EUGENE, Ore. - As a youngster, 27-year-old Christin Wurth-Thomas never dreamed of becoming an Olympian.

As the Bloomington-native steadily improved as a 1,500-meter runner year by year, trying to become an Olympian became her fulltime job, one she fulfilled with room to spare Sunday in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

Wurth-Thomas placed third in the 1,500 final in 4 minutes, 8.48 seconds behind Shannon Rowbury (4:05.48) and Erin Donohue (4:08.20).

Wurth-Thomas will compete in the Aug. 8-24 Olympic Games in Beijing as the ninth fastest woman in the world in the 1,500 based on her lifetime best of 4:04.88.

"It's very exciting (to make the Olympic team)," she said. "That's where all the hard work has paid off and now it's time to go to Beijing and see what we can do."

Wurth-Thomas never dropped out of the top three Sunday. She followed three-time defending national champion Treniere Clement through a 68.17-second opening lap and remained in second as Lindsey Gallo led the field through a 2:15.73 first 800.

Rowbury opened a gap prior to the bell lap and split 3:18.46 with 300 to go. Wurth-Thomas remained in second until Donohue edged ahead with 90 meters to go.

"I had a race plan coming into the race and I tried to stick to that," Wurth-Thomas said. "My thought was at 500 meters, to go with all I had, but my legs were heavy.

"I felt good until I got on the track. I don't know if it was nerves or what."

Wurth-Thomas, a former University of Arkansas All-American, was one of four finalists who had met the Olympic qualifying standard of 4:07.00 this year along with Rowbury, Donohue and Clement, who did not qualify as she placed last in 4:24.62.

Morgan Uceny missed qualifying by one place and 3.85 seconds as she placed fourth in 4:10.85.

"(Having the 'A' standard) was huge," Wurth-Thomas said. "I was counting as we went around every lap. We went out slow, so I knew we weren't on an 'A' standard pace."

Rowbury, who trains with Donohue, completed a remarkable comeback from a hip stress fracture, which sidelined her in 2007.

"I'm so excited because we have a great contingent going to Beijing," she said. "Should be an exciting next couple of months and I can't wait till August."

East Peoria's Jenelle Deatherage, who placed fourth in the 2004 Olympic Trials 1,500, finished 11th in 4:22.45, one place behind 16-year-old sensation Jordan Hasay (4:17.36).