BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Eastern Kentucky University's Ahmed Jaziri and Ahmed Sayf Kadri punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday.
 
They will both race for a national title in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase June 8-11 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
 
Jaziri and Sayf Kadri automatically qualified by finishing 1-2 in the first steeplechase heat at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds on Friday at Indiana University's Robert C. Haugh Complex. The duo broke away from the lead pack at the bell. Jaziri won the heat with a time of 8:35.81, while Sayf Kadri placed second with a personal-best 8:38.52 to punch his ticket.
 
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 at least one man to the NCAA Championships in the steeplechase nine of the last 10 years.
 
Jaziri owns the No. 1 steeplechase time in the entire country – 8:24.33. He ran that time on April 29 at Stanford's Payton Jordan Invitational. He defeated four Olympians on his way to victory in that race. It is the fastest steeplechase time by an NCAA athlete since 2015.
 
The native of Rades, Tunisia earned All-America honors last year after finishing 10^th overall in the steeplechase at the NCAA Championships in Eugene.
 
Sayf Kadri was the silver medalist in the steeplechase at the ASUN Outdoor Championships on May 13. The freshman from Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia will be making his first appearance at the NCAA Championships.
 
Madison Fleming and Quantasia Perry competed at the NCAA East Prelims on Thursday.
 
Fleming – a freshman from Atlanta - came into the meet ranked No. 43 in the women's 100-meter hurdles, but finished 30^th overall in a time of 13.60.
 
Perry – the EKU record holder in the women's 100 meters and 200 meters – placed 37^th in the 100 (11.67) and 35^th in the 200 (23.63).
 
Laura Taborda (women's steeplechase) and Jone Zabaleta Larranaga (women's 5,000 meters) will compete for the Colonels on Saturday.