RICHMOND, Ky. – Laura Taborda broke her own school record in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase as the Eastern Kentucky University track and field teams opened the outdoor season this week at the Raleigh Relays and Weems Baskin Invitational.
 
Taborda finished seventh out of 38 steeplechase competitors at the Raleigh Relays on Friday night. Her time of 10:12.53 bested her previous school record of 10:22.0 by nearly 10 seconds. It currently ranks No. 1 in the ASUN and No. 6 in the NCAA East Region.
 
The EKU distance men kicked off the Raleigh Relays with three 5K personal bests on Thursday night. Jackson Siddall – in his first-ever 5K on the track – ran 14:12.71 (No. 2 in the ASUN). Charles Kipchumba was not far behind with a 14:18.47 (No. 3 in the ASUN), followed by Nikodem Dworczak in 14:21.53 (No. 5 in the ASUN).
 
On Friday morning, Beighley Ayers kept the PB train rolling, running 17:19.08 in the women's 5K (No. 4 in the ASUN). Anouk van Gils followed that up with a personal-best time in the women's 1,500 meters, winning her heat with a time of 4:35.15.
 
Grace Kilroy closed out the meet at Raleigh with a personal best time in the women's 5,000 meters. She clocked a time of 17:01.06 in her first-ever 5K on the track (No. 3 in the ASUN).
 
Quantasia Perry highlighted the Colonels' exploits at the Weems Baskin Invitational in Columbia, South Carolina. On Saturday, Perry ran a new PB in the 100 meters, clocking a time of 11.61. She followed that up by running 23.82 in the 200 meters. Both of those times currently rank No. 2 in the ASUN.
 
Katy Chapman also delivered a big personal best at the Weems Baskin Invite, finishing second overall in the women's 1,500 meters with a time of 4:36.36.
 
On the men's side, Alex Leshan won the 800 meters in South Carolina, clocking a time of 1:53.20.
 
Ahmed Sayf Kadri also ran 9:02.75 in his collegiate steeplechase debut. That time is currently the fastest in the ASUN.
 
The Colonels return to action April 7-9 at the Duke Invitational in Durham, North Carolina.