Young athletes enjoy a swim while racing annual Steeplechase Showcase at BYU

PROVO — Young runners from around the valley tried their hands, legs, arms, head and swimming skills at the race that, for many, may be more like a pool party. The annual Steeple Chase Showcase was held at BYU on Thursday, and many runners swam their way back onto the track in an event that many young athletes look forward to each year.

Rachel Martinez, head coach of Wolf Pack Track Club, brought her team to the event, and she said meets like these are rare, adding that they are a great way to expose athletes to new events in a fun way.

"Every year, the kids look forward to it," Martinez told KSL. "It's always a challenge having events like these because very few tracks have steeplechase pits."

BYU not only has a dedicated steeplechase pit but also has a longstanding history of producing stand-out steeplechase athletes, earning it the nickname of "Steeplechase U." In fact, just last week, BYU's Taylor Lovell won the women's Big 12 Steeplechase title, breaking the meet record of 9:40.98. Another BYU athlete, James Corrigan, won the NCAA Outdoor Championships last year, and Kenneth Rooks and Lexy Lowry swept the 2025 U.S. steeplechase championships.

Martinez said meets like the Steeplechase Showcase are less traditional because they allow younger runners to try the race out. The meet director, John Hedengren, works hard to have events where runners can try new things.

"We have sprinters who will go do the 2,000-meter steeplechase because it's so much fun," Martinez said. "We had a 6-year-old girl do the 400-meter steeplechase. This year, there was probably four times the amount of athletes as last year."

Traditionally, USA Track and Field allows athletes ages 13 and older to compete in the steeplechase. In the youth categories, the race is 2,000 meters long and includes 18 barriers, five of which are water jumps. The water pit is a little over 2 feet deep, and runners must clear a 30- to 36-inch barrier (depending on age and gender) before landing in the water.

Martinez said that while there were "cannonballs" and a few accidental falls that resulted in no major injuries, having this event has the potential to produce some great steeplechasers.

"John does such a great job with keeping this event low-pressure so these kids can come and try it for the first time," she said. "If they need to put their hands on the steeple, great, go ahead. Whatever you need to do to get over the barrier and grow the confidence to go and do it competitively.

"We actually had our club record broken at the meet," she added, "That's what we want for kids who are ready for it."

Many of the athletes who competed at the event will race at the USA Track and Field state meet on June 25-26 at Timpanogos High School, followed by regionals and nationals in July.

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