Track and field breezes through San Diego meet

The track and field team had an easy weekend at the UC San Diego Triton Invitational, even as both the men and women’s teams held back many of their top competitors in preparation for its upcoming meet this week against USC.

“We have to back up our team,” men’s coach Art Venegas said. “We cannot take a chance at injuring some people right before ‘SC; they need to be really fresh and ready to go.”

However, with favorable wind conditions in La Jolla, the men’s team still sent its top vaulters and some throwers. The Bruins swept the pole vault competition with senior Bobby Talley leading the way, followed by redshirt senior Dustin DeLeo and redshirt sophomore Greg Woepse.

Talley and DeLeo both cleared 17-00.75, and Woepse vaulted 16-6.75.

“The vaulters were solid. They jumped pretty well,” Venegas said. “I thought there were great performances leading up to the ‘SC (meet).”

There were also two lifetime bests coming from UCLA. Junior Andreas Drbal took third in the javelin with a 198-10 throw, while redshirt freshman Mark Weber took ninth in the shot put with a 55-1 throw.

“We had some lifetime bests, which are always nice to get,” Venegas said. “Andreas got one, and that was a positive thing, and Mark Weber, that was a really good throw for him.”

On the women’s side, senior Rhonda Watkins led the way for the Bruins. In the high jump, she nabbed the top spot with a 5-8.75 jump, which was also a regional qualifier.

Also finishing first for UCLA was sophomore Ashlea McLaughlin in the 400 meters.

With many athletes held out of competition this weekend, a normal routine before the rivalry meet, both the men’s and the women’s teams are looking for strong performances against the Trojans next week.

“I think we are in pretty good shape,” Venegas said. “I think people are confident and ready to take another step up.”

AT THE PENN RELAYS: While most of the Bruins stayed on the West Coast, two traveled east to compete in the Penn Relays, a large national meet hosting high school, college and professional athletes.

Senior Nicole Leach and freshman Ryann Krais, both Philadelphia natives, were both slated to contend in the 100m hurdles and the 400m hurdles. Leach, however, did not run in either event. Krais finished 10th in the 400m hurdles and 21st in the 100m hurdles.

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