Tucsonan Bernard Lagat, center, leads the field en route to winning a semifinal heat in the 1,500 meters. He will run in the final on Sunday.

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EUGENE, Ore. — On his 31st birthday, Abdi Abdirahman resolved to run again.

He was on a hike with some friends near Benson. It was Jan. 1.

"I went out for seven miles — no problems," he said before the trials.

Six weeks earlier at the U.S. men's Olympic trials marathon, the challenges mounted. Attempting to make his first marathon Olympic team, the Tucsonan's hip forced him out of the race in the 19th mile. "I didn't run a step after that until January," he said.

For the last six months, he has not stopped. On Friday night at the Olympic track and field trials, Abdirahman made his third Olympic team with a huge finish in the 10,000 meters (6.2 miles).

A three-time U.S. champion, "The Black Cactus" ran 27 minutes 41.89 seconds for his first trials victory. It was the race of the night for the 21,000 Hayward Field fans who were largely backing Oregon's Galen Rupp. Rupp was second (27:43.11), followed by Jorge Torres (27:46.33).

Abdirahman, a graduate of Tucson High School, Pima College and the UA, was the clear favorite after running the second-fastest 10,000 by an American (27:16.99) at the Prefontaine Classic here in May.

But tactically, both Abdirahman and his coach, Dave Murray, knew Friday would be difficult.

"I am a strength runner," Abdirahman said. "I can run from the back. But I'd rather be at the front."

He led from the gun in a thrilling ride that saw the top three break away with six laps to go. With two laps, Abdirahman and Rupp, 22, dropped Torres. The top two traded spots on that second-to-last, 63-second lap. With 400 left, Abdirahman found a kick. He pulled away from Rupp, who appeared to answer on the backstretch and then fade back about 15 meters.

Where did that kick come from?

"From chasing world champion Bernard Lagat around the track," he said of his training partner. "I had to be prepared for anything. And to do it for Fourth of July is very special to me."

Abdirahman and his family moved to Tucson from Somalia and he became a U.S. citizen in 1999.

Abdirahman celebrated the victory jumping into the water jump (used for the steeplechase) on the track. After, he donned a white T-shirt saying "God Bless America" in black letters.

In another local final, Arizona Wildcats junior Liz Patterson completed her season Friday evening, placing 13th in the high jump.

Patterson, a Texas native who won the NCAA title last month, advanced to the finals on Monday night and said she might have been too relaxed, feeling no pressure Friday.

The 20-year-old did not clear the opening height of 5 feet 10 1/2 inches. "I'm glad I had this experience here," she said. "But it is disappointing. I want to be back. But next time, in the top three."

Friday was a smoother day for Tucsonan Lagat, 33, in the semifinals of the men's 1,500.

Lagat, who labored a bit in Thursday's quarterfinal, won his semi heat in 3:43.83, and ran near the front for most of the 3 3/4-lap race. He was boxed in with 200 meters to go and said he "found a perfect little pitch in there" to make a move to the outer lanes and remain there through the finish.

"It was a different race today. I'm feeling good," he said. "I wanted to win the semis."

Tucson resident David Krummenacker placed 10th in the heat (3:45.69) and did not advance to the finals.

A stellar 1,500 field is set for the meet's final event on Sunday. It will feature Lagat, his rival Alan Webb, Eugene resident Gabe Jennings, NCAA champ Leonel Manzano and Lopez Lomong of Flagstaff.

The best part of the women's 1,500 semis was not the qualifiers, but rather 16-year-old Jordan Hasay.

Hasay, a diminutive Arroyo Grande, Calif., native, set the national high school record with a 4:14.50 and placed fifth to qualify for the finals.

With a blonde ponytail down to her waist, Hasay ran her final lap in about 67 seconds and passed four runners as the Hayward Field throng screamed her name.