Paris Olympics: BYU alum Kenneth Rooks advances to steeplechase final

AT THE GAMES — NCAA champion. U.S. national champion. Olympic finalist.

No matter how many times he falls down, Kenneth Rooks keeps getting back up.

The former BYU steeplechase standout finished second in his heat Tuesday with a time of 8 minutes, 24.95 seconds to clinch one of five automatic qualifying spots in Wednesday's 3,000-meter steeplechase final.

Rooks, 24, jumped into the pole position just behind the race leader from the opening gun and scarcely felt threatened en route to his finals berth.

The former four-time All-American and NCAA national champion in 2023 was in third place through the first 1,000 meters of the race and never fell below fourth despite a spirited comeback attempt from New Zealand's Geordie Beamish to make the finals before finishing seventh in 8:25.86.

But Rooks, a Nike athlete who lives and trains in Utah with his former college coach Ed Eyestone and Run Elite Program, was as steady as they come, finishing behind only world record-holder Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma (8:23.89) to clinch Team USA's lone finals berth in the event.

Fellow American Matthew Wilkinson finished sixth in 8:16.82 in the second heat, missing the finals by just over a second behind fifth-place finisher Avinash Mukund Sable of India (8:15.43).

James Corrigan, the rising junior at BYU making his international debut in his first Olympic Games, was 10th in the first heat with a time of 8:36.67.

Rooks' heat ended up being one of the slower charges behind top finisher Mohamed Tindouft of Morocco, who ran a personal-best time of 8:L10.62 in the second heat to claim the fastest time of the preliminary round.

"What a great run by Kenneth," Run Elite co-founder Landon Southwick told KSL.com. "He looked smooth throughout the races and in control from start to finish. He set out with the goal to medal, and to do that he had to run a smart semifinal and he was able to do that. We are excited to see him in the final and can't wait to cheer him on."

BYU alum Morgan finishes 13th in 5,000 meter final

Former BYU standout Whittni Orton Morgan finished 13th in the finals of the 5,000-meter run Monday at Stade de France, beating her personal-best time by nearly 9 seconds to finish in 14:53.57.

The former multi-sport athlete at Panguitch High who has had nine injuries, mostly stress fractures, in her collegiate and professional career struggled near the back of the race and never caught up to eventual champion Beatrice Chebet of Kenya (14:28.56), Netherlands athlete Sifan Hassan (14:30.61) and bronze-medalist Nadia Battocletti of Italy (14:31.64) after Kenya's Faith Kipyegon was disqualified.

Less than a year removed from patellar tendon knee surgery, Morgan willed herself to the U.S. Olympic trials and put herself in position as a Team USA alternate with a fifth-place performance in Eugene, Oregon.

The former NCAA cross country champion at BYU accepted a spot on the team when Parker Valby opted to focus on the 10,000 meters in Paris. That left the spot for Morgan, the adidas and Run Elite Program athlete who advanced through the preliminary rounds in 15:2.14 to make it to Monday's finale.

"What an opportunity this was to compete at my first Olympics" Orton said. "I am just so grateful. I ran my guts out today and I have no regrets. I am feeling extremely blessed and I am walking away with a lot of gratitude, fire, confidence and joy."

Morgan's former BYU teammate, Courtney Wayment, will run in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final Tuesday at 1 p.m. MT on NBC and Peacock.

Team Canada women takes 4th place in 3x3 basketball

The path to the Canadian women's 3x3 basketball team went through the east bench of Salt Lake City, with former Utah stars Paige Crozon, Michelle Plouffe and Plouffe's twin sister Katherine teaming with Gonzaga alum Kacie Bosch in pursuit of a medal.

The path ended with a fourth-place finish in the Paris Summer Games.

Katherine Plouffe, who played collegiately at Marquette, had 5 points and five rebounds and her sister added 3 points and six rebounds in Canada's 16-13 loss to the United States in Monday's bronze-medal game at La Concorde.

In a tight contest, Cierra Burdick gave the United States a 15-13 lead with just 39 seconds remaining.

Crozon had a chance to tie with a 2-pointer (the 3x3 version of a 3-pointer) on the next possession. Burdick added a free throw with seven seconds remaining, and Michelle Plouffe's attempt just before time expired caromed off the rim as the Americans clinched the bronze medal for the reigning world champions.

Hailey Van Lith had 6 points to lead Team USA, and Dearica Hamby added 3 points and six rebounds.

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