Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Rafer Johnson represent the best UCLA track has to offer. Between them they have eight Olympic medals including four gold, two silver and two bronze. They are, among other things, humanitarians, retired world-class athletes and Bruin alumni.
This weekend Johnson, a decathlete, and Joyner-Kersee, a heptathlete and long jumper, will return to UCLA to cheer on their alma mater for the aptly named Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational.
“You’ve got Rafer Johnson and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and they are both there in person,” coach Art Venegas said. “They are giving their all for the kids, everybody from every school, meeting people, handing out awards ““ I mean, these are legends.”
Under the umbrella of two such highly celebrated and famous athletes, the No. 3-ranked UCLA men’s track and field team has a lot to live up to. There is no sign that the Bruins, with 11 athletes ranked in the top 10 in the nation in their event groups, will not meet the challenge.
“We are looking for all areas to be outstanding,” Venegas said. “We would like to see people get back into the championship focus.”
The three-day meet kicks off today with various decathlon and heptathlon events, but the only two Bruins competing will be redshirt junior decathlete Matt Reuter and redshirt junior Boldizsar Kocsor in the hammer throw.
Even though Kocsor will be only one of two competitors wearing Bruin blue, his impact will be hard to overlook. Coming off a very successful past weekend where he threw 222 feet, 5 inches and moved into the third spot in the nation, Kocsor sees this meet as an opportunity to keep improving.
“Basically this week is just another building block towards NCAA,” Kocsor said.
Although he ultimately has his eyes set on the NCAAs, another goal looms in front of him, but one that he is not letting take over his focus.
“It’d be really nice to get the school record here at home, but just being consistent here at home is more important for me than worrying about the record,” Kocsor said.
Leading the Bruins along with Kocsor will be junior Kevin Craddock, who will open up in the 110-meter high hurdles on Friday.
In 2007 Craddock was ranked as the No. 2 high-hurdler in the country and Pac-10 champion, but he suffered an injury that forced him to sit out the NCAAs. After training through the indoor season, he is ready to get his outdoor season started.
“It’s kind of exciting to get (the 110m high hurdles) going,” Craddock said. “I haven’t run them since I won the Pac-10.”
With Craddock coming off surgery, this will be an important meet to evaluate his training and rehabilitation. Since it is also his first high hurdle race, it will serve as a starting point for the rest of the season.
“My main goal is to make this a technique run and not to push anything since this is my first race,” Craddock said. “So go out there and have fun and make this the beginning of the steps that I need to take to the national championships.”
With the meet on campus, the team has a “home track” advantage. Venegas said that knowing the track, the field event areas and being able to get out of your own bed all combine to “provide a nice opportunity” to compete.
Junior Laef Barnes is looking to use this home meet to his advantage.
“All the people there cheering for you and your teammates, they really applaud you well when you put up a good effort and there is a little more incentive to do well,” he said.
Barnes, who is coming off a lifetime best in the 1,500m, is looking to translate this success to the one mile, especially since this is his last chance to run it this season.
“My main goal is to break four minutes and win the race,” Barnes said.
The mile will be one of the last races run on Saturday, but also that day will be the men’s discus, an event not to be missed. Stacked with two Bruin All-Americans poised to do well, redshirt senior John Caulfield and redshirt senior Greg Garza, the discus promise to be an exciting event.
Regardless of the event, with Johnson, Joyner-Kersee, friends and family looking on, the entire team is looking to do well at this home meet.
“It makes it more exciting because you get to run at home,” Craddock said. “It’s kind of a family feeling. I just can’t wait to get out there and run.”