EUGENE, Ore. -- Jenny Barringer planned on pulling an all-nighter Thursday.

She wasn't going to celebrate.

She was just hoping she wouldn't fall sleep and ever have to wake up from her Olympic dream.

The University of Colorado star qualified for her first Olympics at the age of 21 by finishing third in the 3,000 steeplechase at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials on Thursday night. Barringer had the top time in the nation before the meet and in prelims, but her disappointment in finishing third was simply overwhelmed by the Team USA jacket on her thin frame.

"I'm overwhelmed with just being here," Barringer said, barely holding back tears. "I've thought about this for so long, being in the Olympics. I think too many words would get in the way."

Barringer was part of a historic race that saw the American record fall. Anna Willard set the U.S. mark by winning in 9 minutes, 27.59 seconds. Lindsey Anderson was second in 9:30.75 and Barringer crossed the line in 9:33.11.

The event was the last of the day on the track and electrified a crowd of 20,000 at historic Hayward Field. There were even fireworks going off behind the stadium during the race, popping along with flashbulbs in the stadium.

"I've been saying that this is just another race, but it's not just anotherrace," said Barringer, who won this event at last year's U.S. Championships. "Not when you get out there and you feel it and it moves you."

The CU junior led for most of the race and looked like she could win another national title. But Willard overtook her with 2½ laps to go and began to push the pace to the record mark after passing her prime challenger.

"I did look at her as my main competition," Willard said.

Former Buff Carrie Messner-Vickers ran with the lead pack that included Barringer and Willard for most of the race. But she couldn't match the record pace and finished eighth in 9:49.93. Fellow CU alum Lesley Higgins was 13th in 10:04.04.

Willard widened the gap in the last 800 meters, but it wasn't all fatigue that held Barringer back. The spectacle of Hayward Field and the realization that she was an Olympian weakened her legs the most.

"I do think it was a little bit of knowing where I was, and I'm young, and there's a lot of dynamics and hopefully I can get all of it down and digest it," Barringer said. "Hopefully I can sit down in my chair and be proud to be an Olympian."

In the men's 3,000 steeplechase semifinals Thursday night, Billy Nelson finished strong in his heat and was second in 8:26.17. He just finished his career at CU and signed with Nike this week.

"When I stepped on that track it was the first half of my dream," the Big 12 champion said. "It was the biggest crowd I've ever ran in front of, so I'm excited to go to the finals."

Nelson also said he is planning to move to Eugene to run with the Oregon Track Club, a prestigious group of runners training in "Track Town USA."

Steve Slattery came into the meet with the best time in the nation and wasn't interested in winning the heat if he didn't have to. The top four automatically advanced, but so did the next six fastest times. He planned to run 8:30, and did that in finishing sixth in his heat with a time of 8:30.49.

"I wanted to run and do as little work as possible," Slattery said. "I'm not worried about it."

The men's final will be Saturday at 3:45 p.m.

U.S. track trials

At Eugene, Ore.

MEN

3000 Meter Steeplechase

Semifinals

Heat 1

1. Anthony Famiglietti, adidas, 8:25.17Q; 2. William Nelson, Colorado, 8:26.17Q; 3. Joshua McAdams, New Balance, 8:26.47Q; 4. Corey Nowitzke, unattached, 8:27.78Q; 5. Daniel Huling, Reebok, 8:28.88q; 6. Steve Slattery, Nike, 8:30.49q; 7. Jacob Morse, Texas, 8:34.08q; 8. Anderson Smith, Reebok, 8:35.67q; 9. Kyle Heath, Syracuse, 8:39.51; 10. Kevin Davis, unattached, 8:52.50; 11. Luke Watson, adidas, 8:56.56; 12. Jordan Fife, Team Indiana Elite, 9:00.59.

Heat 2

1. Benjamin Bruce, unattached, 8:32.57Q; 2. Kyle Alcorn, Arizona State, 8:32.70Q; 3. Jordan Desilets, unattached, 8:34.74Q; 4. Jacques Sallberg, Run With Us, 8:34.83Q; 5. Michael Spence, IBR / Asics, 8:34.84q; 6. Brian Olinger, Reebok, 8:35.89q; 7. Thomas Brooks, OTC/Nike, 8:38.63; 8. Max King, Oregon TC Elite, 8:38.86.

400 FINAL

1, x-LeShawn Merrit, Nike, 44.0 seconds. 2, x-Jeremy Wariner, adidas, 44.2. 3, x-David Neville, Nike, 44.61. 4, Reggie Witherspoon, Nike, 45.01. 5, Calvin Smith, Florida, 45.57. 6, Darold Williamson, Nike, 45.58. 7, Greg Nixon, Asics, 45.64. 8, Lionel Larry, USC, 45.82.

WOMEN

400 FINAL

1, x-Sanya Richards, Nike, 49.89. 2, x-Mary Wineberg, Nike, 50.85. 3, x-Dee Dee Trotter, adidas, 50.88. 4, Monique Henderson, Reebok, 50.98. 5, Natasha Hastings, Nike, 51.26. 6, Ebonie Floyd, Nike, 51.26. 7, Monica Hargrove, unattached, 51.94. 8, Debbbie Dunn, unattached, 52.41.

Long jump FINAL

1, x-Brittany Reese, Nike, 22-9 3/4. 2, x-Grace Upshaw, Nike, 22-7. 3, x-Funmi Jimoh, Nike, 22-0 3/4. 4, Hyleas Fountain, Nike, 21-11 3/4. 5, Tianna Madison, Nike, 21-7 1/2. 6, Ola Sesay, unattached, 21-6 3/4. 7, Shameka Marshall, Shore AC, 21-6. 8, Akiba McKinney, Nike, 21-5 1/2. 9, Rose Richmond, Nike, 21-0 3/4. 10, Erica McLain, Nike, 20-11 1/4. 11, Brianna Glenn, unattached, 20-6, 1/4. 12, Jeomi Maduka, Cornell, 19-6 1/4.

3000 Steeplechase FINAL

1. Anna Willard, Nike, 9:27.59A; 2. Lindsey Anderson, Nike, 9:30.75T; 3. Jennifer Barringer, Colorado, 9:33.11T; 4. Nicole Bush, Michigan State, 9:40.27S; 5. Lisa Galaviz, Nike, 9:48.27S; 6. Kara June, Asics Aggie, 9:49.56; 7. Amanda Lorenzen, Team Indiana Elite, 9:49.74; 8. Carrie Messner-Vickers, Asics, 9:49.93; 9. Carrie Strickland, Bowerman A C, 9:53.67; 10. Ann Gaffigan, New Balance, 9:54.93; 11. Kristin Anderson, Nike, 10:00.24; 12. Sariah Long, unattached, 10:00.62; 13. Lesley Higgins, New York A C, 10:04.04; 14. Delilah DiCrescenzo, Riadha/Puma, 10:04.70.

A=American record