UCLA is where champions are made, and this weekend at Drake Stadium that will be epitomized.
Today through Saturday the women’s track and field team, along with the men, will host the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational.
“It’s an honor for us to hold this meet,” coach Jeanette Bolden said. “To have arguably the two best athletes of their decades, of the century, have a meet named after them is an honor.”
“It’s a big deal,” junior Nicole Leach said. “Everyone is training, and it will be high-quality competition.”
A lot of athletes, especially the sprinters and hurdlers like Leach, were held out of previous meets and their primary events by Bolden to prepare for the invitational. The team has been looking forward to the meet all year.
Last year’s 400-meter hurdles national champion, Leach will help lead the Bruins and compete in the 200m and 400m.
An athlete looking to have another solid performance will be senior Ingrid Kantola in the pole vault.
“This is my first home meet this year, and I’m looking to have fun,” Kantola said. “Hopefully we can get some fans and people we know.”
Last week at the Texas Relays, Kantola won the B section of the event and was invited to compete in the A section, where she placed fourth with a season best of 13-5.25.
Other notable entries this weekend will include Joy Eaton in the 200m and 400m, Tierra Ward in the 100m and 100m hurdles, Allie Miller in the high jump, Tori Anthony in the pole vault, Rhonda Watkins in the long jump and relay teams in the 4x100m and 4x400m.
The Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational is only the second meet hosted by UCLA this year. The team hopes the home turf will provide a small advantage over the other competitors.
“It’s more comfortable, and we train here everyday and know the winds,” Kantola said.
Besides collegiate athletes coming from all over the nation from respected collegiate programs such as Texas A&M and USC, professional athletes will compete in the open invitational. Because 2008 is an Olympic year, professionals will also be using the meet to tune up their skills.
“The school record holder, Chelsea Johnson, will be there,” Kantola said. “She’s a pro and way ahead of the game. She’s a good example for us.”
The top field of competition will allow the Bruins to see how much work has to be done the rest of the year.
“It’s kind of a stepping-stone to see where we are in the month of April and see what adjustments we need to make going into the USC meet a month from now,” Bolden said. “We have time to make adjustments.”
The team will look to make those adjustments to prepare for the rest of the big meets of the year. Bringing everyone together for this meet will help establish the goals for the season.
“We have a lot of team unity,” Leach said. “Taking care of your part and not worrying about everyone else helps us. If everyone takes care of their part we’re all OK.”