EUGENE, ORE -- Shalane Flanagan is going back to the Olympic Games. Alice Schmidt is hoping to make her first Olympic team, and Jack Bolas is just hoping to get a shot to run in the U.S. Olympic track and field trials at historic Hayward Field.

Day 1 of the trials belonged to Flanagan, the fastest woman in Pittsboro. The former North Carolina NCAA champion blasted a 4:41 final mile to pull away to win the 10,000-meter run, punching her ticket to Beijing.

Flanagan made the 2004 U.S. team in the 5,000.

Schmidt, another former Tar Heel NCAA champion, who often teamed with Flanagan on UNC's distance medley relay, advanced to the semifinal round of the 800-meter run with the day's fastest time of 2:03.58. Schmidt, running in her second trials, failed to make the 2004 U.S. team.

Bolas, 20, perhaps the greatest prep middle distance runner in state history when he ran for Chapel Hill High, traveled to Eugene with his fellow Wisconsin teammates. He was third in the 1,500 during NCAA competition.

But Bolas may have to wait until Tuesday to find out if he will get a chance to run in Thursday's first round of the 1,500-meter run.

"He's one person away from getting into the (1,500)," said Bolas' former coach, Ron Olsen of CHHS. "He's there waiting to see. They're taking 30. He's 31st."

Because some runners have qualified in two events, Bolas can get a spot in the trials if any runners in the 800 or 5,000 opt out of the 1,500, as many runners do if they make the team in another event.

Olsen said the Badgers' coaches think Bolas' chances are good.

"They wouldn't have taken him out there if they didn't think there was a good chance," Olsen said. "I think the odds are pretty good that he gets in. We'll see what happens. ... I've got no fingernails left. I've been chewing on them since last Tuesday."

Bolas said he's just biding his time and keeping up his training. "I'm a little anxious, but I'm having fun," he said. "Nothing changes. We're training as if we're racing on Thursday."

Bolas, a sophomore at Wisconsin, said running in the trials was his "ultimate goal" at the beginning of the season. He achieved his other goal of going to the NCAAs in an individual event.

"I just wanted to make it to nationals (in the 1,500)," he said.

For now, all Bolas can do is wait.

"I'm trying to keep a level head," he said. "I'm not actually racing yet. I'm here. I'm trying to stay prepared. ... No matter what happens, I've still had a good season."

Flanagan is also planning to run the first round of the 5,000 on Monday, another race in which she would be the favorite. In a press conference following her 10,000 win, with a stadium record of 31:34.81, Flanagan said she's not sure if she would run both races in China if she double qualifies.

"It's an awesome dilemma to be in," she said. "I'll enjoy every minute of it. The 5,000 should be an unbelievable race as well. For me to win again would be tremendous. We'll just have to see how it goes. I have a lot of people gunning for me."

Finishing fifth in the 10,000 (32:31.07) was another former Tar Heel, Winston-Salem native Blake Russell. Russell, who already earned a spot on the Olympic marathon team, said Flanagan is at the top of her game.

"She's on another planet," Russell said of Flanagan. "It's exciting to see her running fast."

Schmidt got out slow in the 800, but she rallied to win her heat.

"I got out a little slower than I wanted to, and that put me in debt," she said. "So then, with about 400 to go I realized 'I'm really not in a good place right now.' I had to slow down and get to the outside of everyone and pass. It's no fun running on the outside and passing on the curve."