Talk to any athlete on the UCLA men’s track and field
team, and he will tell you why the annual crosstown dual meet is so
unique.
It’s the one meet of the collegiate season where
individual performances are swept aside and it’s the team
score that everyone remembers.
And when the two teams face one-another for the 70th time in the
history of the rivalry Saturday, the Bruins are hoping to leave
USC’s Cromwell Field in Loker Stadium with the memory of
their third consecutive dual-meet victory.
“Being at the dual meet, there’s something you feel
that you don’t feel anywhere else,” thrower John
Caulfield said.
“Even though I was unable to compete last year, I felt
it.”
The Bruins certainly felt that energy two years ago during their
last trip to USC in 2003. That day, Ben Aragon won three races,
clinching a one-point victory for UCLA with his victory in the 5000
meters, the second-to-last event of the day.
Though the Bruins had won 22 consecutive dual meets prior to
losing in 2001, the last three dual meets hosted at USC have been
decided by just a single point.
UCLA coach Art Venegas expects another thriller this year,
especially since the sixth-ranked Trojans will be looking for some
revenge after UCLA routed them last year at Drake Stadium,
111-52.
“I’m very happy with our progress this season and to
watch the Trojans develop into such a solid team,” Venegas
said.
“This weekend, there are some events full of top athletes
on both sides. Both schools have balanced teams and this is
definitely going to be a good match-up. As a fan, I am excited to
watch this meet.”
To secure a victory on Saturday, UCLA will need to counter
USC’s strength in the jumps and the short sprints.
The Trojans feature a host of talented sprinters in the 100 and
200 meters and a trio of national-caliber jumpers, including high
jumper Jesse Williams, the NCAA indoor champion in the high
jump.
To counter that advantage, UCLA will look to the track where the
Bruins are particularly deep in the 400 meters and the
middle-distances. Each team features a trio of 800-meter runners
under 1 minute, 48 seconds.
While both teams feature top athletes, the key variable will be
which team can successfully get strong times from athletes
competing in their non-specialty events.
One of those will be fifth-year senior Jon Rankin, who is
entered in three events ““ the 800, 1500 and 5000 meters.
That, of course, is the same trio of events that Aragon ran two
years ago.
“The dual meet is neat because you never know what’s
going to happen. I can’t wait for Saturday,” Rankin
said. “It’s unfortunate that track and field
isn’t popular in America because this meet epitomizes what is
so special about track and field.”
This intense devotion to the team rather than to personal
accomplishments forces athletes to push their bodies to extremes
just for points.
The multiple events some of the athletes will compete in
underscores just one reason why this annual dual meet is so
special.
“As far as I’m concerned, this meet is when the
season starts,” thrower Jake Knight said.