The UCLA men’s track and field team can add three more names to their list of NCAA qualifiers after another set of brilliant performances.
Three sophomores highlighted the Northern Arizona Classic in Flagstaff on Saturday. Jonathan Clark, Taylor Hobson, and Greg Woepse all picked up provisional marks for nationals.
“The significant thing was it was a personal-best for all of them,” coach Art Venegas said. “It was really a fantastic day for Greg.”
Woepse improved his previous record in the pole vault by almost a foot, increasing it to 17-feet, 5-inches in a third place finish. Clark and Hobson both won their events in the jumps. Hobson cleared 7-0.25 in the high jump and Clark jumped 51-5.75 in the triple jump.
Two other sophomores improved their already existing qualifiers. Bo Taylor and Nick Robinson threw 61-3.50 and 59-11.25, respectively, in the shot put. Taylor placed second in the meet and moved up to seventh among the collegiate ranks. Robinson was fourth and is now ranked 13th.
“Nick Robinson got a little rhythm back,” Venegas said. “He’s coming back (from surgery) and has a chance to reach nationals if he catches on fire.”
Two athletes “really stepped up” this weekend according to Venegas. Freshman Jamal Alston came in third in the 60m with an impressive 6.90 second run. Sophomore Quentin Powell ran 48.42 in the 400m to finish second.
Senior Dustin DeLeo tied a season-best in the pole vault at 17-1. Freshman sprinter Karlton Rolle earned a second place finish in the 200m at 22.07. In the 800m, freshman Steve Norton won the event with a lifetime-best of 1:54.27.
In two weeks the Bruins will travel north to Seattle for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships.
“Mountain Pacific is an entirely different animal (than the NAU Classic),” Venegas said. “We will pursue all out for events and try to qualify as many people for nationals as we can.”
HUSKY INVITATIONAL: While most of the distance team trained through the weekend, Kyle and Drew Shackleton went to Washington to run in the 5000m.
Kyle finished 20th in his heat and ran a lifetime-best of 14:13.95. Drew was 15th in his section with a time of 14:27.35.
WOMEN IN ARIZONA: Two pole vaulters made the trip with the men to Flagstaff, Ariz. Juniors Katy Viuf and Tori Pena took the top two positions in the field.
Viuf earned a provisional qualifier by clearing 12-11.75 en route to a first place finish. Pena was right behind in second at 12-6.00.