Monday, 4/21/97 UCLA men, women scale great heights at Mt. SAC
Personal bests by several Bruins highlight winning weekend
By Emmanuelle Ejercito and Donald Morrison Daily Bruin Staff In
the past, the Mt. SAC Relays have produced some of the best results
by the UCLA men’s track and field team. This year was no exception,
as many personal records were set last weekend in Walnut. For the
third straight year, junior Mebrahtom Keflezighi set a personal
best in the invitational 5,000-meter run. Keflezighi was the first
collegiate runner to finish, but he had to battle off Colorado’s
Adam Goucher to do so. Keflezighi finished at 13 minutes, 33.97
seconds, barely edging Goucher, who crossed the line at 13:34.97.
However, Keflezighi was not the only one having a good day at the
track. Last Friday, sprinter Jim McElroy set two individual records
in the 100 and 200. McElroy ran a wind-aided 10.49 seconds to
finish first in the university 100. McElroy’s 20.95 in the 200
shaved his personal best from 21.72. McElroy also had a productive
Sunday, running the anchor of the 400 meter relay. The Bruin team
consisted of Randy Brooks, Brandon Thomas, Damian Allen and
McElroy. This was the first time the quartet has run together in
the last two weeks since Allen had been sidelined by an injury
suffered during spring football practice. The reunion went off
well, with UCLA winning the university 400 relay with a time of
40.73. Jess Strutzel ran under 1:50 for the first time to win the
university 800 and set a personal best of 1:49.80. In the field
events, Ed Barnett took first in the university high jump with a
leap of 7 feet, 1 inch, while Wade Tift set an individual record
with a throw of 61-11 1/2 to win the university shot put. * * * The
women’s track team turned in some fine performances at the Mt. Sac
Relays as well. "We’re doing well," head coach Jeanette Bolden
said. "I’m pleased. Amy Acuff high jumped well today and Joanna
Hayes overcame a horrible start to win." Acuff, after sitting out
the quadrangular meet last Saturday, finished in a tie for second
in the Invitational High Jump with a leap of 6-2 1/4, and Hayes won
her heat of the university/open 100-meter hurdles with a Pac-10
leading time of 13.20. The 400 relay team of Hayes, Andrea
Anderson, Darlene Malco and Tama Cherebin finished in fourth place
in the invitational 400 relay with a time of 45.11. Also victorious
was Suzy Powell in the invitational discus with a toss of 59.30
meters. She managed to edge out former Bruin Dawn Dumble, who threw
59.16. Freshman Seilala Sua finished in fourth in the same event
with a throw of 54.70.