Cougar Gold

Dustin Williams is a trainer for the track stars. He is the head trainer for BYU's Track and Field program and a Co-Head athletic trainer for Team USA. So, not only has he helped BYU Olympians like Courtney Wayment and Kenneth Rooks, but he's also treated the likes of Noah Lyles and Anna Hall. Williams talks about

his role with Team USA, building trust with Olympians, and what he’s learned from the BYU athletes in the Olympic Games.

The man who cannot be stopped. Kenneth Rooks is steadily becoming the biggest name in American steeplechase running. The former BYU runner is best known for winning the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2023 US Track and Field Outdoor Championships after falling over a hurdle. This year, he placed first overall at the US Olympic Trials to punch his ticket to the Olympic Games in Paris. Kenneth talks about his faith, collegiate success, and perspective ahead of the Olympic Games.

Dr. Iain Hunter is not only a sports scientist and biomechanics professor at BYU, he is also a steeplechase biomechanist for USA Track and Field. He works with distance runners, focusing heavily on the "Super Shoe". He isn’t just a scientist, but a runner in his own right. In 2023 he was #1 in the world in his age group for the marathon and has a personal best time of 2 hours and 20 minutes. Dr. Hunter talks about the science of running, super shoes, and what makes the athletes from BYU headed to the Games unique.

Professional Marathoner Rory Linkletter is set to compete for Team Canada in the men’s Olympic marathon. The Calgary, Alberta native began his collegiate career as a walk-on for the BYU cross-country team. In his time as a Cougar, Rory moved his way to the front of the pack where he placed second overall in the 10,000-meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships his sophomore season. After graduation, Rory signed a professional contract and currently races for PUMA. This past February, he competed at Spain's Seville Marathon where he crossed the finish line in 2:08.01, qualifying him for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. That performance also made him the second-fastest Canadian Marathoner ever. The conversation covers why Rory chose BYU, what he learned in the BYU Track and Field/Cross Country program, and how his family has influenced his professional running career.

Whittni Morgan is a resilient runner. The Panguitch, Utah native has battled many injuries in her collegiate and professional career. But, the former 2021 NCAA Cross Country champion bounced back from an injury and surgery last fall to place 5th at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 5k. Due to shake-ups in the competition field, Whittni was selected to the Team USA roster and will compete in Paris. The conversation covers how Whittni got into running, how she’s overcome injuries, and what she thinks about as she approaches the start of the Olympic Games.

The Olympian who builds Olympians. Ed Eyestone has arguably one of the best resumes in American distance running. When he competed for BYU, Ed was a three-time NCAA Individual champion in the 10k, 5k, and Cross Country achieving the elusive ‘Triple Crown’. During his professional career, he competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Marathons and was a 5 time U.S. Road Racer of the Year. He eventually became BYU’s Director of Track and Field and Head Men’s Cross Country coach in 2013. He also coaches BYU alums Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, and Kenneth Rooks, who each will be competing in the 2024 Paris Games. The conversation covers what Ed experienced as an Olympian, what makes his athletes unique, and what he hopes they will accomplish in Paris.

Courtney Wayment was set on becoming a soccer star in high school. But that all changed after becoming a Nike Cross Nationals All-American and being nominated for Utah’s Gatorade Player of the Year for Cross Country. Wayment fully committed to running and signed on to do it for BYU. In her final season as a Cougar, Courtney took the NCAA indoor 5000m title and the Outdoor 3000m steeplechase title. In the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, she took fourth in the steeplechase barely missing the Olympic Team. In comeback fashion, she placed second in the 2024 Trials and will compete for Team USA in her first Olympic Games. The conversation covers her early running career, what he learned in the BYU Track and Field/Cross Country program, and the mental side of the sport.

2024 has been James Corrigan's year. The BYU runner was the Big 12 champion in the 3000-meter steeplechase, a seven-and-a-half lap race around the track involving barriers and a water pit. Then, after finishing ninth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, he competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials just two weeks later and surprised the world by finishing third. Normally the top three go to Paris, but James was out of contention due to a low world ranking and a slow overall race times. Through a series of events that took place days later, James raced once more in an eleventh-hour bid at the Penn Relays Summer Showcase where he beat the Olympic Standard running a school record of 8:13.87, guaranteeing him a spot to Paris The conversation covers his unusual path to the Games, what he focuses on in training, and how he will approach the starting line in Paris.

Listen to Cougar Gold starting July 24th, 2024!