It wasn't that long ago that David Oliver was an afterthought on the U.S. track team, a hurdler who went unrecognized by television analysts when he finally won a major race.

"A nobody," he said.

But Thursday night, the 26-year-old Denver East High School graduate stood on a podium in National Stadium, a 2008 Olympic bronze medal hanging around his neck, eight years after a college scholarship seemed beyond his grasp.

"They only pass out three of these every four years, so to be one of the people who've got one is definitely an accomplishment in itself," Oliver said. "To get one of them (means) you'll always be remembered."

Once Chinese superhero Liu Xiang pulled out of a preliminary heat with a foot injury, the race lost its luster in China. But Cuba's Dayron Robles, the world record-holder, ran a remarkable 12.93 seconds to take the gold.

Another overlooked American, David Payne, leaned across the line in 13.17, just 0.01 of a second ahead of Oliver.

Joining 90,000 others in the futuristic-looking stadium was Oliver's mother, Brenda, a former University of Colorado hurdler who raced in Beijing in the early 1980s.

In recent weeks, Oliver has received a barrage of e-mail from his Denver friends and former teachers.

But a medal seemed in jeopardy when he nicked the seventh hurdle.

"I got a little bit scared, so I just tried to stay on it," said Oliver, who saw teammate Terrence Trammell, the defending Olympic silver medalist, pull out of the preliminaries with an injury. "It's all about getting medals, and I got one."

After a victory lap and medals ceremony, Oliver was asked his plans for the night.

"Just go and celebrate with my mom," he said. I want to celebrate this with her."

Men's 110 hurdles: 1. Dayron Robles, Cuba, 12.93. 2. David Payne, Hampton, Va., 13.17. 3. David Oliver, Kissimmee, Fla., 13.18. 4. Ladji Doucoure, France, 13.24. 5. Artur Noga, Poland, 13.36. 6. Maurice Wignall, Jamaica, 13.46. 7. Richard Phillips, Jamaica, 13.60. 8. Jackson Quinonez, Spain, 13.69.