Monday, April 15, 1996
Sprinter Ato Boldon helps UCLA win quadrangular meetBy
Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
Saturday at Drake Stadium, sprinter Ato Boldon competed for the
UCLA men’s track team for the first time this season. And the only
thing opponents could do was enjoy the breeze he left behind.
Boldon’s presence boosted UCLA, as it won the quadrangular meet
with 107 points, followed by Houston (53), Cal State Northridge
(21) and UC Irvine (16). The Bruins also won their dual meets
119-31 against the Matadors, 118-34 against Irvine and 100-44
against Houston, improving their perfect dual-meet record to
8-0.
Any doubts as to how Boldon would perform in his first meet
after such a long layoff were quelled in 10.19 seconds as he
exploded from the blocks in the 100-meters. Houston’s Cheddric
Fields strolled in half a second later to take second in 10.66.
"Boldon brings excitement to the track," UCLA head coach Bob
Larsen said. "He’s a team man and he wanted to be here. He wanted
to do the team thing and that excites him, so we’re very
pleased."
Boldon was also explosive in the opening leg of the 400-meter
relay. Houston provided a challenge, leading until the last stretch
when Bruin anchor Gentry Bradley passed Houston’s Darius Pemberton
to give UCLA its best time this season (39.95). Houston followed
with a 40.01.
Houston also gave the Bruins a scare in the third leg of the
1,600-meter relay when Manuel Hudson overcame Bradley. But Bradley
claimed the lead again in the last 100 meters of his leg, handed
the baton off to Boldon and UCLA never looked back, finishing with
another season best at 3:09.23.
Sprinter Ibrahim Hassan also had a strong performance,
outrunning his competitors by almost three-quarters of a second in
the 200-meters. His time of 20.59 was a season-best and just barely
off of his lifetime best of 20.58.
"The two guys that really stood out were Boldon and Hassan,"
Larsen said. "They had very impressive marks for this time of year.
And it was very encouraging to have Ato come out on such a high
level."
But solid performances were not limited to the sprinters.
Setting a personal best in the 1,500-meters was Devin Elizondo.
Elizondo was all alone for most of the race, finishing in 3:52.34
 four seconds better than the next finisher.
David Dumble also broke a personal record this weekend. Dumble
broke the 200-foot barrier in the hammer throw by two inches,
besting his previous mark of 190-9.
Dumble also finished first in the discus with a throw of 183-8
as the Bruins swept the top three spots in the event.
UCLA took the top three spots in the pole vault, also. And it
looked as if Scott Slover was about to clear 18-11Ž4, the NCAA
automatic qualifying mark, as the bar teetered for what seemed like
forever before falling. Nevertheless, Slover placed first, clearing
17-101Ž2.
In the shot put, it was the same old story with the Bruin tandem
of Mark Parlin and Jonathan Ogden taking one and two, throwing
61-111Ž2 and 60-10, respectively.
"… It was very encouraging to have Ato come out on such a high
level."
Bob Larsen
UCLA Head Coach
AMY PENG/Daily Bruin
Ato Boldon broke the tape in 10.19 seconds in the
100-meters.