Novelties abound for UCLA track and field at Pac-12s, Occidental Invitational

The Pac-12 multi-event championship this past weekend featured new faces for the UCLA track and field team.

Sophomore Zack Bornstein competed in his first complete decathlon in almost three years. Bornstein scored a lifetime best of 7,289 points, finishing fifth out of 10 competitors and setting personal records in the 100- and 400-meter dash.

“It was all about staying consistent,” Bornstein said. “I had some good marks and some bad marks, but that’s the life of a decathlete. All in all, it just felt great to be out there and compete.”

For the majority of the season, Bornstein was without training partner – and UCLA heptathlon record holder – sophomore Steele Wasik. Wasik has been nursing an injury for several weeks, competing sparsely throughout the outdoor season.

Being the only men’s decathlete on the team, Bornstein said he found it difficult to train alone throughout the season.

“It’s tough,” Bornstein said. “We’ve been able to push each other in events that we’re each better than the other in. We complement each other very well, so not having (Wasik) has been difficult. But I’ve done that in the past and done pretty well … (You’ve) just got to have a different mindset and be productive in practice.”

Competition around the nation in other major conferences must finish before Bornstein finds out if he qualifies for the NCAA championship. However, even if the sophomore fails to qualify, his season will continue.

“I didn’t have the best competition in Pac-12s, at least in my standard, but I did make the world championship team for Canada. So if NCAAs don’t work out, I would do the Canadian nationals – which is the Canadian Olympic Trials – and then head to the U-23 World Championships in El Salvador.”

UCLA sophomore Kendall Gustafson – who was unable to complete the 800 meter due to injury – placed 11th overall in the women’s heptathlon.

Freshman standout continues to impress

Aside from the Pac-12 multi-event championship in Seattle this weekend, the UCLA distance team traveled to Eagle Rock, California to compete in the Occidental Invitational.

Distance coach Forest Braden mentioned several athletes that stood out – but one seemed to catch his eye more than the rest: freshman Carolina Johnson.

“That was a big PR for her – I mean she really just broke through,” Braden said. “She’s really fit but things haven’t quite clicked for her in races yet. She fell at the last water pit against USC (in the steeplechase), but that was probably her best race all year.”

Johnson – who made her steeplechase and UCLA track and field debut on May 1 – competed in the 1500-meter race, running it in 4:21.78 – almost eight seconds faster than her previous best. That time also qualified for second-best among 70 competitors at the Occidental Invitational.

The Swedish native was disappointed in her fall last week, as she was in contention to win first place against junior teammate Emily Scharmann. Johnson managed to overcome her fall and still place second overall in the steeplechase at the UCLA-USC dual meet.

“Last week was quite the good race, it was relaxed and we did what we were supposed to,” Johnson said. “But then I fell in the last water jump and it happened. I felt confident in everything up until then, so it was good to run this weekend. I didn’t feel tired at the finish line, so I think I need to be more aggressive.”

Johnson ran the 1500 meter in preparation for the steeplechase competition at Pac-12s this coming weekend, where she hopes to break the 10-minute barrier and win. She and Scharmann are a duo that Braden thinks can be productive in conference play.

“Carolina and Emily Scharmann are a really good one-two punch in the steeple,” Braden said. “I really think they can compete with anyone in the Pac-12. There’s a quality field out there, but really I think those are two really good steeple girls.”

New event, no problem

Possibly the biggest surprise of the weekend came from senior Austin O’Neil, who was running unattached for the weekend. After anchoring the distance medley relay that received All-American honors during the 2016 indoor season, O’Neil competed in his very first steeplechase at the Occidental Invitational.

Coaches saw O’Neil’s potential in the steeple, although he is a top-tier mile runner. The fourth-year Bruin redshirted his senior outdoor season in order to train for this new event.

And ultimately, the coaches were right.

Braden was more than impressed with O’Neil’s first performance. The senior clocked in at 8:47.60 – good for fourth place out of 29 competitors.

“If he was in jersey, he’d be 20th nationally in the NCAA, and (it) would have put him top 10 all-time on the UCLA list,” Braden said. “So I think there’s a lot of potential in him for that event, maybe even post-collegiately as a profession.”

For full Pac-12 championships results, click here.

For full Occidental Invitational results, click here.