Many other Bruins fall short of making the team in Atlanta
By Christopher Isidro
Summer Bruin Senior Staff
For several Bruins, the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials
provided a taste of what is to come four weeks down the road when
the games begin. For several others, it was the last competition
they would see at Atlanta’s Olympic Stadium this year.
The eight-day event, held in the same venue where the Olympic
track and field competition will take place, gave participants a
glimpse of what they will face  heat, humidity and all. But
only the top three in each event would get the opportunity to
experience hell all over again.
John Godina, the 1995 NCAA champion in both the shotput and
discus, qualified for the Olympics on June 15. His throw of 69
feet, 6 1/4 inches was good for second place in the shotput and a
spot on the U.S. team.
"I finally got it in the groove," Godina said. "This was the
first meet I felt like I was competing and not screwing
around."
A couple days later in the discus, Godina qualified for the
squad with a second-place throw of 211-10, 4 feet better than the
third-place finisher, Adam Setcliff.
His former teammate, Dawn Dumble, was not quite so successful,
but managed to make the team on the last day of competition.
After finishing sixth in the discus and failing to qualify with
an effort that included three fouls in six attempts, the former
Bruin had her final crack at making the Olympics in the
shotput.
Dumble staked claim to an Olympic berth in her fifth throw when
she heaved the shot 58-2. It would hold up for third place, 5
inches better than just-graduated Bruin Valeyta Althouse.
This hasn’t been a career year for Althouse, the 1995 NCAA
shotput champion. She fell victim to competitors’ personal bests in
second place finishes at the Pacific 10 and NCAA championships.
Althouse, a favorite to make the U.S. team, will now have to wait
four years to fulfill her Olympic dream.
High-jumper Amy Acuff, who just completed her junior year at
UCLA, qualified for Atlanta on the first weekend of the trials.
After clearing 5-10 3/4 on her first attempt to make the finals,
Acuff was successful on her first four jumps, the last with the bar
at 6-3 1/2.
"I’m grateful to be on the team; I’m pretty excited," Acuff
said. "I’m from Texas so it’s good to get back to this
humidity."
She missed all three attempts at 6-4 3/4 and settled for third
place, and a return trip to Atlanta.
"I’m a little disappointed I didn’t jump higher, but it was out
of my control," Acuff said. "I had a few problems with my
ankle."
Bruin teammate Joanna Hayes was not so fortunate in Atlanta. The
UCLA freshman, who has the Olympic rings tattooed on her right
thigh, qualified for the quarterfinals of the 100-meter hurdles but
found herself overmatched. Her time of 13.35 seconds was only
seventh-best in her heat.
Sprinter Gentry Bradley made a run in the 200 competition that
saw him nearly reach the Sunday’s final. The former Bruin, who just
completed his senior season at UCLA, ran a 20.34 in the first round
and improved in each successive race.
In the semifinals, he posted a 20.20 Â less than one-tenth
of a second from the fourth and final qualifying position. In his
heat, current 200-meter world champion Michael Johnson ran a
wind-aided 19.70, the second best time ever in any conditions.