USA’s Courtney Wayment was 12th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The former BYU runner and Latter-day Saint had a time of 9 minutes, 13.60 second in the 7.5-lap race that has multiple barriers and a water obstacle on each lap.
The winner, Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi, set an Olympic record of 8:52.76, surging at the end to beat Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, who had a time of 8:53.34. Chemutai won gold in the Tokyo Olympics. The previous Olympic record of 8:58.81 was set at the 2008 Beijing Games by Russia’s Gulnara Samitova-Galkina. The world record is 8:44.32 and set in July 2018 by Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya, who was sixth in Tuesday’s race.
Of the top 11 finishers, three set national or area records, four had personal best times, and two more had season’s best times. Faith Cherotich of Kenya won bronze with a time of 8:55.15.
The runners were together in a group in the beginning, with Wayment near the back of 15 women, and then the group stretched out as runners began pushing the pace.
“I just finished my first Olympics and my first Olympic final. I ran the smartest race that I could have. I’m very proud,” she said in a video posted by BYU Track and Field on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The preliminary qualifying heats on Sunday, Aug. 4, were also tightly contested, with the top six runners in Wayment’s heat less than a half-second apart. She was fourth.
Wayment, who is from Kaysville, Utah, had a successful collegiate career at Brigham Young University, has been on two Team USA senior national teams and has competed in the World Athletics Championships. She was fourth at the U.S. Olympic trials for the Tokyo Games and was second for the Paris Games.
Wayment is one of several athletes with Latter-day Saint ties competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Upcoming competitions
The 3,000-meter steeplechase final for USA’s Kenneth Rooks is Wednesday, Aug. 7, at 1:40 p.m. Mountain time.
Australia’s Peter Bol is scheduled to race in the 800-meter preliminary heats at 3:55 p.m., Mountain time.
On social
Ponipati “Poni” Loganimasi, who was part of Fiji’s silver-medal winning rugby sevens team, shared in a video posted by the Church’s Pacific Newsroom how at the beginning of the season he broke his arm. Also, he’s dealt with anxiety and depression and almost gave up playing rugby.
He shared how his faith has helped guide him through his challenges, his gratitude for those who have prayed for him and supported him, and also showed his silver medal.
“If you’re going through hard things right now, remember [the Lord is] always there and He loves you so much. He’s just waiting for you, " Loganimasi said.
Kenneth Rooks and BYU Track and Field shared a video of Rooks’ parents watching him compete. Rooks will compete in the finals in the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Wednesday.
On the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ social pages, Rooks shared three lessons from his experience of falling during the 3,000-meter steeplechase 2022 U.S. Championships — and then winning the race.
“The first one was to be patient with myself,” he wrote. The second lesson was “to keep going.” The third was “to rely on Jesus Christ.”
“Winning wasn’t guaranteed after I fell. In life, when we fall, we can come to Christ, repent, and be forgiven. He helps us rise again, and by following Him, we can win the race of life,” he wrote.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared posts from Rooks and Jimmer Fredette, who was on USA’s 3x3 basketball team and was injured in the second game. He sat out the rest of the games as the other three team members competed. The U.S. came in seventh of eight teams.
“The depth of the heartbreak and disappointment I feel from not achieving our goal and enduring an injury is profound and tangible,” he wrote.
“Our worth — mine and everyone’s — remains constant. No victory or defeat can diminish it. We find strength in smiling through the challenges because these experiences shape and strengthen us. With God on our side, we can endure and persevere. Ultimately, when we stay focused on being disciples of Jesus Christ, the outcome is glorious.”
In a video posted by BYU Track and Field, steeplechaser James Corrigan shared about racing in the Olympics preliminary heats. He was 10th overall in his heat, and the top five advanced.
“It wasn’t exactly the result I wanted today, but it was the experience I needed,” Corrigan said, adding that he has had fun otherwise. He said he is looking forward to improving.
