August 24, 2025
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"Going into Tokyo, as long as I get back to those basic things that helped me be successful in the past, I'm going to be just fine."
My guest for today's episode is Olympic silver medalist Kenneth Rooks. However, he hasn't quite looked like that this entire season. It left many wondering if last year's Olympic silver medalists had slipped from his form. But back at Hayward Field just a couple weeks ago in his element, Rooks gave the answer. He was calm through the opening kilometers of the U.S. Championship final, unhurried as the laps ticked by. He moved up lap after lap until he was finally leading – and he never gave that lead back.
A 59-second last lap sealed his third straight U.S. Championship title in 8:26.56, fending off his training partner Dan Michalski and veteran Bernard Keter. Rooks officially punched his ticket to Worlds and then a couple weeks later helped Michalski get the standard to secure his own berth to the World Championships in Tokyo.
It was a vintage Kenneth Rooks race: patient, poised, and relentless when it mattered most. Now the BYU alum returns to the global stage in Tokyo with the big question hanging in the air: can he summon that magic again?
We talk about bouncing back from some disappointing performances, how the results make a bit more sense when you look at the bigger picture, managing the weight of expectations, and how he's looking to summon that same grit again in Tokyo.
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Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Kenneth Rooks | @kenneth_rooks on Instagram
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode…
Watch: 2025 U.S. Championships Men’s 3000m steeplechase final
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Chris Chavez
Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and on Feb. 15th, 2025 finally broke five minutes for the mile.
