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Jeff Hess reaction to Bailey Roth's national high school record in the 3000 steeplechase - DyeStat

Published by
DougB   Jul 25th 2014, 11:35pm
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South Eugene coach sees Roth beat his record

 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor


Jeff Hess walked through the gate at Hayward Field on Friday and caught the last kilometer of the 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinal, where Bailey Roth was fighting to qualify for the final.


Hess, a coach at South Eugene High School, has held the high school national record in the 3K steeplechase since 1979.


Hess ran 8:50.1 at the 1979 Prefontaine Classic.


Roth, who was seventh in his semifinal and qualifed for the final, crossed the finish line in 8:48.60. VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH ROTH


"I'm really excited," Hess said. "It's wonderful to see some progress. Obviously the reason the record stood for so long is that a lot of really good high school runners have not run in the steeple. But seeing a good runner get into the steeple is good for the event and good for the country."


Roth, from Coronado High in Colorado, has made his name in the steeplechase. He was a member of the U.S. team at last year's World Youth Championships (2K) and is making his first foray into the 3K event this month. The U.S. Junior nationals steeplechase was Roth's first at the 3K distance. Friday's race was his second.


Back in 1978-79, Hess had a handful of opportunities to compete in the event. As a junior he ran his first 3K steeplechase and made the U.S. junior national team that traveled to the Soviet Union and Germany.


The next year he got invited to run in the Prefontaine Classic and was pulled along by professionals to 8:50.1. Henry Marsh won the race that day.


"I think the winning time was about the same (as it was today)," Hess said.


Hope springs eternal that top-flight U.S. talent finds its way to the steeplechase, the way Evan Jager has the last few years.


But facilities and opportunities are not plentiful. Most high school runners never give it a try, or have a chance to.


"There's no reason that every state can't have an invitational or two where they run the steeplechase," Hess said. "I know most high school facilities can't accomodate a steeplechase, but it could be something that becomes a regualr part of the season."


Hess' dream was to coach one of his athletes to breaking the record. His latest attempt came with senior Reilly Bloomer, but he didn't have a good race at U.S. juniors when he gave it a try.


And Roth came along and took up the mantel. He won the New Balance Nationals title in June, breaking the high school record for the 2,000-meter distance.


That put Hess' record in his sights.


But Roth said he was most focused on running well enough to qualify for the finals than running sub-8:50. The record was simply a by-product of trying to advance to the final.

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