Kenneth Rooks Secures Silver in Paris Olympics Steeplechase

Kenneth Rooks won a historic silver medal in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase at the Paris Olympics. The BYU alum clocked a lifetime best of 8:06.41 at the Stade de France. Rooks is now the third U.S. Olympic silver medalist in this event. He started slowly but had a strategic mindset that saw him break his pack to move gradually up the field before he burst into the front row on the final lap. Rooks was firmly behind gold medal winner Soufiane El Bakkali and barely ahead of the men’s 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwot in only his second season as a pro.

Noteworthy, Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen excelled in water barriers but could not make it to the medals bracket. This is not merely an indication of Rook’s ability but shows that this is a discipline in which the USA has had a succession of wins in the Olympics. Evan Jager had also clinched the silver in this event at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Overall, the medal is added to the U.S track and field medal count. It was a remarkable performance by the USA team at the Paris Olympics.