READING, Pa. – In track and field the most direct route usually yields the best results, but for Albright junior Oumar Diawara his route has been anything but direct. While his path may have been circuitous he has finished exactly where he intended, which is at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Diawara qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 200 meters after posting a time of 21.48 at the Middle Atlantic Conference Outdoor Championships. His time ranks 13^th overall in the 24-man field.

Diawara is the first Albright male to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships since Bryan Howard qualified in the javelin in 2006.

"It's been a long season and I really wasn't expecting it," said Diawara. "I was very excited for the first time in three years to qualify for the NCAA Championships. It's beyond what I thought I could do so far."

Looking back at how Diawara got to this point, he wouldn't be the only one to be surprised by his achievement.

Born in Philadelphia, Diawara was sent to Bamako, Mali to live with his grandparents at the age of five.

"My parents wanted me to experience our family's homeland and to learn the African culture," Diawara said of his time in Africa.

Diawara spoke French and Mandingo while in Bamako and when he returned to the United States he took English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classes in middle school because he had forgotten most of the English language.

While in Africa, Diawara began playing soccer and his return to the United States only increased his desire to compete in sports.

At Boys' Latin High School, Diawara competed in football, soccer and baseball. It wasn't until his senior season that he gave track and field a try.

"It was the last semester of high school and my coach asked me if I wanted to run," said Diawara. "I started out running the mile, but I didn't really like it because I was just chasing people. It wasn't as fun. But as I improved, and became more competitive, I knew I wanted to keep doing it."

After graduation Diawara enrolled at Albright in the fall of 2012 with plans to compete in both soccer and track and field.

"I started at Albright running 800 meters. The guys who were here really helped me to understand track and field," Diawara said. "My times started to decrease as I began to understand the sport. My first-ever meet was at Kutztown during the indoor season and I ran a 53.66 in the 400 meters and Coach Ebling said I didn't need to run distance anymore."

As a sophomore his career really started to take shape. He placed in the 200 meters at the MAC Indoor Championships and also ran a leg on the Lions 4x200 relay which broke the school record. During the outdoor season he was third in the 400 meters and eighth in the 100 meters at the conference championships and qualified for the ECAC Outdoor Championships in the 400 meters.

As he entered his junior season Diawara was firmly focused on reaching the NCAA Championships. Only his sights were set on the 400 meters and not the 200 meters.

"I wouldn't have believed you if you would have told me I would qualify for the NCAA's in the 200 meters at the start of the season," he said. "I would have just laughed because I barely qualified for the ECAC's last year in the 400 meters and that's my best event."

His 200-meter journey began at the Danny Curran Invitational to open the outdoor season where he finished second in a time of 22.43, which started a string of five consecutive meets where he set personal records.

He finished first in the 200 meters at the Crusader Invitational and the Messiah Invitational and then finished first in a school-record time of 21.56 at the Widener Invitational. That was the meet that really got his attention.

"I wanted to break 48.00 in the 400 meters this season, but it was a couple of weeks prior to the MAC Championships and I ran a 21.56 at Widener. And I was thinking did I really just run that time. Then I thought if I can run that time at the midway point of the season how much better can I do."

He only had to wait two weeks to find out as he finished second at the MAC Championships in the 200 meters in a school-record time of 21.48.

He followed that up by winning the 200 meters at the ECAC Outdoor Championships in a time of 21.65.

As he turns his attention to the NCAA Championships his goal remains simple and that is to improve.

"I just want to run a better time than I've posted before, and I know I can do it. I've been working really hard with Coach Ebling over the last couple of weeks and I think we can do it.

 "I just need to remain focused and not be nervous when I get to the starting line. I just have to be focused and execute the plan that we have set up. I run a really good curve, but when I come off the curve I just need to pick my knees up more and drive."

Diawara's championship experience will begin on Thursday (May 21) as he competes in the opening heat of the 200 meter preliminary races slated to begin at 5:05 p.m.

While the 200 meters doesn't allow for a tremendous amount of race strategy, Diawara does have a plan for success.

"Get out strong in the first 50 meters and from there the race will guide you. Depending on where I am in regards to position, I might have to accelerate more or just run out hard. But regardless of how the race goes, I'm always running 100 percent. I'm running against myself, so I just have to stay focused throughout the race. I'm really looking forward to competing and representing Albright College."

The top finishers in each of the three heats and the next six fastest times will advance to the finals on Saturday (May 23) at 3:55 p.m.

The championships will be held May 21-23 at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.