Evan Jager paid a visit to his old high school in Algonquin, Illinois last Friday and left the students with a gift that will prove as memorable as it will inspirational: his uniform from the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Jager, who took the silver medal in the men’s 3000m steeplechase in Rio, was given a hero’s welcome when he was introduced to the students of his alma mater, who got to meet and greet the 28-year-old.

“I want to show the kids…that really unimaginable things are possible,” he said.

For more on his visit, check out this story in the Chicago Tribune and this feature by the Northwest Herald.

Evan Jager closed his season with a third-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase at the IAAF Diamond League final in Brussels on Friday night, the 28-year-old recovering from a late-race fall to reach the finish in 8:11.71.

On a cool, damp night in the Belgian capital, the early pace was strong, with pacemaker Haron Lagat towing the field through 1000m in 2:40.27. Soon after, as the pace began to slow, Jager moved to the front in search of his first sub-eight-minute clocking, and he led the field through 2000m in 5:24.45. Dogging his heels all along, though, was Olympic and world champion Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya, and Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, who had both beaten Jager into third at the World Championships in London last month.

Approaching the bell, El Bakkali surged past Jager, then Kipruto moved around, leaving the Nike Bowerman Track Club athlete to fight it out for third. Kipruto closed in late to pass El Bakkali right by the line to win in 8:04.73, El Bakkali second in 8:04.83. Jager’s race very nearly ended at the final water jump, the American losing his footing on landing and crashing to the track, but he quickly picked himself up and summoned all his spirit and strength to outkick compatriot Stanley Kebenei to take third in 8:11.71.

Evan Jager turned in an outstanding performance to win the Monaco Diamond League on Friday night in 8:01.29, the fastest time in the world this year and his quickest in more than two years. Coming less than two weeks before the beginning of the IAAF World Championships in London, it served as the perfect confidence boost for the 28-year-old Olympic silver medalist.

Jager seized command of the race shortly after the 2000m mark, which was reached in a sensible 5:25.40, which means he ran his last kilometer in a blazing 2:35.89. He wound up the pace over the final three laps with relentless power, finally breaking the trio chasing behind with 500m to run. From there, he accelerated all the way to the finish, sprinting to the line to just miss out on the eight-minute barrier, not that he will have been bothered.

“It was our plan to run only the steeple on the Diamond League circuit now,” said Jager, who was running his first race in Europe this year. “The previous ones did not fit into our plans with training camp and altitude.”

However, despite beating the best Kenya had to offer on the night, the Bowerman Track Club athlete will not be resting on his laurels over the upcoming fortnight. After all, a late withdrawal from the race was the man who beat him to gold in Rio last year, Conseslus Kipruto, who erred on the side of caution while nursing a foot injury. The pair met afterwards in the mixed zone, with Jager reportedly telling Kipruto that he was sorry not to have him out there and that they’d see each other in London.

“We are keeping our options open for the best possible tactical plan for the worlds,” said Jager. “But one thing is clear: I’m going for gold.”

I woke up this morning to find out that my name had been published as a part of a list released by the ‘Fancy Bears’ and they are saying that I had an abnormal blood passport test result. I was incredibly shocked to see my name amongst a list of athletes believed to be “likely doping.” I have so many questions as to how and why my name got on that list. I have never taken any banned substance and have always prided myself on doing things the right way and being a clean athlete.

I have gone through my records looking for the test results or test notification from February 9, 2016 (the date listed as my “last ABP test date”) and cannot find any notification of having taken a drug test on that day. I also was not contacted by USADA/WADA/IAAF regarding an abnormal blood panel test result. There is a possibility that I did take a test that day, but I have no record of it. I am trying to contact the authorities to determine if I was tested that day and how my name could have ended up on such a list.

Though the IAAF has clearly determined that there was no anti-doping rule violation committed, I’m still very saddened about the idea that people might think that I have broken the rules when I, and all those close to me, know that I have not. It has always been important to me to not just do things the right way, but to have the trust of my fans and competitors and to prove to people that you can reach the top of the sport clean. I have never and will never break or try to bend an anti-doping rule. I hope this gets cleared up very quickly and that I can maintain the trust I have worked so hard to build in the running community.