2024 Paris Olympic Games

How Many Americans Have Won Olympic Medals In Men's Steeplechase? Not Many

How Many Americans Have Won Olympic Medals In Men's Steeplechase? Not Many

Kenneth Rooks won silver in the men's steeplechase on Aug. 7 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Not many Americans have done that.

Aug 7, 2024 by Joe Harrington
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Kenneth Rooks became just the seventh American track and field athlete to win a medal in the Olympic Men's 3000m Steeplechase when he stunned the field the on Aug. 7 at Stade de France in Paris at the 2024 Olympics. 

Rooks, a 24-year-old BYU track and field product who won the 2023 NCAA Championship in Steeplechase, captured the silver medal in the 3000m Men’s Steeplechase Final. 

Soufiane El Bakkali won gold and Abraham Kibiwot won bronze.

Rooks is the third American to win silver and just the second American since 1988 to medal in the men's 3000m Steeplechase. 

His win shows major progress after having finished 10th at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest

Here is every American to medal in the Men's 3000m Steeplechase. 

Every American Who Has Won Men's Steeplechase Medals At The Olympics

  • 1920 Antwerp: Patrick Flynn, Silver
  • 1932 Los Angeles: Joe McCluskey, Bronze
  • 1952 Helsinki: Horace Ashenfelter, Gold
  • 1968 Mexico City: George Young, Bronze 
  • 1984 Los Angeles: Brian Diemer, Bronze
  • 2016 Rio de Janeiro: Evan Jager, Silver
  • 2024 Paris: Kenneth Rooks, Silver

Last Time Team USA Won Men's Steeplechase

Horace Ashenfelter is the only American to win gold in the event. He beat the Soviet Union's Vladimir Kazantsev for the gold medal. 

Ashenfelter won 15 national AAU titles in his career. 

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