Thursday, 6/5/97 Women’s and men’s track teams take an early
lead TRACK: UCLA is off to a great start after day one of
championship competition
By Emmanuelle Ejercito and Donald Morrison Daily Bruin Staff
Success was the theme on Wednesday as the UCLA track and field team
won two individual national championships in Bloomington, Ind.
Seilala Sua took the national title in the discus while Mebrahtom
Keflezighi earned his first outdoor national crown in the
10,000-meter race. The women’s track team got off to a great start
at the NCAA championships, coming one step closer to an NCAA title.
After one day of competition, the Bruins have the lead with 22
points. All of UCLA’s points came in the discus. The Bruins
dominated the event, with all four UCLA team members scoring
points. The freshman Sua, who set the U.S. junior record of 208-2
at the Salinas Invitational, won her first NCAA title, beating out
teammate and American Collegiate Record holder, Suzy Powell. Sua
threw 200-6, edging Powell by nearly 2 feet. Powell finished second
with a mark of 198-7, gaining eight points for the Bruins. Nada
Kawar placed sixth in the competition with a throw of 177-3 and
Rachelle Noble finished eighth with a mark of 172-0. The men ended
the first day of competition in first place with 15 points as well
thanks to the efforts of juniors Keflezighi and Josh Johnson.
Keflezighi already won the national indoor title in the 5,000
earlier this year. Wednesday, Keflezighi captured the 10,000
outdoor title to tally 10 points for UCLA with a time of 28:51.18.
He crossed the line 10 seconds ahead of Stanford’s Brad Hauser.
Meanwhile on the field, Johnson took fourth in the javelin with his
third longest throw of the season. Johnson threw for 228-0 in the
third round. Mats Nilsson of Alabama won the event with a throw of
245-9.