Bruin track begins by smashing records
Dawn Dumble sets NCAA indoor record in shot put
By Tim Costner
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Well, that was easy.
In just its first meet of the season, the UCLA track program
asserted its dominance on the national picture by qualifying five
shotputters for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
The Bruins sent two women and five men to the Louisiana State
Indoor Meet on Saturday. When the dust settled, UCLA senior Dawn
Dumble established a new NCAA indoor record in thewomen’s shot-
put.
"She’s a fifth-year senior  it’s expected that she’s going
to do that," UCLA throwing coach Art Venegas said. "She has to lead
by example."
Dumble threw for 58 feet, six inches on Saturday, topping the
previous indoor record, which was established last year, by five
inches.
UCLA junior Valeyta Althouse  who could challenge Dumble’s
record as early as this year  finished with a mark of 56-5
3/4, good enough for an automatic qualification to the NCAAs.
* * *
On the men’s side, UCLA senior John Godina did what he said he
could do, shattering his personal best in shotput by nearly two
feet.
Godina earned an easy victory in Baton Rouge with a throw of
67-4 1/4, making great strides towards repeating as the NCAA Indoor
champion.
UCLA’s Jonathan Ogden and Mark Parlin also put themselves in the
national picture with throws of 60-5 3/4 and 58-3, respectively.
Both marks earned the throwers provisional NCAA qualifications
.
On the whole, Venegas was pleased with the Bruins’ opening
performance.
"You can’t ask for a better start," Venegas said. "We’re going
to be tough this year. It’s good when you can travel well and do
well on the road."
UCLA’s Greg Hodel  who has had some trouble with a knee
injury  threw 60-10 3/4 in the 35-pound weight throw, about
seven feet below last season’s mark.
Avery Anderson’s results in the high jump were not available at
press time.
The Bruins’ next meets are in two weeks, at the Husker
Invita-tional in Lincoln and the Sunkist Invitational at the LA
Sports Arena.