Kenneth Rooks wins steeplechase at USATF Outdoor Championships

EUGENE, Ore. - BYU Alumni Kenneth Rooks won the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the USATF Outdoor Championships Saturday afternoon.

Kenneth Rooks, a 2023 graduate, won the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 8:26.58 finishing less than 0.2 seconds ahead of his training partner Daniel Michalski. Rooks who crossed the line in eleventh place at the 1,000-meter mark, made up serious ground to take the lead after the 2,000-meter mark holding it through the finish. This victory punched his ticket to the World Athletics Championships to be held in Tokyo, Japan in September.

ROOKS IS KING 👑

For the third year in a row, Kenneth Rooks comes out on top in the #USATFOutdoors steeplechase final, controlling the race from three laps out to take the win in 8:28.58.

Rooks’s training partner Dan Michalski takes second in 8:26.77, but he and Benard Keter… pic.twitter.com/oiilhBajiE

— CITIUS MAG (@CitiusMag) August 2, 2025

Rooks, the current school record holder in the outdoor 3000m steeplechase at BYU is now a three time champion of the USATF qualifying meet steeplechase, winning the race in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Last year at the Paris Olympics Rooks claimed a silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase running a personal best 8:06.41.

James Corrigan represented BYU in the 3000m steeplechase and ran alongside former teammate Rooks. Corrigan, the 2025 NCAA Division one outdoor 3000m steeplechase champion, ran 8:21.92 in the qualifying round placing sixth.

Abraham Alvarado, a 2018 graduate, competed in the 800m finals placing seventh while running a personal best time of 1:44.41. Alvarado owns the Cougar's No. 2 all-time mark in the indoor 800m at 1:47.46 and is ranked No. 4 outdoor with 1:46.62.

Casey Clinger, who graduated earlier this year, competed in the 10,000m placing sixth with a time of 29:18.74.

Joey Nokes, a 2025 graduate, competed alongside Clinger in the 10,000m finishing in 29:50.73 finishing 16th overall.

Eli Hazlett, another recent graduate, competed in the 400m preliminary round finishing in a time of 45:81, but did not qualify for the final round.

Dallin Shurts, a 2024 graduate, competed in the discus throw placing 12th overall with a distance of 59.04m/193-8.