Men’s track team sets pace for coming year

Wednesday, January 27, 1999

Men’s track team sets pace for coming year

INDOOR TRACK: First meet proves Bruins ready to run with the
best

By Moin Salahuddin

Daily Bruin Contributor

A 160-yard wooden oval, banked at the turns. A fast start is
imperative, no weather to hamper you, and the track rumbles beneath
you.

This is what the UCLA men’s track team faces during its 1999
indoor track season.

"It’s so early, you always wonder how that first meet will go,"
head coach Bob Larsen said. "We haven’t done any time trials or
races. So just to step out there and have the kinds of performances
we did was good."

During this past weekend, the Bruins dominated the San Diego
Invitational as middle distance runners Jess Strutzel and Michael
Granville, and distance phenom Mark Hauser competed.

In San Diego, Hauser won the 11-lap mile race with the fastest
time in the nation for a collegiate, in an NCAA automatic
qualifying time of 4:01.45. He defeated the likes of Olympian Jason
Pyrah and defending USATF 1,500-meter champion Jamie Harris.

"A 4:01 mile on a tiny indoor track is incredible," Larsen said.
"He ran 3:41 last year (in the 1,500 meter), which converts to a
3:59 mile."

"It was just a great win for Mark."

In the 800 meters, Olympian Johnny Gray fought a tough battle
and barely edged Bruin runner Strutzel 1:50.28 to 1:50.74,
respectively. Granville finished fourth in 1:53.61 on the indoor
track.

"Jess was right there with (Gray) but couldn’t pass him," Larsen
said. "Strutzel ran a great race."

"But Granville is in much better shape than the performance
indicates. He got pushed at the start and was next to last. The
start is so key on a narrow track like that."

Former UCLA four-time national champion Mebrahtom Keflezighi
obliterated the field in the 3,000 meter. Keflezighi, competing for
Nike, defeated a strong field to win in 8:08.92.

In another meet over the weekend, two Bruin vaulters travelled
to Reno, Nev., to participate in the Pole Vault Summit.

Steven Michels and Brian McLaughlin competed for UCLA. Michels
set a new personal record by clearing the bar at 17-2 1/2.
McLaughlin cleared 16-8 3/4.

The UCLA men’s track team will be travelling to Northern Arizona
Invitational next weekend. The UCLA women’s squad will compete that
same weekend in the Terrier Classic at Boston University.

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