Former BYU star Kenneth Rooks did it again.
Rooks won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8 minutes and 28.58 seconds at the U.S. track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday, Aug. 2.
It was the third consecutive U.S. championship for the silver medalist at last summer’s Olympic Games.
“It feels amazing, it feels like an incredible blessing,” Rooks told reporters after the race, referring to his trio of U.S. titles. “Especially because nothing is given to you in track and field. ... I’m really grateful to come out with the win.”
Rooks is a returned missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who served in Uganda and Orem, Utah.
Fellow BYU graduate Lexy Halladay-Lowry joined Rooks by winning the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase the same day. In one of her first races as a professional, the Meridian, Idaho, native crossed the finish line with a time of 9:09.14.
“I’m so happy about this,” Halladay-Lowry said. “So much has led up to this point. I’ll always represent BYU in my heart. I am so grateful for all the support.”
With their respective victories, Rooks and Lowry qualified to represent the U.S. at the world track and field championships, which will be held Sept. 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan.
BYU’s James Corrigan, who finished third in this race last year to qualify for the Olympics, led through the early laps but faded to last place, finishing with a time of 8:37.00. A month ago he won the NCAA championships in 8:16.41.
Corrigan served in the Arizona Tempe Mission from 2020 to 2022.
Another BYU runner, Meghan Hunter, of Provo, Utah, finished fifth with a time of 2:00.53 in the 800-meter race on Sunday, Aug. 3.
Hunter, a recent BYU graduate, was also recently named a Big 12 Conference nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year, the NCAA announced on Monday, Aug. 4.
