Gutsy Kenneth Rooks Goes for Gold, Wins Silver in Olympic Steeplechase Final

You’ve got to believe.

24-year-old American Kenneth Rooks certainly did.

In one of the most inspiring runs in American distance running history, Rooks, the 15th out of 16th seeds in the 2024 Paris Olympic men’s steeplechase final, nearly won the gold medal.  

The history books will always show that Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkalli was the repeat winner of the men’s Olympic steeplechase thanks to a 57.5 last lap to win his 4th straight global title in 8:06:05. But it was Rooks who stole the hearts of American distance fans with a race legends are made of that resulted in him winning the silver in a personal best of 8:06.41.

Rooks took the lead just after the bell and would extend it on the backstretch, powering away from the best steeplechasers in the world including El Bakkalli and his perpetual bridesmaid, world record holder Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia. 

Girma fell over the barrier with just over 200 meters to go and Rooks still had the lead over the final water jump as the race for gold and the medals was now between Rooks, El Bakkalli and Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot.

El Bakkalli summoned his patented kick and passed Rooks as they entered the homestretch and was able to stay in the front to the finish as the top 3 were having a furious final 100. Kibiwott passed Rooks after the final barrier, but Rooks was frantically pushing for the finish and got back in front just before the line to take silver in  a personal best of 8:06.41 with Kibiwot settling for bronze in 8:06.47.

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The 2nd km lagged, setting up a furious finish

Initially it looked like Ethiopian team tactics would result in a fast pace as the two Ethiopians not named Lamecha Girma – perenially 4th placer Getnet Wale and 2022 world jr silver medallist Samuel Firewu (Abraham Seme, who exactly one month ago became the world #2 by running 8:02.36 to win the Paris DL, wasn’t named to their Ethiopian team) – alternated leading early with the first km an honest 2:40.53. (2;40 is 8:00) but the pace lagged a lot in the 2nd km which was run in just, 2:49.84 (5:30.27). The pace picked up marginally on the penultimate lap as the pace dropped from 67 to 64, but it was a crazy look at the bell as 13 of the 16 competitors were within two seconds of the lead.

And Rooks, who ran the first half or the race towards the back and then was mid-pack, was making a charge. 9th with 1.5 laps to go, he’d moved up to 4th at the bell and soon had his bid for glory.

2024 Olympic steeplechase men’s results

This is a flash recap more to come from Paris.