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DES MOINES, Iowa -- Virginia Tech’s Jared Berman put together one of the best performances of his young career to finish second in the 3000m steeplechase at USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Berman completed the event in 9:04.76 which easily was under the world qualifying standard of 9:10.00. He now qualifies to compete in the IAAF World Junior Championships, July 19-25, in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Berman (Fr., Fairfax, Va.), a NCAA East Regional qualifier, fell just shy of his personal best of 9:04.60 set earlier this year at the ACC Outdoor Championships in Clemson, S.C. Dakota Peachee (unattached) won the event in 9:03.43.

In other action involving Tech athletes, Ryan Hagen (Sterling, Va.), participating in both the 800 and 1500 meter events, finished seventh in Heat 1 of the 800m with a time of 1:52.66, but failed to qualify for Friday’s final. He will return to the track to compete in the 1500m first round on Friday at 12:15 p.m., with the final slated for Saturday at 6:40 p.m.

David Wilson (Danville, Va.), also a NCAA East Regional qualifier, winner of both the Miami Invitational and Liberty Twilight triple jump events this season, will participate in the triple jump competition on Friday at 2:20 p.m.

The competition, for ages 19 and under, is being held at Drake Stadium on the Drake University campus. The junior competition is taking place in conjunction with the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Live video can be seen at: http://www.usatf.org/events/2010/USAJuniorOutdoorTFChampionships/video.asp

For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Track).