Tackler gives competition a shot, wins championship

Tackler gives competition a shot, wins championship

By Emmanuelle Ejercito

and Scott Yamaguchi

Daily Bruin Staff

The UCLA men’s track team came up with a few surprises last
weekend at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Indianapolis.

The Bruins placed first and second in the shot put. But that’s
nothing new as UCLA has been there and done that. John Godina and
Mark Parlin claimed one and two in the event last season.

What is surprising is the order in which the Bruins placed this
time around.

Parlin was the favorite going into the championship. Two weeks
ago, Parlin threw for 64-feet-114-inches, a mark that placed him
over a foot farther than his closest competitor.

But a new personal best by senior Jonathan Ogden up-ended
Parlin’s bid and gave the All-American tackle for the Bruin
football team his first NCAA indoor championship in the shot
put.

"I was coming here trying to win one, but I didn’t expect it,"
Ogden said. "I just came here to do my best and try to PR the best
I could, but I am just surprised that I won."

Said UCLA throwing coach Art Venegas: "It was just absolutely
wonderful. He wasn’t really pressed."

Regarded as one of the nation’s best offensive linemen, Ogden is
known more for the sport that he plays in the fall than his shot
putting ability. But Ogden, who threw nearly two feet beyond his
previous best, is ready to change that.

"I was trying to get that football label off of me," Ogden said.
"People are looking at me as a football player coming in here
trying to throw the shot.

"I am kind of glad that I came out here and won it so that
people will now look at me and say, ‘He is a shot putter, he won
the national indoor championship.’"

UCLA managed to do well at the championships despite the fact
that three of its four athletes who competed weren’t completely
healthy.

"I have never had a group so injured," Venegas said.

Parlin, nagged by a foot injury, took second place. Parlin’s
61-feet-934 inches bested Burger Lambrechts of Western Michigan by
one-fourth of an inch.

"(Parlin) had so much courage," Venegas said. "We weren’t sure
if he was going to compete. He didn’t have the foot to explode
with."

Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Travis Haynes, who suffered from a
hand injury, earned All-American honors with his ninth place throw
of 57-1112.

In the pole vault, sophomore Scott Slover, whose ankle injury
prevented him from practicing all week, tied for seventh, clearing
17- 412. The champion in the pole vault was Tennessee’s Lawrence
Johnson, winning the event at 18-612.

Overall, the Bruins broke into the top 10 despite only sending
four athletes to compete in the championships. With both teams
tallying 1912 points, UCLA and Louisiana State shared ninth place
while George Mason won the national team title with a total of 39
points.

* * *

In typical ho-hum fashion, senior Valeyta Althouse captured her
first indoor shot put title, leading UCLA’s contingent of women to
a seventh-place tie with Georgetown in the team competition.

Althouse, who won last year’s outdoor title and also holds the
indoor and outdoor collegiate records in the shot put, won the
competition with a throw of 57-11, well below the 59-312
record-breaker she heaved at the Los Angeles Invitational two weeks
ago.

"It wasn’t a real stellar meet for Valeyta, but she got the job
done, and that’s what matters most," Venegas said. "She got an
indoor national championship to go along with her outdoor title
from last year."

The surprise of the meet came from sophomore Nada Kawar, who
heaved the shot nearly three feet further than her previous best
and earned a third-place finish.

Kawar, whose best throw of the day went 55-34, entered the
competition with a provisional qualification and a No. 8 NCAA
ranking.

"Nada Kawar came through with a huge performance," Venegas said.
"She had thrown 52-3 in the preliminary rounds, and then came back
after the second flight had ended, and on her fourth throw she hit
the big one.

"That was a tremendous effort."

UCLA also received another strong effort from Amy Acuff, who
finished third in the high jump with a leap of 6- 34.

It marked the first time in her career that Acuff, the top-rated
high jumper in the United States, did not win the NCAA indoor
title.

Things didn’t go so well for Rachelle Noble, UCLA’s only other
athlete in competition.

Noble, who squeaked into the shot put competition with a
provisional qualification, fouled on all three of her preliminary
attempts, failing to qualify for the final.

"Rachelle had a little bit of trouble," Venegas said. "But
she’ll be back doing a good job outdoors and at the outdoor
nationals, I’m sure."

Daily Bruin file photo

Throwing nearly two feet past his previous best, Jonathan Ogden
won the NCAA Indoor shot put title.

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