Medley runners relay promise of NCAA challenge

Monday, March 2, 1998

Medley runners relay promise of NCAA challenge

MTRACK: Keflezighi boosts Bruins past Stanford; women make
strong showing at Indoor Championships

By Alvin Cadman and Donald Morrison

Daily Bruin Contributors

The UCLA men’s track and field team can thank Stanford for its
assistance at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor
Championships Friday and Saturday in Reno, Nev.

The Cardinal’s help, UCLA head coach Bob Larsen felt, enabled
the Bruins’ distance medley relay team to automatically qualify for
the NCAA Indoor Championships in two weeks.

The relay team, consisting of Mark Hauser running the 1,200
meters, Michael Granville in the 400, Jess Strutzel in the 800 and
Mebrahtom Keflezighi in the 1,600, pulled away from Stanford toward
the end of the race to win in a field house record time of
9:41.80.

"The guys put a stamp on the meet by ending it the way they
did," Larsen said. "Everyone was talking about the medley relay
after the meet. They ran fast at an altitude (of 4,700 feet). It
helped that Stanford was there to push us."

Stanford finished second in 9:44, but the race wasn’t decided
until Keflezighi grabbed the baton with 1,600 meters left. Gabe
Jennings and Hauser battled for 1,200 meters until Jennings pulled
away from Hauser at the end of their leg. Granville then gave UCLA
the lead after his 46-second 400-meter split.

Stanford’s Michael Stember caught Strutzel during the 800-meter
leg and the two handed the batons off at the same time. Keflezighi
then raced past Jonathon Riley during the first 800 meters before
finishing the 1,600 meters with a split time of 4:03.

Since the race was held at an altitude, the NCAA will knock 4.5
seconds off the 1,600 meter split time, making the team’s official
time 9:37.30, which places them second in the nation behind
Arkansas.

"It was a spectacular race the whole way," Larsen said.
"Obviously, (the team) was really on. They wanted to qualify (for
the nationals). It was more than we expected."

Damian Allen did what more than was expected of him in the
200-meter dash. Despite soreness in his legs, Allen won the race in
21.16 seconds, only one-hundredth of a second off the automatic
qualifying time for the NCAA championships. But the time may be
good enough to get him into the championships as a provisional
qualifier.

Jim McElroy finished second in the 200 meters in 21.59. Freshman
Bryan Harrison made his collegiate track and field debut in the 200
meters and finished fifth in 21.84.

In the 55-meter dash, Allen finished fourth in 6.31 seconds and
McElroy placed sixth in 6.37 seconds. Brandon Thomas finished ninth
in 6.42 seconds.

Luke Sullivan set a personal record in the 35-pound weight
throw. Sullivan’s throw of 66 feet, 10 inches was good enough to
get him third place at the meet and an excellent chance, Larsen
feels, of making it to the nationals.

Redshirt freshman Steve Michaels also set a personal record at
the meet.

Michaels, competing in the pole vault, leaped 16 feet 9 1/4
inches to finish 10th overall. He shattered his previous best by
over four inches.

"(Michaels) looked good," Larsen explained. "He’s improving and
getting stronger."

Rich Pitchford placed second in the high jump with a leap of
6-11. Lester DeRaad finished seventh with a mark of 6-9. Travis
Haynes finished sixth in the shot put with a put of 59 feet 6 1/2
inches.

Mel Moultry leaped his way into fourth place in the triple jump
with a mark of 49 feet 2 1/2 inches. Gerimi Burleigh placed fourth
in the 55 meter hurdles in 7.62 seconds.

* * *

With the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships rapidly
approaching in two weeks, the UCLA women’s track and field team
continued their preparations for the outdoor season with the USA
Indoor Championships this weekend.

Held in Atlanta, Ga., the site of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games,
the Bruin women had three representatives entered at this highly
competitive indoor meet.

On Friday, freshman Erica Hoernig’s seasonal best mark of 11
feet 11 3/4 inches in the women’s pole vault earned her a sixth
place finish overall. This improves on her provisional qualifying
mark and is one inch off her personal best.

Sophomore Seilala Sua finished fifth in the women’s shot put on
Saturday afternoon. Her top throw of 53 feet 5 1/2 inches was two
feet off her seasonal best, which has already earned her an
automatic berth in the championships. Former Bruins Valetya
Althouse and Dawn Dumble, competing for Reebok, finished second and
fourth respectively. Althouse took runner-up on a tiebreaker.

In the 20 pound weight throw, senior Rachelle Noble placed fifth
with a throw of 59 feet 4 1/4 inches. Noble has already earned a
provisional berth. She can compete in two events at the
championship meet by earning a provisional berth in the shot put at
the Northern Arizona Last Chance Meet next weekend in Flagstaff,
Ariz.