Kevin Craddock is saddled with big expectations for the rest of
his career at UCLA, which is why the freshman is being used as
cautiously as possible. The men’s track and field coaches
have kept close watch over their prized first-year hurdler, making
sure to use him in only the most ideal situations to protect him
from injury. Craddock has some slight discomfort in his hamstrings
and will only be competing in the 110-meter hurdles at this
weekend’s Pac-10 Championships. “Kevin is probably at
about 95 percent,” UCLA sprints coach Tony Veney said.
“We have been really keeping him low key with his hamstring,
but he is such a competitive kid that if I keep him away from
hurdling to protect his leg, when the gun does go off, he will
still race.” Craddock owns the Pac-10’s sixth-best 400m
hurdle time at 52.01. But his coaches will keep him on the sideline
during that race for the rest of the season in order to maximize
his performance in the 110m hurdles for the Pac-10 meet and beyond.
“If it were just two final races, he would certainly be
running,” Veney said. “He is still very young and he
has never been in this type of climate before and I want to make
sure that we put him in a position to get the most possible
success.” Craddock was highly touted coming out of James
Logan High School, but the UCLA coaching staff is content with
bringing him along slowly, hoping to reap bigger returns in the
long run. “Once he is a junior or senior, he will be running
each relay, each hurdle race, running sprints and selling
programs,” Veney said. “But right now, the transition
to college life and training is critical. Great athletes fool you
into thinking that you can do whatever you want with them, but you
have to be careful.”
JOHNSON ON THE MEND: While Craddock will be the
featured hurdler for the Bruins this weekend, junior Brandon
Johnson looks to be returning to the track in time for the Western
Regional Championships on May 26. Johnson, who suffered a hamstring
injury during last month’s Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Invitational, has progressed quickly and Veney is optimistic that
his star 400m hurdler is close to being in race shape. “He
has been having some great workouts, though he has been feeling a
little sore,” Veney said. “He has been feeling better
and better, but the key will be in the next ten days because we
will be putting him under the gun at race intensity. If he can do
that without any measurable discomfort, then we are good to
go.” Even though Johnson has been out of action, he still
ranks fifth in the nation in the 400m hurdles.