JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eastern Kentucky University junior Ahmed Jaziri punched his ticket to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships over the weekend.
 
Jaziri will race for a national title in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase June 9-12 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
 
He secured a spot by finishing second in his heat at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds on Friday night at North Florida's Hodges Stadium, clocking a time of 8:42.5. The top 12 – top three finishers from all three heats, plus the next three fastest times – advanced to the national championship meet.
 
EKU has now sent a man to the NCAA Championships in the steeplechase eight of the last nine years.
 
Redshirt freshman Pedro García-Palencia just missed moving on to Eugene in the men's steeplechase. The OVC champion finished 16^th in the field of 48 with a time of 8:56.2.
 
Three other Colonels also competed in Jacksonville.
 
On Thursday, two EKU sprinters, freshman Kayla Smith and redshirt sophomore Quantasia Perry, just missed advancing to Saturday's quarterfinals. Smith finished 31^st in the women's 100 meters with a time of 11.55. Later that evening, Perry took 30^th in the 200 meters in a time of 23.62.
 
Redshirt freshman Laura Taborda competed in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase on Saturday evening, placing 45^th in a time of 10:50.7.