Walla Walla native Kenneth Rooks runs second fastest collegiate steeple...
WALNUT, California--At the On Track Fest at Mt. San Antonio College, Walla Walla native Kenneth Rooks (Paul Merca photo) put himself in the conversation for one of the spots on the USA world championship team in the steeplechase with his victory Saturday night.
Rooks, a junior at Brigham Young University, set a personal best of 8:17.62, which is the second fastest time ever run by a collegian in winning the race, behind Henry Rono of Washington State's 8:05.4, set at Husky Stadium in 1978.
With one lap to go, Rooks, who was in second, blew past two time US Olympian Hillary Bor to win going away, with Bor fading to third in 8:20.67.
In the process, Rooks, a former two-time Washington 1A cross country champ at College Place HS, became the fastest American collegian, supplanting Princeton's Donn Cabral's mark of 8:19.14 from 2012. He took down the long standing BYU school record of 8:21.60 held by Olympian Henry Marsh set in 1977.
It's also the fastest time in the world so far this season.
Rooks told byucougars.com afterwards, “I was honestly a little bit in awe towards the end of the race when I took the lead with 200 to go,” Rooks said. “I was like, ‘Wow, I’m actually going to win this thing today.’ It’s cool to win and accomplish some things I didn’t even think about accomplishing.”
“This was a big confidence booster for me,” Rooks said. “I felt like I had more to give in the last few races I was in, so it felt good to be in this race today where the other guys pushed me to do what I did.”
While he fell short of the world championships standard of 8:15.00, his mark will push him up the World Athletics rankings from his current number 69 position, as his time is worth 1177 points, plus the bonus points for the meet holding World Athletics Continental Tour silver status.
Washington alum Julius Diehr was 12th in 8:40.18.
Other highlights:
--In the men's 5000, Dillon Maggard of the Brooks Beasts was ninth in 13:17.15, while teammate Josh Kerr was 16th in 13:36.31.
The second section of the men's 5000 saw former Husky Jack Rowe finish second in 13:20.16, and incoming UW freshman Tyrone Gorze from Crater HS in Oregon finish tenth in 13:45.81 in what was billed as an attempt to break Galen Rupp's national high school record of 13:37.91.
Southern Boone HS/Missouri's Connor Burns, who was fifth in the section in 13:37.30 broke the national prep record.
--The men's 1500 saw the Beasts' Henry Wynne finish fourth in 3:38.07, just ahead of UW grad Kieran Lumb's 3:38.08, and the Huskies' Brian Fay in 3:38.39. In the second section, WSU's Zach Stallings was sixth in 3:42.20.
--In her first steeplechase since going on maternity leave last year, Pasco native Marisa Howard finished fourth in 9:32.10
--Seattle resident Rebecca Mehra was ninth in the top section of the women's 1500, running 4:13.09.
--Isaiah Harris of the Brooks Beasts was third in the top section of the men's 800 in 1:46.93. Teammate Allie Buchalski was 12th in the women's 5000 in 15:19.51.
In Atlanta, Washington volunteer coach Sam Prakel followed up his win at the USATF Road Mile Championships in Des Moines, Iowa last week with a victory at the adidas Atlanta City Games road mile on the streets of downtown Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park Saturday.
In the slightly uphill first half of the race, Prakel worked his way from sixth to third, crossing 800 meters in 2:10.99, before riding the downhill portion.
Prakel was within striking distance as the field made the sweeping right hand turn onto the temporary straightaway, then made his move on the track to win in 4:03.40.
Washington State alum Paul Ryan finished fifth in 4:05.70.
Washington alum Olivia Gruver did not clear a height in the women's pole vault, missing all three attempts at the opening height of 13-11.75 (4.26m).
NOTE: The adidas Atlanta City Games, and Sound Running contributed to this report.
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