:03.57	8:09.07

Huling and Jager gave a nice interview where they laid out their ambitions for Friday’s race and talked about the internal bro-on-bro crimes of the Schumacher group. After his close miss in Oslo, Jager owns the four fastest steeple times in American history and is ready to become the first American to run 8:05 or better. Huling’s 8:13.29 from 2010 makes him the sixth fastest performer* in American history.

With how sparingly Jerry’s group races, Jager and Huling will be looking to make the most out of  this one. Jager set his American record here two years ago, and conditions Friday are ideal for steepling— 70 degrees, just 5 mph wind, and no chance of rain.

The American record is in much more danger, but the Canadian record holder is also toeing the line. Matt Hughes had a brutal 8:29 season opener in Lausanne and looks to get closer to the 8:11 he ran at last year’s Worlds.

Brimin Kipruto and Paul Koech beat Jairus Birech handily in Doha, and Koech edged out Birech by half a second in Beijing. Since then (late May), Birech has been unbeatable, with wins in Rome, Oslo, Lausanne, and at the Kenyan champs. With E. Kemboi now out, Birech is the clear favorite Friday.

*Jager and Huling’s steeple coach, Pascal Dobert, is #10 on the US list at 8:15.77.