Chelsea Johnson leaned against a concrete wall adjacent to the
bleachers at Drake Stadium when a member of the UCLA security staff
stopped to ask what race she would be running. “I’m
actually a pole vaulter,” she said. What does it take to get
a little recognition these days? Johnson, the NCAA record holder in
the event, is amid perhaps the finest season in collegiate pole
vaulting history. The UCLA sophomore added another accolade
Saturday, outlasting 2002 U.S. Indoor Champion Mary Sauer to
capture first place at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Invitational. Sauer, one of just four American women beside Johnson
to ever eclipse the 15-foot mark, provided a stern test as both
women cleared the bar at 14 feet, 6 inches. Neither could top that
mark, but Johnson won the event because she had fewer misses
earlier in the competition “It was definitely good to get
some competition,” Johnson said. The presence of Sauer and
UCLA great Tracy O’Hara seemed to bring out the best in
Johnson, who easily cleared 14-6 on her second attempt and set her
sights on breaking the collegiate record of 15 feet for the third
time this season. She nearly did it, just tipping the bar as she
plummeted to the ground on her second attempt at 15-1. “That
was definitely my best vault of the day,” Johnson said.
“But it’s not that important for me to get that bar
right now. I would have liked to have had it, but today I was just
working more on my technique than jumping for the record.”
Next weekend at the Mt. Sac Relays, the nation’s largest
track meet, might be a different story. Johnson will be vaulting
against many of the top professionals in the country who, like
Sauer and O’Hara, have Olympic aspirations. While she’d
like to surpass the 15-foot mark again soon, Johnson is not overly
concerned with adding to her record. That will come soon enough. As
should some recognition.
COSTLY BOBBLE: A poor hand-off between
sophomore Dawn Harper and freshman McKenzie Hill likely cost the
UCLA 4×100-meter relay team first place and a regional-qualifying
time. The Bruins had opened up quite a gap on second-place Arizona
by the time Harper rounded the final turn and attempted to pass the
baton to Hill, who was anchoring the relay. The timing wasn’t
quite right as Hill fumbled and could not regain control in time,
resulting in a disqualification. After the meet UCLA women’s
coach Jeanette Bolden was satisfied with the quartet’s
performance in spite of the bobble. “They have not even
touched the baton this year,” she said. “I blame myself
for not having them work on it sooner. Just imagine what they would
have done if they worked on the baton.”
SHORT SPRINTS: Freshman Renee Williams, who
suffered a knee injury in Texas earlier this month, will miss the
next several weeks before being reevaluated by doctors “¦
Monique Henderson, a late scratch in the 200m, is uninjured, but
felt a bit fatigued after running two races, including a season
best 11.59 seconds in the 100m “¦ Alejandra Barrientos
qualified for the NCAA West Regionals in the 1500m in a personal
best 4:23.41 “¦Three Bruins, Sheena Johnson, Sani Roseby, and
Dawn Harper, qualified in the 100-meter hurdles “¦ Kamaiya
Warren snared a personal best and regional qualifying mark in the
shot put, throwing 51-6.50 “¦ Caroline Sommers notched a
personal best of 5-8 in the high jump.