Women’s track ready, set to win NCAA title
The Associated Press Darnesha Griffith of UCLA did not clear this last attempt in the women's high jump, but she won the event nonetheless.
By Jeff Eisenberg and J.P. Hoornstra
Daily Bruin SENIOR STAFF
jeisenberg@media.ucla.edu
jhoornstra@media.ucla.edu
The last time the UCLA women’s track team won an outdoor national title, Florence Griffith Joyner was a senior on the squad.
Nearly 20 years later, the Bruins are poised to win another championship, and another member of the Griffith family is playing a leading role.
Flo-Jo’s niece, UCLA senior Darnesha Griffith, won the high jump competition with a mark of six feet yesterday at the NCAA Championships in Baton Rouge, La. giving the Bruins their second individual event title in as many days.
Griffith’s victory was an emotional lift for the Bruins, and lengthened the squad’s lead in the team competition. Through two full days of competition, UCLA has 25 points, nine more than fellow Pac-10 power Washington State.
“I wanted to win and help our team,” Griffith said in a statement. Griffith also won the 2002 indoor championship in the high jump earlier this season.
“That was my goal, to help our team as much as possible,” she said.
After six jumpers successfully cleared 5-10 1/2, Griffith was the only one who made it over the bar at six feet, clearing on her second attempt. The senior becomes just the fifth woman in NCAA history to win the high jump at both the outdoor and indoor finals in the same season.
The Bruins got a little assistance from Mother Nature yesterday when thunder and lightning in the early afternoon caused the start of each subsequent event to be pushed back an hour.
“When the storm comes through, it brings the temperature down some,” UCLA assistant coach Eric Peterson said. “The heat and humidity can be treacherous.”
The cooler conditions suited UCLA’s’ 4x400-meter relay team of Bunmi Ogunleye, Adia McKinnon, Sheena Johnson and Monique Henderson just fine. The quartet set a new school record in the event, running the race in 3:28.58. It was the fastest qualifying time of the day.
Henderson and Johnson each also qualified for the finals in the 400-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles respectively.
Sophomore Lena Nilsson had a successful day as well, winning her heat in the 1500-meter run with a time of 4:23.42.
“She was very nervous going in,” Peterson said. “Now she can concentrate on Saturday’s final.”
Perhaps the only bad news for the Bruins yesterday was that Ogunleye was unable to qualify for the finals in the long jump. After finishing fourth at Pac-10s and barely earning the right to compete at nationals, Ogunleye turned in a very solid performance, finishing 11th out of 22 entrants.
Senior Tracy O’Hara got the Bruins off to a strong start Wednesday evening, taking first place in the pole vault.
And with two days of competition left in Baton Rouge, the Bruins find themselves in very good position.
Nonetheless, there is still a great deal of work left to be done as South Carolina and LSU have fared very well in qualifying thus far, and defending champion USC is lurking in fourth place on the leaderboard with 11 team points.
“I think we’re going to win it,” Griffith said in a statement. “I can’t get any more than 10 points, so I did my part.”
The women face a crucial slate of events today beginning at 5:00 p.m. with the discus throw. Junior Chaniqua Ross (second), sophomore Lara Saye (fifth), and freshman Briona Reynolds (17th) are all among the top 20 nationally in the event.
The 400-meter hurdles features UCLA’s Johnson beginning at 5:30 p.m. Johnson is ranked third nationally in the event after a season-low 56.56 seconds May 4.
“So far we haven’t had very many mistakes,” Peterson said, “and we feel pretty good going into the final two days.”
Only one athlete competed yesterday for the men’s team, when sophomore Chuckie Ryan attempted to qualify for today’s 110-meter hurdles final.
Ryan did not make the cut, finishing sixth in heat three, and 18th overall, in 14.07 seconds. The sophomore was tied for 10th in the nation following his time of 13.67 seconds at the May 4 USC-UCLA dual meet, but was bothered by a hamstring injury that he aggravated at the Pac-10 Championships two weeks ago.
Two key men’s finals will be held today. UCLA senior Scott Moser is ranked fourth nationally in the discus throw, which will be held at 2:00 p.m. The pole vault final, featuring Bruin senior C.J. Bell, begins at 4:30 p.m. It will be the final collegiate competition for both athletes.
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