Godina leads track to Wyoming
By Tim Costner
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
This is where things get really interesting.
UCLA shotputter John Godina, a senior from Wyoming, will get a
chance to compete in front of his home state this weekend at the
Wyoming Indoor Invitational in Laramie.
Godina has anticipated this meet all year, and it looks as
though he could very well set a personal record in front of the
home crowd.
The only problem is that Wyoming’s prodigal son came down with
strep throat last weekend. Godina, however, is determined to
accomplish all that he had planned.
"We’re going to do some limited training and just see what he’s
about this weekend," said UCLA throwing coach Art Venegas. "He’s
just going to go for it. Everybody’s coming out to see him
throw."
This weekend may be similar to the Pac-10 Championships two
years ago, when Godina won the discus competition despite food
poisoning. After the meet, he was taken to the hospital for
treatment.
"The difference this year is that he’s strong and he’s
confident," Venegas said. "He loves it. He’s just going to try to
make it happen."
Other members of the men’s track team going to Laramie are
fellow shotputters Jonathan Ogden and Mark Parlin, high jumpers
Avery Anderson and Rich Pitchford and pole vaulter Scott
Slover.
* * *
Locally, UCLA will host UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State and
Cal State L.A. in a dual meet at Drake Stadium this Saturday.
Other athletes scheduled to compete are Thomas Ganda in the long
jump, Greg Johnson in the javelin, Erik Allen and Sharman Shah in
the 400 meters, Mike Terry in the 800m, and Ibrahim Hassan in the
100m and 400m relays.