Jumping up
As the top outdoor dual meet squad in the nation, the UCLA
women’s track and field team easily defeated archrival USC
last weekend, 86-68. The NCAA Indoor Champions moved up to No. 3 in
the latest Trackwire polls, only trailing top-ranked and defending
outdoor champion Texas and sprinting powerhouse LSU.
Bound for Duke
By clearing a personal-best 6 3/4 inches in the high jump
against the Trojans, UCLA sophomore Darnesha Griffith automatically
qualified for the NCAA Championships, which will be hosted by Duke
University from May 29-June 3. Griffith’s mark also landed
her the third best jump in the nation.
Joining Griffith as NCAA automatic qualifiers are pole vaulters
Tracy O’Hara and Erica Hoernig. O’Hara holds both the
NCAA Indoor and Outdoor records for the event. NCAA Indoor long
jump champion Keyon Soley’s 21-6 1/4 effort has the sophomore
bound for Durham, N.C.
The throwing duo of Seilala Sua and Christina Tolson are
dominating the shot put, discus and hammer events. Sua is the
two-time U.S. champion in the discus and has the national lead by
nearly 20 feet with a heave of 208-5.
Tolson is atop both the shot put and hammer lists with 56-10 3/4
and 208-11, respectively.
On the bubble
Many Bruin athletes have provisionally qualified for the NCAA
Championships and are on the edge of gaining a spot in Durham.
Junior Shakedia Jones is a likely pick for the 100 and 200 meter
events. The All-American has sprinted to a 11.34 in the 100 meters
and 23.42 in the 200.
Distance runner Christina Bowen’s 9:32.67 clocking against
USC pushed her into contention in the 3,000 meters. Fellow distance
runner Jessica Matthews has also provisionally qualified for the
10,000 meters.
With her win against the Trojans in the 100-meter hurdles,
Michelle Perry’s 13.20 time ranks in the top-15 in the
country.
Along with these athletes, pole vaulter Bridget Pearson, long
jumper Bunmi Ogunleye, hammer thrower Caroline Soong and both the
400-meter and 1600-meter relay squads are on the bubble for making
the NCAAs.
Ahead of the pack
As the defending Pac-10 champions, the Bruins are looking past
this week’s competition at the Modesto Invitational and
focusing on next weeks’ championships in Eugene, Ore. The
meet, hosted by the University of Oregon, will take place May
20-21.
Notes compiled by Moin Salahuddin, Daily Bruin Staff.