Tuesday, 6/24/97 Bruins take home individual titles in NCAA
tourney M. TRACK: Team hoped for top-three finish but instead ties
for fourth
By Emmanuelle Ejercito Daily Bruin Staff At the NCAA Outdoor
Championships in Bloomington, Ind., UCLA junior Mebrahtom
Keflezighi proved why he was ranked first in the nation in both the
10,000 and the 5,000 meter. Although the UCLA men’s track and field
team did not come home with the NCAA title, Keflezighi racked up
two individual ones. Keflezighi took the 10,000 meter title on June
4, then came back on June 7 to take the 5,000 meter crown to
accomplish a feat that hasn’t been done in over 12 years – winning
both national championships in the two longest races of the meet.
"Meb was spectacular to win both the 5,000 and the 10,000, it’s an
amazing accomplishment," UCLA head coach Bob Larsen said. "I can’t
express too strongly how impressed I was to see Meb run three races
in four days against good people." In all, Keflezighi ran the oval
50 times for a total of 12 miles. After winning the 10,000,
Keflezighi had to run the qualifying heat the following day for the
5,000 as well as the final in that event. Because Keflezighi ran in
the 10,000, a fresh-legged Adam Goucher of Colorado was the
favorite to win the 5,000. However, Keflezighi showed his endurance
and won the race with a time of 13:44.17. "Adam dictated the pace
and I wanted to stick with him until the last mile and then work
it," Keflezighi said. "In the last 500 meters, he was breathing
hard and I made my move. The gap just kept getting bigger and
bigger and I knew I had him." Arkansas won their sixth straight
outdoor title with a total of 55 points. Texas followed behind with
42.5 points and USC placed third with 34 points. UCLA tied for
fourth with Wisconsin and Oklahoma, each with 31 points. "Our hopes
were top five going in, so a tie for fourth is a good showing,"
Larsen said. "There are always what-ifs." What if Scott Slover, who
going into the meet was ranked first in the nation in the pole
vault, had not strained his hamstring during workouts that hampered
his performance? "He was ready to win it all," Larsen said. What if
the Bruins scored some points in the shot put, an event which they
entered two athletes, Wade Tift and Travis Haynes? "We felt that we
would score in the shot put," Larsen said. "Wade Tift was throwing
well in workouts, but just didn’t connect." What if senior David
Dumble wasn’t competing in the discus, only throwing in his
specialty, the shot put? Well, then UCLA would have found itself
with six less points and would have missed a top-five finish.
Dumble handled the rainy conditions well and had the lead until it
stopped raining in the fifth round. His throw of 194-feet-7-inches
was far enough for third. Jason Trunks of Southern Methodist won
the event with a throw of 195-11. "David Dumble was very strong,"
Larsen said. "He went out on a nice note." Overall, the Bruins came
home content with their individual performances at the meet, only
hoping they had scored a few more points to place in the top three.
Previous Daily Bruin Story Victory just usual business for UCLA,
April 28, 1997