Outdoor track team sees success at first meet
By Derrek Li
March 18, 2013 11:20 p.m.
If the first step is an indicator of things to come, then the UCLA track team just set the tone for a successful outdoor season.
The UCLA women made the trip down to San Diego over the weekend for the Sheraton Mission Valley Aztec Invitational for their first meet of the outdoor season. Coach Jeanette Bolden enjoyed the success of many athletes as they made the transition between the indoor and outdoor season look easy.
“We had some very good performances and it was a good opener for the young ladies,” Bolden said. “For some of the freshmen, it’s their first time putting on the UCLA uniform and running the outdoor season. It was good for all of us to compete and get our feet wet.”
One of the athletes Bolden mentioned was freshman long jumper Maya Brown, who competed in just two meets during the indoor season. She came out ready this weekend and jumped 19 feet, 2 inches – a personal record.
“It definitely felt good because I’ve been wanting to jump a 19 since (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation),” Brown said. “I’m looking forward to continue jumping in the long jump and to see how far I can go.”
Brown was not the only Bruin who broke a personal record this weekend, as redshirt sophomore discus thrower Jaycee Olsen, junior javelin thrower Victoria Breidenthal, sophomore sprinter Kylie Price and sophomore distance runner Jen Owen all set personal-bests.
Junior thrower Ida Storm just missed her personal record in the hammer throw, but her 65.66-meter throw was more than enough to secure a first-place finish.
“She had a good throw, a good opener,” Bolden said. “She redshirted indoor season so she’s been very much eager to compete.”
Joining Storm with a first-place victory was senior pole vaulter Allison Koressel, who was coming off a fifth-place finish in the indoor NCAA Championships last week.
Senior hurdler Turquoise Thompson also performed well to begin the outdoor season. She set a personal record in the 800-meter hurdles, finishing third for the weekend as well as running on the third place 4×400-meter hurdles relay.
“You got to remember that (the 800-meter) is not her primary event,” Bolden said. “She’s running the 800 mainly for strength work to prepare for the 400.”
Despite all the victories and personal records set in San Diego this weekend, the team does not plan to become complacent. Instead, the Bruins are looking forward to their next meet in Texas and getting ready to do even better.
“After setting my personal record this weekend, I feel that I can continue to lower it,” Price said. “The track in Texas is faster so I feel that I should be able to set another personal-best.”
