By Christina Teller
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
At one of the premiere national track and field meets, the UCLA
women’s squad had a good showing. With the team of throwers,
vaulters and distance runners travelling to the Texas Relays over
the weekend, the Bruins garnered three first place finishes
(1500-meter, shot put and 4 x 800m relay).
“It’s a big meet that people mark on calendars to go
and get some good times,” distance coach Eric Peterson said.
“It’s one of those (meets) that has the feel of a
national meet with pretty high expectations. Our kids stepped up to
that level well.”
According to Peterson, the athletes who are more advanced and
compete at the elite level thrived off of the pressure while the
less developed athletes struggled more.
The middle distance squad shined, with freshman Lena Nilsson
leading the way. Nilsson took the individual win in the 1500m race
and anchored the 4 x 800m relay team’s win.
In the 1500m, Nilsson defeated solid competition in Liz Diaz,
who graduated from Texas last year. Diaz got out fast and led
Nilsson until the final 200m, when the Bruin made her move and held
off Diaz for the 4:23.17 win. Nilsson’s time is a season best
and provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA Championships.
“It was a significant victory for Lena as Liz (Diaz) is a
formidable opponent with a successful resume at NCAA Division I
level,” Peterson said.
“Lena beat her on (Diaz’s) home track. She finished
with a nice time and made a great step toward meeting automatic
qualifying standard. Everything is right on schedule for
Lena.”
Nilsson also had her hand in the Bruins’ 4 x 800m win. The
team of Junior Ysanne Williams, sophomores Tiffany Burgess and
Jessica Marr and Nilsson set a stadium and school record with their
finish in 8:33.21, with second place finisher North Carolina a full
17 seconds behind. Williams got the team to a good start with her
leg of 2:07.7 and handed off to Marr with a 15m lead.
“It was the first time competing in that event, and it
looks as though we have as strong a team in that area as any other
school,” Peterson said. “We’re going to try to
win the Penn Relays, and if we can (win the relay at both meets),
we’ve done quite a bit.”
Also competing in the distance races were junior Elaine Canchola
and sophomore Melissa McBain in the 3000m steeple chase. Canchola
finished fourth in 10:54.79 and McBain placed 11th in 11:55.98.
Senior Gina Donnelly placed 16th in the 5000m in 18:39.04.
As the meets went on, senior Christina Tolson continued to
dominate. Tolson won the shot put by almost four feet with a season
best of 56-feet-1/14 and placed second in the hammer throw at
207-11, tying her season best.
Tolson, who throwing coach Art Venegas called the performer of
the meet, is now automatically qualified for both the hammer and
shot at nationals.
“We did a good job and had an outstanding overall
performance where I thought we would be gearing up for
nationals,” Venegas said.
Sophomore Chaniqua Ross finished fourth in the discus at 53-0, a
seasonal best and automatic NCAA qualifier. Ross also competed in
the discus but did not record a distance.
Also throwing for the Bruins was freshman Lara Saye, who
finished third in the section-B discus at 160-2.
The meet was not the best for the pole vault squad, but junior
Tracy O’Hara still finished in the top ten with her eighth
place jump of 12-11 1/2, followed by junior Heather Sickler, and
senior Erica Hoernig, who tied for 11th at 11-11 3/4. Sophomore
Karen Bewley placed 11th in the section B competition at a height
of 11-5 3/4.