Thursday, April 4, 1996
Texas Relays to help m. track prepare for upcoming tourneysBy
Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
For the first time in five years and only the second time in
school history, the No. 3 UCLA men’s track team will compete at the
prestigious 69th annual Texas Relays this week at Austin.
With competition coming from all over the country, including top
international athletes, the Bruins are hoping to gain valuable
experience from this meet as they begin to prepare for the
Pacific-10 and NCAA Championship meets which are a little over a
month away.
"It’s experience with national competition," UCLA head coach Bob
Larsen said. "They’ll be meeting the same people here (as in the
NCAA Championships)."
The meet will also give the athletes a chance to deal with
factors like the weather and, with over 3,000 entrants at the
relays, long waits between throws. The weather in Austin can be hot
and humid, which will provide a challenge to the distance runners,
who are more adapted to the mild climate of Southern California.
The athletes may also be affected by rapid changes in the
temperature.
"I expect consistency and no panicking," throwing coach Art
Venegas said. "They have to keep their heads about them and do a
good job trying to figure out how to adapt to the conditions so
that they can do well. The bottom line is not about distance, it’s
about how you place."
Although the meet will provide tough competition that includes
not only collegiate athletes, but world-class athletes as well
(like current shot put world champion and former Bruin John
Godina), UCLA expects to do well in at least two events.
"In these types of meets," Larsen said, "you are not going to
overwhelm the field or anything, but you have certain spots where
your people are going to do pretty well and that’s what we’re
aiming for."
UCLA hopes to continue its dominance in the shot put with the
tandem of Jonathan Ogden and Mark Parlin. The duo finished first
and second respectively at the National Indoor Championships.
"They should be in the top four," Venegas said. "If the Olympic
guys show up, (Ogden and Parlin) shouldn’t be able to beat those
guys yet, but they should beat all the college guys."
Going into the meet as the NCAA’s second-ranked pole vaulter,
Scott Slover should also have a good showing. The top seed in the
event is Ryan Barkdull of Wichita State.
However, because of injuries the Bruins are not sure how they
will do on the track.
"We’ll have to wait and see how much of a mark we’ll make on the
track," Larsen said. "It depends on who we have available, what
kind of shape we’re in."
Hamstring problems will prevent top sprinter Ato Bolden from
competing in Texas. Bolden has yet to compete in a meet this
season.
Runners who will compete for UCLA include Avery Anderson in the
high hurdles, Ibrahim Hassan and Mike Terry (who may compete in the
medley relay). Representing the Bruins in the distances will be Dan
Niednagel in the 1,500 meters, Devin Elizondo in the steeple chase
and Mebrahtom Keflezighi in the 5,000 meters.
Although Keflezighi finished fifth last year in the 5,000 at
NCAA Championships, injuries suffered earlier in the season may
hamper his performance this week.
"We don’t expect great things from Meb right now in the 5,000,"
Larsen said. "He’s recovering from injuries and he’s just getting
back into it."
PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin
Pole vaulter Scott Slover is ranked second in the NCAA.
"I expect consistency and no panicking. They have to … figure
out how to adapt to the conditions so that they can do well."
Art Venegas
UCLA Throwing Coach