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Snake-bitten no longer

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EUGENE, Ore. -- Jeff Hartwig, a snake collector, must have wondered if the hobby was coming back to figuratively bite him after he failed to clear a height in qualifying at the past two Olympic trials.

At 40, Hartwig has a found a charmed life as a vaulter.

The longtime U.S. record-holder made his second Olympic team -- but first since 1996 -- by finishing second in Sunday’s final with a vault of 18 feet, 8 1/4 inches.

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Derek Miles won the event in an upset over new U.S. record-holder Brad Walker, who was third.

Miles, Hartwig and Walker are the three vaulters going to Beijing.

-- Philip Hersh

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