• Source: Kenneth Rooks

Kenneth Rooks (born October 21, 1999) is an American track and field athlete. Originally from College Place, Washington, Rooks competed in college for the BYU Cougars. He won a silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the 3000 m steeplechase.




Early life


Rooks attended College Place High School in College Place, Washington. He won multiple state titles in cross country and track, and he recorded personal bests of 1:53.56 for 800 m, 4:11.40 for one mile, and 9:20.86 for 3200 m. During his first two years of college at Brigham Young University, Rooks did not participate in athletics due to his time spent in Kampala, Uganda as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.




College career


On May 6, 2023, Rooks recorded a new personal best in the 3000 m steeplechase, running 8:17.62 in Walnut, California; at the time, it was the fastest-ever time by an American collegiate athlete. It also broke a 46-year-old school record set by Henry Marsh.
In June 2023, Rooks won the 2023 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships title in the 3000 m steeplechase, at the event held in Austin, Texas. His winning time of 8:26.17 was a new stadium record.




Senior career






= 2023

=
Competing at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, in Eugene, Oregon, Rooks finished first in the final of the 3000 m steeplechase. The victory came despite Rooks falling during the race and having to work himself back to the front. Rooks said he mentally prepared for how he would react if he fell during a race and took inspiration from former national champion Henry Marsh, who would often race from the back of the field. Rooks was selected for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August 2023, in which he finished tenth in the final.




= 2024: Olympic silver medalist

=
Rooks announced his decision to compete professionally for Nike in January 2024. At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in June, Rooks made it through the heats and won the 3000 m steeplechase final in a time of 8:21.92, securing his spot on Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At the Olympic Games, Rooks' first, he made it into the final of the 3000 m steeplechase and won the silver medal in a new personal best time of 8:06.41. Rooks stayed back for much of the race, but after gradually moving up on the pack, he surged to the lead in the bell lap. During the final jump on the back straightaway, world record holder Lamecha Girma fell, causing several other athletes to stumble. In the final curve, after the last water jump, Rooks was passed by defending Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, while Kenyan Abraham Kibiwot caught up to Rooks at the final jump. However, Rooks kicked, and he edged Kibiwot at the finish line to earn the silver medal while improving his personal best by nine seconds.




References






External links



Kenneth Rooks at World Athletics
Kenneth Rooks at BYU Cougars
Kenneth Rooks at www.USATF.org
Kenneth Rooks at Team USA
Kenneth Rooks at Olympics.com
Kenneth Rooks on Instagram

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