The months following Paris have tested even the Olympic silver medalist in ways he had not anticipated. The 25-year-old steeplechaser has called his campaign “a roller coaster season,” and the description is accurate. Two subpar indoor outings, a strong win in Los Angeles, a disappointing 5,000-meter race in Portland, and a collapse in Monaco all preceded his third consecutive US title in June. By the time Kenneth Rooks arrived in Tokyo for the World Championships, the former BYU standout carried both expectation and unease, still grappling with the heightened attention that followed his Olympic breakthrough last summer.

Competing in the third heat of the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase on the opening day, Rooks never looked comfortable and faded badly to finish 11th in 8:45.57, a fu

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