The Bruin jumpers pulled off some top performances this weekend for the UCLA women’s track and field team at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational at Drake Stadium.
Helping lead the Bruins was freshman pole vaulter Tori Anthony, who jumped 13 feet, 9.75 inches to achieve the No. 1 height in the NCAA this season.
Although she did not win the event, she was the top collegiate finisher, followed by junior Katy Viuf who jumped a lifetime-best and regional-qualifying mark.
“I was really excited,” Anthony said. “It finally felt like everything was back to normal and really rolling, and everything was going well. I was very happy with my performance.”
The success in the jumps continued with junior Rhonda Watkins winning the invite portion of the long jump with a mark of 21-3.50 that leads the NCAA.
Redshirt senior Renee Williams was second behind Watkins in the long jump and placed first in the triple jump with a lifetime best of 44-3.25. This mark puts her at third on UCLA’s all-time list.
“For the triple jump, I didn’t really have many expectations,” Williams said. “So I felt really good, and I felt like I should (set a personal record).”
Also finishing well in the jumps was senior Nicole Duhart, who finished third in the triple jump and achieved a regional mark, and sophomore Danielle Watson, who jumped a lifetime best of 20-3.50 in the long jump.
Both relay teams also put in top performances. In the 4×100-meter relay, the team of juniors Nicole Leach and Krystin Lacy, freshman Lindsay Rowe and senior Jolanda Diego placed third with a season-best, regional-qualifying time of 45.53 seconds. In their race was a noncollegiate team that posted the third-fastest time in the world this year.
Likewise in the 4x400m relay, the team of juniors Lacy, Chanelle Curry, freshman Ashlea McLaughlin and Leach improved their regional qualifying time with a season-best 3:36.31.
Competing in the heptathlon was redshirt senior Georgea Richards, who finished second overall but at the top as a collegiate finisher, and senior Keneisha Creary, who finished third overall in her first heptathlon competition.
Posting additional lifetime bests for the Bruins were freshman Katie Laich in the discus and redshirt freshman Kelcie Wiemann in the 5000m.
Coach Jeanette Bolden was pleased with her team and the meet’s outcome.
“I thought it was one of our best and certainly one of our best attended; we had world-class performances, top collegiate performances,” Bolden said. “I knew we were going to start coming together as a team and recognize how good they are as a group.”
Many athletes noted how much they enjoyed the home meet and the atmosphere ““ an atmosphere complete with Olympic athletes and champions, including two-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion Maurice Greene who came out to the meet to “support it and Jackie Joyner.”
Having the namesakes ““ Rafer Johnson and Jackie Joyner-Kersee ““ present helped elevate the meet to a new level.
“They bring so much class and grace,” Bolden said. “It’s a track meet, but it’s more than that with them. There is pride to have them as Bruins.”
Johnson turned the credit back on UCLA.
“I think that any time an athlete can be the best that he or she can be is about all you can ask,” Johnson said. “I believe that’s exactly what happens here, not just in track and field, but in all the sports where the coaches and their assistants do so much to make these programs all they can be for the athletes.”