For many track and field athletes, excelling at one event is challenging enough. To take on seven or 10 in one meet therefore is a very daunting task.
Starting today, four Bruins will accept this undertaking when they begin competition in the Pac-10 Multi-Event Championships in Tempe, Ariz.
The women will be competing in the seven-event heptathlon, consisting of the 100-meter hurdles, 200 meters, 800 meters, high jump, shot put, long jump, and javelin throw.
Leading the way for the Bruins will be seniors Keneisha Creary and redshirt senior Georgea Richards. Creary currently ranks sixth in the Pac-10 and Richards ranks eighth. Both will be looking to finish in scoring position for their team.
“We are hoping they can score some points and help us going into next week,” head coach Jeanette Bolden said, looking ahead to the upcoming Pac-10 Championships. “We want them to improve on their scores to get higher up in the rankings or automatically qualify.”
Creary is only in her first year of competition as a heptathlete, having previously been a jumper. Bolden is satisfied with her decision to move her to the multi-event competition.
“She exceeded my expectations, not in talent, but in mental adjustment,” Bolden said. “She took to it so quickly.”
Going into the competition, Richards stresses how important it is with so many events not to get shaken up by any single event.
“Throughout my career, with every athlete, sometimes an event doesn’t go too well, but just staying in it and staying strong and confident is important,” Richards said.
Personally, Richards is looking to automatically score for nationals and achieve a personal record.
Within the Pac-10, though, there is some very tough competition, including some of the top heptathletes in the nation and the national leader.
“It is a really good field,” Richards said. “It’s very competitive, but that’s good and you want it. It really pushes us.”
Redshirt sophomore Hillary Werth rounds out the Bruin team and will go into the competition tied for 14th place in the conference. Coming off an injury, Bolden hopes Werth will be able to have a strong weekend and improve her score.
While the women compete in the heptathlon, the men will be dueling in 10-event decathlon: 100m, 110m hurdles, 400m, 1500m, long jump, high jump, pole vault, shot put, discus throw and javelin throw.
Redshirt junior Matthew Reuter will be the lone Bruin in the men’s competition, but he will be trying to use this to his advantage.
“I’ve been training more or less by myself,” Reuter said. “I think that gives me a little bit more of an advantage, makes me a little more mentally tough.”
Art Venegas, the coach of the men’s team is confident in Reuter’s ability and is looking for a big performance from him.
“He’s gotten some really good marks in the meets lately, so we think that he’s going to get a lifetime best and break into the scoring, hopefully,” Venegas said.
Reuter comes into this weekend ranked ninth in the conference. His score, registered from the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational at UCLA last month, is missing the discus, though, since he fouled out. With a complete scoring in 10 events, he has the potential to move into the top eight to score for his team.
“Just focusing on staying confident in myself,” Reuter said. “I know I have potential to do something good for my team, and that’s what I need to do.”
The four Bruins will be leading the way for the rest of their team that will be competing next weekend in the rest of the Pac-10 Championships.
“I love UCLA. I love the track team,” Richards said. “I’ll never forget being on this team and I’m ready for everyone to shine and do their best. We deserve it.”
PAC-10 HONORS: Junior Kevin Craddock was named the Pac-10 track athlete of the week after his 13.46 lifetime best win in the 110m high hurdles against USC. His time ranks at the No. 1 non-wind-aided time in the country, and the second fastest time overall. Craddock’s time also moves him into a 10th-place tie on the all-time Pac-10 list and a second-place tie on the all-time UCLA list.