Track teams off to prestigious Mt. SAC

Track teams off to prestigious Mt. SAC

Selected Bruins hoping for improved marks at ultra-competitive
invitational

By Tim Costner

and Scott Yamaguchi

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

For the UCLA track and field program, this weekend will provide
a bit of a reality check ­ an opportunity to see how everyone
fits into the big picture.

And the Bruins look like they could rise to the occasion.

Beginning today, UCLA will send 18 athletes to compete in the
Mt. SAC Invitational in Walnut, a meet that attracts some of the
top names in track and field.

"It’s the first major invitational of the year," said UCLA
throwing coach Art Venegas. "Guys who say they’re Mr. Europe or Mr.
World Championships usually start by now. Traditionally, you’ll see
Carl Lewis and Mike Marsh start now, and all of the top throwers.
In some areas our kids are overmatched, and in some areas it’s
exactly what they need."

As a senior, UCLA thrower John Godina will get a good idea of
what the competition will have in store for him after he leaves the
NCAA level. Godina will face shotputter Jim Doring, the 1992
Olympic Silver Medalist, as well as a tough field of discus
throwers.

”Those are the levels he’s trying to develop," Venegas said of
Godina. "Time will tell. The training has been good. His discus has
been particularly excellent ­ the shot’s a little rusty but
it’s still looking pretty good. It will all depend on how
competitive he is and how healthy he is."

Bruins Mark Parlin and Jonathan Ogden will join Godina in the
shotput, while UCLA’s sprinters will also have their hands full
this weekend with competition from the Santa Monica Track Club.

UCLA’s Ato Boldon will run the 100- and 200-meters, while
Ibrahim Hassan will run the 400. Both runners already have
significant experience at this level.

"I think it’s up to us to set some kind of example this weekend
by having good performances," Boldon said. "I had to learn way back
in ’92 or ’93 that I can’t go into the races looking up to these
guys anymore. In order to beat these guys, I have to know that I am
as good as they are when I step to the line."

The Bruins will also field their 4x100m relay team, which
features Bolden and Hassan in the second and third legs, and Gentry
Bradley and Thomas Ganda running either anchor or lead.

Avery Anderson will compete in the high jump, while Mebrahtom
Keflezighi will run the in the 5,000 today.

For the women, Karen Hecox and Shelley Taylor will compete in
tonight’s invitational 3,000, where they are sure to face their
best competition to date.

"All the top distance running competitors will be at this meet,
and the more competitive the field, the better the opportunity is
to run fast, particularly for Karen and Shelley," UCLA distance
coach Eric Peterson said. "This is by far the meet that we’ve been
pointing towards all season long, and we’ve come off the training a
little to give them an opportunity to run fast."

Saturday, Hecox will also compete in the 1,500, while Taylor
will double in the 800, where she will be joined by sophomore
Cicely Scott. Scott, whose specialty is the 400, has already
qualified provisionally for the NCAA championships in both events
with times of 53.20 in the 400 and 2:07.69 in the 800.

"Cicely has set a personal record every time that she’s run the
800 this year, and she’s been talking all week about running an
automatic qualification (2:05.00) at Mt. SAC," Peterson said. "If
the conditions are right, she’s in good enough shape to do
that."

Junior All-American Camille Noel, finally recovered from hip
surgery in the fall, will return to action in the 400 and will also
run a leg on the 1,600 relay. The Bruins have a 400 relay entered
as well.

On the field, the women will be led by senior thrower Dawn
Dumble, who will compete in the invitational shot put and
discus.

Dumble will be joined in the shot put by junior Valeyta Althouse
and in the discus by freshman Suzy Powell. Althouse will also
compete in the discus, but at the university open level.

Sophomore Amy Acuff is slated to compete in the invitational
high jump Saturday.