By Christina Teller
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The youth of the UCLA track and field team showed their strength
last weekend at the U.S. Junior Track and Field Championships in
Denton, Texas from June 23-24.
Two of UCLA’s young guns, freshmen Dan Ames and Cari
Soong, powered through the championship weekend, clinching two
titles. Ames fought his way to the discus title and was second
place in the shot put.
Soong was head and shoulders above the rest of the competition
as she claimed the hammer throw with her toss of 194-10, a new
national junior meet record.
“She was in position to do very well, and she did,”
throwing coach and men’s head coach Art Venegas said.
“She did it the Bruin way, in following through with her
potential.”
Soong had the competition nailed from the beginning.
“It wasn’t even close. She could have won it on
about every throw,” Venegas added.
Soong won the hammer throw by 14 feet. The second place mark was
182-06 by Katherine Johnston, of the Warwick Veteran Memorial
team.
“I’d been training with a lot of those girls last
summer, and I knew that they wouldn’t be able to pull a big
throw,” Soong said.
“Last summer I didn’t do as well at this
competition, and I told my coaches that I wanted to come back and
win. It’s been a goal of mine,” she said.
With her ability blossoming over the past year, Soong fulfilled
that goal.
“She competed just great as a true freshman,”
women’s head coach Jeanette Bolden said. “She’s a
big-time meet performer. When it comes time to perform at the
higher-level meets, Pac-10s and nationals, she comes
through.”
Ames represented the Bruin men very well as he managed not only
to win the discus with his throw of 189-8, but also to clinch
second in the shot put battle.
Ames ended with a mark of 58-8 1/2 in the shot, short of the
first place mark 59-10 1/4 set by Jeff Chakouian of the Seekonk
Warriors .
With the U.S. junior nationals out of their way, Soong and Ames
will continue onto a slew of international competitions. Soong will
compete in Canada from July 17-23, in Mexico from August 3-5, and
at the World Junior Championships from October 17-22. Ames will
also compete in the World Junior Championships.
Though not yet on the Bruin roster, incoming freshman Sheena
Johnson from Garfield High School in Dale City, Va. won the
400-meter hurdles and qualified for Olympic trials with her time of
56 minutes, 82 seconds. Johnson is regarded as the top prep female
hurdler and jumper in the nation.
She will continue her summer competition in the Olympic trials
held in Sacramento from July 14-23. Johnson will face current Bruin
Michelle Perry and former Bruin Joanna Hayes in the 400m
hurdles.
Rounding out the Bruin roster of both current and incoming
athletes were five other competitors. Current Bruin women include
freshmen Tiffany Burgess, who placed seventh in the 800m; Julie
Stevenson, who competed in the high jump; and Bridget Pearson, who
competed in the pole vault.
On the men’s side, Chuck Ryan competed in the 100m hurdles
and placed fifth with a lifetime best of 14.01, while Kyle Erickson
did not qualify for the finals in the 400m hurdles.
The incoming women recruits at the meet placed well overall at
the junior national. Jessica Cosby, the two-time L.A. City champion
in the shot put, out of Grover Cleveland High School in Reseda,
placed second in the shot put with her personal record throw of
50-3 1/2.
Lana Saye, two-time Nevada State champion in the shot put and
discus, out of Silverado High School in Henderson, Nev., placed
third in the discus also with her personal best of 166-9.
On the men’s side, Venegas has recruited what looks to be
an impressive class of athletes. In particular are sprinters Warren
Rogers, Trevor Jones and Oliver Jackson.
Rogers, of Serra High School in Gardena, is described by Venegas
as “one of the most talented sprinters in the USA.”
Rogers is the state champion in the 100m dash. Jones, of Newport
Harbor High School in Newport Beach, is the state champion in the
300m hurdles and runner-up in the 110m high hurdles. Jackson is the
state champion in the long jump and is ranked No. 5 on the U.S.
prep list.
“These guys are really front-line, and can help right
away,” Venegas said.
Sporting an impressive roster of young talent, the UCLA track
and field teams look to continue their tradition of excellence
throughout the summer.