Latter-day Saint Kenneth Rooks seems to have a gift not just for running but also for bringing a crowd to the edge of their seat.
The former BYU star “shocked the world” and won a silver medal in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase on Wednesday in Paris, France. Team USA’s official Instagram account wrote, “WHAT A RACE. @kenneth_rooks with an INSANE performance to lock in silver.” NBC Olympics and Paralympics wrote the race was a “STUNNER.”
How the Race Played Out
So what made his performance so stunningly insane? For one thing, Rooks wasn’t a favorite to win. This was only his second global championship, and he was up against some big names in the race, including a defending Olympic gold medalist from Morocco and a world record holder from Ethiopia.
Rooks stayed in the middle or back of the pack of runners for most of the race. Then, just before the final lap, he started moving up. With a little more than half the lap to go, Rooks had built a solid lead over the pack, stunning commentators.
“Look at Kenneth Rooks! … The 24-year-old from Washington has said, ‘You want your medal? Come catch me!’” an NBC Sports commentator excitedly cheered as Rooks took the lead. And it turns out only one competitor could catch Rooks. Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali snagged the gold. Rooks crossed the finish line next, narrowly beating Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya.
Rooks beat his personal best time by 9 seconds, finishing the 3,000-meter race in 8:06.41 and securing his silver medal.
How Rooks (and the World) Reacted
“I think I surprised them a little bit,” Rooks told NBC right after the race. “It was definitely surreal taking the lead at the front with 300 meters, realizing if I hold this, I might have a gold medal.” He later said winning the silver was “awesome” and “an honor.” In a video for a BYU Instagram account, Rooks said it “feels like a dream” and expressed his gratitude for the experience.
Reactions to Rooks’s win exploded across the internet. The Today Show posted a photo of Rooks on their Instagram and wrote, “Kenneth Rooks came from the back of the pack around the halfway point of the men’s 3000m steeplechase to win silver for #TeamUSA!”
Citius Mag, a track and field publication, wrote that Rooks went “ballistic” and “risk[ed] it all.” “An all-time gutsy effort that U.S. track and field fans will remember for a long time.”
Runners Central wrote, “American Kenneth Rooks puts together the performance of his career. ... America continues to show the world it’s distance running class on the biggest stage in the sport.”
And Rooks’s coach, Ed Eyestone, who is a two-time Olympian himself and the director of track and field and head men’s cross-country coach at BYU, had perhaps the best reaction of all to Rooks’s finish. You can watch his ecstatic cheering on NBC’s Instagram.
If you missed the race, don’t worry—NBC posted the video on YouTube.
Rooks’s Latter-day Saint Faith
Rooks has spoken openly about his Latter-day Saint faith. He served in the Uganda Kampala Mission and temporarily in the Utah Orem Mission. Before his Olympic race, he joined with other Latter-day Saint Olympians to speak at a devotional at a meetinghouse in France. Rooks spoke about his race at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. That race was another nail-biter—Rooks took a hard fall during the race but was able to slowly work his way back to the front, ultimately winning.
At the devotional, Rooks cited Mosiah 4:27 and said everyone falls in life from time to time but that understanding the plan of salvation can help us get back up.
“With Jesus Christ, we know that we can win or prevail,” he said. “As we follow the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can find healing and hope.”
In July, the Church posted an inspirational video about Rooks’s incredible 2023 race. In it, Rooks says, “One thing that I know is that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us, who cares about us. And I also know that we have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for us. And part of the reason why the Savior did what He did for us was because life was going to be hard…
“I couldn’t control the fall 100%, but I could control how I responded. I could control being in the moment, being present, making decisions.”
Watch the full inspirational video below:
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