Five Cougars Compete at the 2023 World Athletics Championships

BUDAPEST, Hungary – A total of five current and former BYU athletes competed in various events across nine days at the World Athletics Championships.

“The world championships is the biggest stage in the world for track and field," said BYU director of track and field Ed Eyestone. "To have five Cougars representing the USA and Canada speaks to the preparation our program provides for our student athletes. We are proud of current athlete Kenneth Rooks and our alums Zach McWhorter, Courtney Wayment, Rory Linkletter and Nico Montañez for the way they represented BYU and their countries in this global competition. With the Paris Olympics coming next year, we look forward to more Cougar track and field success.”

Current BYU distance runner Kenneth Rooks represented Team USA in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, placing tenth in the final with a time of 8:20.02. Toeing the line with world record holder Lamecha Girma (Ethiopia), he moved consistently through the back half of the race. Rooks came to Budapest nationally recognized after capturing steeplechase titles at both the NCAA Outdoor Championships and USATF Outdoor Championships this summer. In the preliminary round, Rooks bested former world and Olympic champion El Bakkali (Morocco) by 0.001 seconds with a time of 8:23.66. Bakkali would later go on to win the final. Rooks was one of two USA athletes to earn a spot in the final.

Alum Courtney Wayment finished 15th in the world in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 9:25.90. As the lone American to qualify for the final, she advanced from the semi-final round with a strategic 9:20.60 race to take fourth in her heat. This marked the second time of her professional career that she has qualified for the final round of the 3000m steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships. At the 2022 championships in Eugene, Oregon, she recorded a 12th-place finish.

 

 

 

 

 

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Former BYU pole vaulter Zach McWhorter placed 8th in the men’s pole vault final with a mark of 5.75m/18-10.38. In his qualifying round on day five of competition, the 2022 BYU graduate took second in Group B, registering a 5.75 clearance to position his spot in the final round. There, he competed with eventual world champion and Sweden world record-holder Armand Duplantis.

Alumni Rory Linkletter and Nico Montañez competed in the men’s marathon on day nine of the competition. Representing team Canada, Linkletter completed the 26.2 mile course in a season-best, 2:12:16 time to take 19th overall. Montañez represented team USA, crossing the line at 2:24:58 to take 55th and also register a season-best performance.

Preparation will continue with hopeful eyes on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Returning Cougar Kenneth Rooks will rejoin his fellow teammates as part of the BYU men’s cross country program this fall. The first meet will be hosted by the Cougars at the Clarence Robison Track and Field Complex on Sept. 8. The meet will begin at 10:00am MDT.