There’s always excitement when a team starts its season, and there’s even more when the opener is at home.
The women’s track team got off to a strong start on Saturday at the UCLA Invitational at Drake Stadium. The Bruins won seven individual events as well as two relays.
“I think some of the athletes are a little beat up, a little slow in coming around, but I felt really good about today,” coach Jeanette Bolden said.
The highlight for the team came from junior Nicole Leach. Last year’s 400m hurdles national champion placed first in the 800m with a regional qualifying time of 2:09.61.
“My track athlete (of the day) would probably be Nicole Leach; (she had) a great personal record, and it just woke everybody up,” Bolden said.
The time was a personal best for Leach, who, like many other Bruin runners, competed in an off event to work on speed and strength.
“I wasn’t intimidated by it because I know as a 400m runner you should be able to compete at least against the better quality 800m runners,” Leach said.
Another bright spot for the team was sophomore Tara Ross, who finished with a 162-foot-9-inch throw in the javelin. The new personal best by almost 10 feet was a regional qualifier.
Also qualifying for regionals was redshirt senior Renee Williams in the triple jump (41-9.75) and junior Rhonda Watkins in the long jump (20-11.75). Both finished first in their respective events.
Watkins, the defending NCAA long jump champion, made her season debut after sitting out the indoor season recovering from an injury and is determined to retain her national title.
“I’m disappointed (about my performance), but I know; I’m coming off a bad injury, so I have to take it slow,” Watkins said. “I was happy to compete, but I wanted to do better.”
The rest of the Bruins to earn first place included freshman Lindsay Rowe in the 100m hurdles (14.06), junior Chanelle Curry in the 400m hurdles (1:03.56), and senior Claire Rethmeier in the 2-mile (10:41.59). The 4x100m relay (46.16) and 4×400 (3:44.58) also posted first-place finishes. The team will hope to continue their strong performances and turn in big results next week at the CSUN Invitational, which will be a two-day event held on Friday and Saturday.
“I feel good about the determination (from today) and feel very optimistic about the rest of the season,” Bolden said.
ANTHONY QUALIFIES: Freshman Tori Anthony will represent UCLA in the Indoor NCAA Championship meet next week in Fayetteville, Ark. Anthony cleared 13-7 in the pole vault at the Last Chance Qualifier this past Saturday in Washington, placing first.
“She is just getting dialed in and getting better and better with each jump,” pole vault coach Anthony Curran said.
The mark was a new personal record and provisional qualifier, moving her into the top 15 in the nation. The previous best for the 2007 American Track and Field High School Athlete of the Year was 13-1.
“I have high expectations for Nationals and am getting back into a rhythm,” Anthony said. “I’m ready to jump for next weekend.”