USA’s Kenneth Rooks advanced to the finals during a tightly contested preliminary heat in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase on Monday, Aug. 5, during the 10th day of competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 36 runners were divided into three races, with the top five from each heat moving to the final. The steeplechase is 7.5 laps around the 400-meter track and includes multiple barriers and a water jump. Rooks, 24, was in the third heat, and James Corrigan, 22, a BYU student, was in the first heat.
Rooks, a former BYU runner and returned missionary, was second in his heat, behind Ethiopia’s Lamchea Girma, who ran it in 8 minutes, 23.95 seconds. Rooks and the next five runners were less than a second a part.
In fact, Rooks and Kenya’s Simon Koech, who was in third, both had a time of 8:24.95 and were a thousandth of a second apart at 8:24:941 and 8:24:942.
From the beginning of the race, Rooks was among the front four runners, pushing to second.
Corrigan, Rooks’ training partner and friend, was 10th overall in his heat, with a time of 8:36.67.
Rooks, of Washington state, is a returned missionary who served in Uganda and also Orem, Utah, and is a former NCAA champion at BYU. He won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the U.S. Olympic trials. During the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, he fell in the finals and came from behind to win the race.
Corrigan had to race an Olympic standard time after coming in third during the trials — faster than his personal best this season — and did it a day before the qualifying deadline. The sophomore from Los Angeles, California, served a mission in Tempe, Arizona.
Both spoke at a devotional for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, Aug. 4, in France.
The finals are Wednesday, Aug. 7, at 1:43 p.m., Mountain Time.
Rooks and Corrigan are two of several athletes with connections to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Athletics (track and field)
Also on the track Monday, Whittni Morgan raced in the 5,000-meter final and was overall 14th of the 16 runners. She had a personal best time of 14 minutes, 53.57 seconds — nearly 10 seconds faster than her qualifying time.
Morgan, 26, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had knee surgery last November and began running again in April. The Panguitch, Utah, native and former BYU runner was fifth at the Olympic trials in June. After two others who qualified for other races dropped out of the 5,000 meter, or 5K, Morgan was added to the team to go to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Upcoming competitions
USA’s Courtney Wayment is running in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase final scheduled for 1:10 p.m., Mountain Time, on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
On social
Jimmer Fredette was part of USA’s 3x3 basketball team, which came in seventh overall. He was injured during the team’s second pool game against Poland and shared more about the injury on social media Sunday, Aug. 4, in the evening.
He wrote that he was grateful to be an Olympian and thanked his teammates and coaches.
“I had an injury that took place in the beginning minutes of our second game against Poland. I tore two different ligaments completely in my adductor, which prevented me from being able to compete. This will lead me to have a recovery of around 6 months.
“This is devastating for me as I have put two years into qualifying for the Olympics with this group who are my brothers.”
He also noted the coincidence of becoming the No. 1 ranking player on the day he was injured.
“And something this has taught me is to enjoy the journey. You never know what can happen once you reach your destination but if you don’t enjoy getting there — you are missing the point,” Fredette wrote. He added: " I wish it could have gone differently. But thank you for your support and love. Always keep the faith and smile through the bad.”
Corrigan has shared several videos, including about eating in the Olympic Village dining hall and what the steeplechase water pit looks like empty.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon’s reinstatement after her initial disqualification. Kipyegon’s reinstatement in second place moved Whittni Morgan to 14th place.
