TOKYO – Zouhair Talbi from Oklahoma City University will compete in the Olympic Games representing Morocco.
Talbi is set to run in the men's 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. The 10,000-meter race will be contested July 30 with 5,000-meter heats Aug. 3 and the medal race Aug. 6. All track & field competition takes place at the Olympic Stadium.
Talbi, a rising junior from Tighassaline, Khenifra, Morocco, qualified for the Olympics with the No. 7 10,000-meter time in the world this year. Talbi covered the 10,000 meters in 27 minutes, 20.61 seconds, which accounted for the No. 2 mark by a college runner in the event ever, on May 14 in the Sound Running Track Meet in Irvine, Calif. Talbi won silver in the 2015 World University Games in the 5,000 meters.
In 2020-21, Talbi collected U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association NAIA men's cross country athlete of the year, South Central Region athlete of the year, Sooner Athletic Conference runner of the week for March 22-28 and three all-American nods for the Stars.
"Zouhair is an extremely dedicated athlete," said Matt Aguero, Oklahoma City cross country and track & field coach. "It's nice to see his hard work pay off. Our coaching staff and his teammates are proud of him and can't wait to cheer him on in the Olympic Games."
In the NAIA indoor track & field championships, Talbi seized the 5,000-meter national championship with a meet-record mark (13:44.13). Talbi ran the anchor leg in the Stars' distance medley relay, which won the national title March 6 in Yankton, S.D. Talbi became the outstanding performer of the NAIA indoor championships.
In the NAIA men's cross country championships, Talbi grabbed the national title with an 8,000-meter time of 23:45.15, which set the course record April 9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Talbi took the SAC crown March 27 at Woodson Park in Oklahoma City with a meet-record time (24:21.7). Talbi won the J.K. Gold Classic with a course-record time (17:40) in the 6,000 meters Jan. 23 at 4 Mile Creek Resort in Augusta, Kan.
OCU has taken five NAIA men's cross country championships in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019.
In the 2016 Olympics, Becka Leathers of Oklahoma City was selected as a training partner for the U.S. women's wrestling team in Rio de Janeiro. Four OCU alumnae led their countries to Olympic softball medals with Tracey Mosley contributing to Team Australia's bronze medal in 2008.
