After a series of injuries that nearly derailed her collegiate
track and field career, UCLA alumna Joanna Hayes was finally the
recipient of a little luck Wednesday in the women’s 100-meter
hurdles at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The favorite in the
event, Perdita Felicien of Canada, tripped over the first hurdle
and collided with Russia’s Irina Shevchenko, clearing the way
for Hayes to capture the gold in a new Olympic record time of 12.37
seconds. “I have been waiting so long for this,” Hayes
said at a press conference following the race. “The most
important thing out there is to stay fast and clean. Well, it
wasn’t clean in the end, but I was able to keep my focus
until the end.” Hayes, who won the 1999 NCAA 400m hurdles as
a senior, had previously suffered a series of injuries. As a
sophomore, she had a hyper-extended knee at the NCAA Outdoor
Championships. The following year, she strained her right hamstring
before the NCAA 100m hurdles.
BRUIN GETS HER FIRST GOLD FOR UCLA: Monique
Henderson and her relay team took home the gold medal in the
women’s 4 x 400-meter relay with a time of 3:19.01 on
Saturday. “It’s a wonderful feeling,” Henderson
said at a press conference Saturday. “Winning the biggest
competition of the world in front of a cheering crowd.”
WOMEN’S WATER POLO SECURES BRONZE: After
failing to advance in the gold medal game on Wednesday, the U.S.
women’s water polo team rebounded Friday by defeating
Australia 6-5 in the bronze medal game. Bruins Robin Beauregard,
Natalie Golda and Amber Stachowski each tallied a goal in the
victory.
AMERICAN NABS SILVER IN CONTROVERSIAL ENDING:
With less than three miles to go and a dwindling lead, Vanderlei
Lima of Brazil, who finished with bronze, was tossed into the crowd
by a costumed intruder. With the disruption, Stefano Baldini of
Italy captured gold and American Meb Keflezighi, a UCLA alumnus,
surprised all with a silver, running a personal best 2:11.29, 34
seconds behind the winner. “U.S.A. running is back,”
29-year-old Keflezighi said at a press conference Sunday.
“Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Coming in I was not a
favorite.” Keflezighi is the first American to win a medal in
the marathon in 28 years.