James Corrigan – Men’s Steeplechase

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.