Championships should prove familiar territory

By Christina Teller

Daily Bruin Contributor

From the beginning of the season, UCLA head coach Jeanette
Bolden has focused on a period of seven days. One day at the USC
dual meet, two at the Pac-10 Championships in Eugene, Ore., and
four at the NCAA finals in Durham, NC.

With a victory against USC already under their belts, it is time
for goal number two as the women’s track and field team heads
north to vie against their conference competition and defend their
1999 title.

UCLA enters the meet with an intimidating track record in the
field and a strong running squad to back it up.

“Our strength has always been our field, not just our
throwers, but our jumpers and vaulters,” Bolden said.

“But we have to score points on the track. We cannot
defend our title unless we do that.”

With six Bruins leading the Pac-10 in their events ““ Tracy
O’Hara in the pole vault, Seilala Sua in the discus,
Christina Tollson in the shot put and hammer throw, Keyon Soley in
the long jump, Darnesha Griffith in the high jump, and Deana
Simmons in the triple jump ““ UCLA’s field contingent is
a force to be reckoned with.

“We’ll have a big first day in the field and put a
lead out there that may seem overwhelming to most of the other
teams in the conference,” said distance coach Eric Peterson.
“But USC will come hard at us in the finals for the sprint
and hurdle events.”

The Los Angeles rivalry is not contained within county lines. It
will travel with both teams to Oregon, and the conference meet may
turn into another USC-UCLA showdown.

In the USC meet, the Bruin distance runners faced the leader of
the conference in the 800 meters, Brigita Langerholc. Langerholc is
still the main competition this weekend for UCLA 800 runner Ysanne
Williams.

“The only athlete in the field that in this point in time
is the favorite is Brigita from USC. I think she’s the odds
on one to win the championship,” Peterson said.
“She’s a future Olympian for her country, and
she’s going to be very difficult for anyone to
handle.”

Entered with a time of 2:06.93, Williams is ready to face that
challenge.

“Ysanne is finding herself at just the right time, which
is great for our team and more importantly, it’s exciting for
me to see the brightness come back in her eyes,” Peterson
said. “She’s feeling more confident in her ability to
go back and do something significant at the conference. As soon as
she starts feeling good and confident, who knows how fast she can
run.”

Bolden realizes the threat that USC poses and knows that the
qualified competition does not stop there.

“From the field standpoint, the competition is in Oregon,
Stanford and Arizona. On the track, we’re up against USC,
Washington State and Arizona.”

Not only will they face off against other athletes, but the
Bruins must face off against the clock. With a handful of sprinters
still not qualified for the national meet, this weekend will be
their last chance to do it.

“I’m looking for some people to get qualified for
nationals and really turn it on at Pac-10s,” Bolden said.
“I think that our people on the track have to really do well
this weekend in order to have a good showing at
nationals.”

The Bruin 4 x 400 relay is already provisionally qualified for
nationals, and sitting in second place in the Pac-10s to USC, the
foursome will make their second appearance in the meet with legs
run by Williams, Tamar Cherebin, Michelle Perry and the new
addition of Eboni Grayson. Grayson fills Keyon Soley’s spot
allowing Soley to focus on the long jump.

As the Bruins enter the championships, beyond their athletic
talent lies a team bond that will serve as their reserve strength
through the weekend.

“I was very encouraged with the energy and camaraderie
that they showed at the “˜SC meet,” Bolden said.
“Even though our team is so large, and we go to so many
different meets, at the “˜SC meet everyone came together and
encouraged each other, and that’s what we need.”

As the Pac-10 championships draws a large and enthusiastic
crowd, the Bruins are prepared to prove their strength. Peterson,
whose hometown is Eugene, approaches the meet from a unique
perspective.

“I’m extremely enthusiastic about being in Eugene,
especially for my kids because it’s a really friendly
distance-running environment,” he said. “And
that’s not just for the home kids because they appreciate
good efforts no matter where you’re from.”

“I’m hoping that the crowd will be large, and
I’m hoping that they’ll be ready for a show,”
Peterson continued. “I’m hopeful that our team will put
one on because we have great leadership from Sua, Shakedia Jones
and Perry.”

Judging from the level of competition and caliber of talent
they’ve come up against, the Bruins are ready. They are
midway through their season goals, and with six days of vital
competition left in their season, the Pac-10 Championships are
their next stop on the 2000 track and field tour.