Winds carry discuss throwers to new heights at Salinas meet

Thursday, May 23, 1996

Three lifetime bests achieved under favorable conditionsBy
Emmanuelle Ejercito

Daily Bruin Staff

The UCLA throwers went to Salinas on Wednesday in hopes that
Mother Nature would help them set personal bests.

She did.

With the winds blowing in their favor, three men’s discus
throwers set lifetime bests while the women also had a strong
showing.

"It was phenomenal," UCLA throwing coach Art Venegas said.

The last time the discus throwers set their personal records was
at the UC San Diego Invitational in March. There, too, the winds
helped carry the men.

David Dumble outdid his personal best by over five feet. His
previous mark of 191-10 feet was obliterated Wednesday when he
threw for 197.

Luke Sullivan set a personal record of 193-1. His former best
mark was 189-7, while Travis Haynes achieved a best throw of
187-11.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, the marks from Wednesday did not
apply to their national collegiate standing. The last meet to count
for the NCAA qualifications was last weekend’s Pacific 10
Conference Championships.

The NCAA takes the top 16 in the discus, but the only UCLA
thrower to make the cut is Dumble at 13. Had the marks from Salinas
counted, Sullivan would have skyrocketed to the top of the
provisional list, barely missing the automatic mark of 193-7.
Haynes would have also moved several places up in the national
rankings. As it stands now, both Sullivan and Haynes will have to
wait and see if any athletes above them in the rankings will
withdraw and bring the two Bruins closer to an NCAA invitation.

Meanwhile, although the women discus throwers did not set any
personal records, they did improve on their performance at the
Pac-10 championships.

Sophomore Suzy Powell, who lost the event to Washington’s Aretha
Hill on the last throw of the Pac-10 meet, found some redemption
yesterday. Powell threw for a 192-2, which is two inches better
than her throw on Sunday. Teammate Nada Kawar also had a good throw
with a 171.

But success was not limited to the discus throwers. Shot putter
Wade Tift threw for 59 feet, his second best throw of the season.
The throw was only two inches shy of his best mark.

On the women’s side, Valeyta Althouse had a solid performance as
she approaches her defense of the national title in the shot.
Althouse’s 60-11 was her first throw over 60 feet this season.

Valeyta Althouse had a solid performance as she approaches her
defense of the national title in the shot.