Limited experience required for 2x World qualifying steepler Bailey Roth

When you’re looking to win a big-time event where the competition is at its stiffest, you almost need to be flawless to prosper at the end.

Colorado’s Bailey Roth didn’t quite have one of those type of performances at the USATF Junior Nationals on July 5, a meet that awards the top two finishers (provided they meet the standards) a ticket to the IAAF World Junior Championships, held this week (July 22-27) at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.

Holding about a 40-meter lead in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with three laps to go, the recent Coronado High graduate stumbled over the barrier situated near the finish line and fell to the track.

“I was actually just starting to make a lead and make a surge. Right after I hit it, I just took off. I didn’t want those guys to catch me. At that point, I just wanted to win the race and not let them catch up,” he said. “My perspective went from going for a good time to just making the standard. It happened so quickly. My only instinct was to speed up.”

While the quick surge after his mishap took some zip out of his legs during the closing laps of the race, the 18-year-old Roth still managed to win, crossing the line at 9 minutes, 3.02 seconds. He was a comfortable seven seconds under the qualifying standard.

Along with most of the other 88 U.S. competitors, Roth arrived in Eugene on last Friday night for the World Junior meet. He had a week to prepare mentally and physically for his preliminary heat of the steeplechase that takes place on Friday, June 25. If he finishes among the top runners in his heat, he will advance to the finals on the meet’s last day this Sunday, July 27.

“I know that my competition is a lot stronger than it’s ever been,” he said. “There are some strong Kenyans, probably the best in the world.”

It will be hard to match the talent of the young Kenyans, who are capable of times in the low eight-minute range. But unlike most of the foreign runners, Roth has had limited experience as a steeplechaser. It’s an event that’s not contested in most states throughout the country, including his home state of Colorado.

His recent performance at the Junior Nationals was just the seventh time that he has competed in the steeplechase and his first for the 3K distance. Last year, when he won the World qualifier, it was a 2K event.

“I’m a distance runner, but I always wanted to try the steeplechase. I didn’t always think I could be good at it. When the opportunity came, I just loved it,” said Roth, who captured the 3,200m at his state meet this past May. He has bests of 8:43.65 for the open 3K, 9:14.96 for 3,200m and 3:54.96 for 1,500m.

The gifted runner has been coached by his dad, Brian Roth, ever since he was youth winning his first national title in the Junior Olympics at the age of eight at the same facility he’s at this week.

It was Roth’s dad, a former distance runner for the University of Nebraska, who also recognized his son’s ability for the steeplechase.

“I think he just saw my overall athleticism. He’s been my coach ever since I was little,” the young Roth said. “I would train with him and he would see me jumping over mailboxes and other obstacles. He just saw I had the hand-eye coordination.”

Roth first steeplechase race came the summer of his sophomore year in Puerto Rico. Based on his performance at the New Balance Nationals (NBN) that June, where he won the Emerging Elite 3,000m in 8:48.50, he was invited to an international competition by the National Scholastic Athletic Federation. He finished the 2K race with a 6:18 clocking.

“I thought it was really slow,” he said. “I didn’t know what I was doing.”

With a high seed time, Roth was entered in the unseeded heat of the NBN last year. He was not only first in his heat, but his time of 5:49.24 won the overall title.

“I went in with the understanding that I have to run as fast as I can and do the best I can,” he said. “When I found out I won, I was jumping up and down on the infield. It was a really special moment for me.”

Roth followed that race by winning the US Trials for the World Youth Championships with a time of 5:47.42. He lowered that time again at the Worlds in Ukraine, finishing fourth in the preliminaries at 5:45.20. He was seventh overall in the finals with a time of 5:45.87.

At the NBN this past June, Roth established a national record with his winning effort of 5:41.67. He broke the existing mark of 5:43.9 (hand held) by Steve Guerrini in 1991. He also smashed the nine-year-old meet record of 5:49.11 by Cory Thorne.

The University of Arizona-bound Roth will be eyeing another record when he competes this coming week - the 3K U.S. steeplechase record of 8:51.

“If I can stay up and run a clean race without any trips or falls, I can go for a PR,” he said. “I think (the record) is definitely within my sights as I prepare for competition.”

For now, Roth is just soaking up the atmosphere in Track Town USA, once the home of the legendary Steve Prefontaine, the late distance runner who held numerous American records from 1,500m to 10K.

“It’s really an honor to be here,” he said. “We have all countries coming to us. It’s kind of special people coming to our home.”

Roth, who turns 19 on Jan. 17, hopes to accomplish three goals at the World meet.

“If I can get the high school record I would be satisfied. If I can make the finals I would be satisfied,” he said. “If I can put my foot on the line committed and dedicated, it’s going to be a good day.”