Kansas City native chases his dreams at NCAA championship
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A Kansas City native is set to represent his hometown at the NCAA Outdoor Championships Friday.
Former Center High School student, Roman Smith, qualified at the NCAA East Regional in Jacksonville in May.
After missing his first two attempts, the high jumper punched his ticket to the national stage with a personal best 7.15 feet. Smith tied for third place in the event.
“This season has been a lot of ups and downs dealing with injuries,” Smith said. “Just being confident with myself I’ve been able to handle these things well and make it to the national level.”
Smith now attends Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The soon-to-be grad student says this is not his first time competing on the national stage.
“The year prior I made it to regionals, and I came up just short,” he explained. “I’ve been preparing for this moment all year long and I just made it happen.”
Smith says he hopes to one day compete in the Olympics.
“When I jump high enough and become consistent, the Olympics will definitely be a goal of mine,” he said.
But for now, Smith has his eyes set on the task at hand.
The NCAA Outdoor Championships will conclude June 14 in Eugene. You can watch it on ESPN.
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