NCAA & U.S. Steeplechase Champion Kenneth Rooks Got Knocked Down, But Got Up Again And Won Big In 2023
The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show
CITIUS MAG
4.9 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 9 January 2024
⏱️ 40 minutes
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Summary
"I gained a lot of experience being in different races with different strategies and race situations. Competing at the World Championships was amazing. Competing in the prelim and final were two very different races, both of which I hadn't experienced before. I learned a lot from that. I'm excited to have had that experience, especially going into this year as an Olympic year, with the Olympic aspirations that I have. I have a lot of confidence that I can compete with the best in the world."
BYU’s Kenneth Rooks, the 2023 NCAA steeplechase champion and the U.S. champion, has decided to forego the remainder of his NCAA eligibility to turn professional and has signed a contract with Nike.
He plans to stay in Utah under coach Ed Eyestone and will train alongside Conner Mantz and Clayton Young.
Rooks was one of the NCAA’s breakout stars in 2023. He caught the attention of many with an 8:17.62 win over George Beamish and ‘22 U.S. champion Hillary Bor at the On Track Nights: Los Angeles meet in May. He backed up that performance by winning the NCAA title a month later in Austin, Texas. At the U.S. Championships. Rooks went viral after falling during the race but managed to recover in the closing stages to win in a personal best of 8:16.78. The video of that race has been watched nearly half a million times on YouTube.
At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Rooks made his debut for Team USA by beating out Olympic champion and reigning world champion Soufiane El Bakkali in the prelims. Rooks went on to take 10th in the final.
Rooks says there were opportunities to turn pro after the summer but he chose to return to BYU for one more cross country season. We reflect on his BYU career, the highlights of 2023 and what it was like going so viral outside of the track world and into the greater sports world. Plus, a few stories of his mission in Uganda.
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Transcript
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| 0:30.0 | Happy New Year friends. I'm Chris Chavez and welcome back to the City of Smack Podcast. It's my show where I get the chance to chat with some of the biggest names on the track on the roads within the coaching ranks and across the running industry. |
| 0:41.7 | I'm so glad to be back behind the mic |
| 0:43.7 | to bring you tons of fresh interviews |
| 0:45.8 | with some of the best track and field athletes in the world, |
| 0:47.8 | especially as we build towards the 2024 Olympics in Paris. We're less than a month away from the U.S. Olympic |
| 0:54.4 | Marathon Trials in Orlando. We will be there as we've partnered with Hoka and we |
| 0:58.9 | will be opening up the Sidious Cafe that week. That will be our headquarters for live panels, |
| 1:05.3 | shakeout runs, a live watch along on race day that'll be streamed on YouTube, |
| 1:08.9 | some giveaways and much more. If you're in Orlando you're going to want to come by to the |
| 1:13.6 | hoke-a-pop-up in the Cities Cafe. Come get your free coffee and oly pop to |
| 1:17.5 | talk some running with us. We want everyone's top three predictions. I'll |
| 1:21.9 | include more details in the show notes. My guess for |
| 1:25.1 | today's episode is the 2023 NCA and US steeplechase champion Kenneth |
| 1:29.9 | Rokes of BYU. He's on with some big news that he's decided to forego the remainder of his NCA of to stay in Utah under Coach Ed Istone and will train alongside Connor Mans and Clayton |
| 1:44.4 | Young. Rooks was one of the NCA's breakout stars in 2023. He caught the attention of many |
... |
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