The Haddonfield native, who finished second in the event at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials to earn a trip to next month's Summer Olympics, was wide-eyed as she got her silver medal from Mary Decker Slaney, the American record holder in the 1,500.

Donohue paused to sign autographs on the victory lap that she, winner Shannon Rowbury and third-place finisher Christin Wurth took around Hayward Field. She hugged friends, relatives, her coach, her competitors.

"I didn't have the smoothest road getting here," said Donohue, her face still reddened, either from the exertion or the gleeful afterglow. "But I'm here now."

Donohue was a top-notch runner at Haddonfield High and a better-than-average one at North Carolina.

"But I wasn't one of those runners who sticks out, who you say, 'Oh, she's going to be an Olympian,' " Donohue said. "When I graduated [in 2005], I didn't get a whole lot of attention from shoe companies or agents. I had to work for it. I've improved a little each year and it's got me to where I am now."

Donohue and Rowbury train with the same coach, John Cook. They worked out together in Mexico this winter, where they swear the subject of making the Olympic team never arose. They also both run for Nike, as does Wurth.

In their blue-and-gold outfits, all three were hanging together near the front as the pace lagged in the opening laps of yesterday's final.

Then, with about 600 meters to go, Rowbury shot to the front. Donohue and Wurth immediately followed.

"My plan was to stay relaxed," Donohue said. "I wanted to stay near the front and relax. On the third lap, I saw Shannon go, and I thought I'd better go with her."

Down the stretch, Donohue, whose powerful body seems better-suited to field events, surged past Wurth. Only Rowbury was between her and the finish line. No one was between her and Beijing.

"I knew I was in shape to do this," said Donohue, "so it really felt good to go out and do it. It's just exciting, and a big relief at the same time. I've spent my whole career, the past year, to get here and finally make it."

Rowbury's winning time was 4 minutes, 5.48 seconds. Donohue was next in 4:08.20 and Wurth finished in 4:08.48.

"It feels so good to go out there and execute your plan," Donohue said. "It's not like the NCAA or the NFL, where there's always another season. In track, your focus for four years is the Olympic trials and the Olympics."

The slow pace pleased the three top finishers. All three had already met the Olympic "A" standard of 4:07. So, for them, the worst scenario would have been if a runner who had not qualified had set a blistering pace.

"I think the race went just like we hoped it would," Rowbury said.

Donohue will return to Haddonfield for a few weeks before she leaves for Beijing. Between now and then, she'll head to Europe, where she'll run in at least two events trying to lower her personal record of 4:05.55. She'll likely have to lower it considerably if she wants to contend in China next month.

"I always knew I was good," Donohue said. "It feels good to prove it to everyone else. That's what competition is all about. I know I'm good. I know I'm ready based on practice. I knew I was doing everything right. This meet gave me the opportunity to go out and prove it."

In the men's 1,500, all three of the men who qualified were born outside the United States.

Kenya native Bernard Lagat, who also won the 5,000 here, was first, followed by Mexico native Leonel Manzano and Sudan native Lopez Lomong.

Lagat led most of the final three laps, finishing with a time of 3:40.37. Manzano was timed in 3:40.91 and Lomong 3:41.00. Alan Webb was fifth.

"I'm going to do my best to bring home a gold medal for the U.S.," said Lagat, who ran for Kenya in the last Olympics.

Gay improved. U.S. Olympic men's coach Bubba Thornton said he was encouraged yesterday to see Tyson Gay "smiling and walking around" their hotel.

Gay, who ran the fastest 100 in qualifying here, pulled up and fell in his 200-meter quarterfinal Saturday.

An MRI exam revealed that the sprinter suffered a mild strain in a muscle in his left leg. He is expected to rest for 10 to 12 days and then resume training.

Notes. Jenn Stuczynski set a U.S. record of 16 feet 13/4 inches in winning the women's pole vault. . . . Allyson Felix and Walter Dix won the women's and men's 200-meter finals. Dix bested Shawn Crawford by .005 of a second, 19.852 to 19.857. Wallace Spearmon was third (19.90). Muna Lee and Marshevet Hooker took second and third, respectively, in the women's 200. . . . In the men's triple jump, the qualifiers were Aarik Wilson (57, 21/4, Kenta Bell (56-61/2) and Rafeeq Curry (56-53/4).

With the peacock-haired U.S. record-holder Breaux Greer out of the final, the men's javelin went to Bobby Smith (249-6), who trains at the Monmouth Track Club in New Jersey. He did not qualify for Beijing, nor did third-place finisher Brian Chaput, a Penn graduate. Mike Hazle (second place) and Leigh Smith (fifth) did meet the Olympic "A" qualifying standard. . . . David Oliver won the men's 110-meter hurdles. Terrence Trammell was second and David Payne third. . . . Lolo Jones captured the women's 100-meter hurdles, Damu Cherry was second and Dawn Harper third. . . . Yesterday's attendance at Hayward Field was 21,176. Overall, 167,123 came to watch on the eight days of competition.