Track’s turn to shine

By Jeff Eisenberg
DAILY BRUIN STAFF WRITER
[email protected]

  NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin

Monique Henderson will represent the United
States at the World Junior Championships in July.

When the world’s best young track and field stars convene
in Jamaica later this summer, a trio of UCLA sophomores will be in
the middle of the hubbub.

Monique Henderson, Briona Reynolds and Jeremy Silverman will
represent the United States at the World Junior Championships in
Kingston, Jamaica July 16-21. Each finished second last weekend at
the U.S. Junior Championships in Palo Alto, Calif. ““
Henderson in the 400-meter run, Reynolds in the women’s shot
put and Silverman in the men’s shot put.

After running the fastest qualifying time at the meet, Henderson
finished the 400m finals in 51.52 seconds. High school sensation
Sanya Richards won the event in a record-breaking 50.69 seconds, a
mark 0.05 seconds faster than Henderson’s time in 2000 when
she set the previous junior national record.

“I knew it was going to be a tough race, because I knew of
Monique’s (Henderson) capabilities,” said Richards, who
will be attending the University of Texas in the fall.
“I’ve been working hard for it, and I knew I could do
it if I just stayed focused and ran a good race.”

Reynolds tied a personal best in the shot put with a heave of 54
feet 2 inches. The All-American finished third in the discus as
well with a 164-11 mark.

After redshirting last season, Silverman gave the team a glimpse
of his potential with his finish in the shot put. His mark of 63
feet 5 inches was less than two inches better than fellow Bruin
Jake Knight, who finished fourth.

In all, 18 current and former Bruins competed last weekend in
either the junior or senior national championships including the
likes of former Olympic champion Gail Devers and five-time NCAA
champion John Godina.

A three-time world champion in the 100-meter hurdles, Devers won
a U.S. title in the event for the eighth time in her illustrious
career in a world-best time of 12.51 seconds.

“At 35 (years old) I’m stronger than ever,”
the UCLA alumna said in a statement. “I want to run faster
than I ever have before and learn my event even more so. Then I can
control my event, rather than have the hurdles control
me.”

Godina also had a strong meet, placing second in both the shot
put and the discus. Although he was disappointed not to win either
event, the UCLA legend was satisfied with his mark in the shot
put.

“If I have to lose, I would like it to be with a mark of
71-10,” Godina said in a statement. “It used to be that
70 or 71 feet would win with 69 feet good for second place. Now, 72
or 73 feet will win. These guys have done their job. Now it’s
my job to pass them up.”

Godina, Devers and fellow Bruin alumni Mebrahtom Keflezighi and
Shelia Burrell will represent the United States at the IAAF World
Cup Sept. 20-21 in Madrid. Keflezighi won the 10,000 meters while
Burrell was victorious in the heptathlon.