• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

Many other Bruins fall short of making the team in Atlanta

By Christopher Isidro

Summer Bruin Senior Staff

For several Bruins, the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials provided a taste of what is to come four weeks down the road when the games begin. For several others, it was the last competition they would see at Atlanta's Olympic Stadium this year.

The eight-day event, held in the same venue where the Olympic track and field competition will take place, gave participants a glimpse of what they will face ­ heat, humidity and all. But only the top three in each event would get the opportunity to experience hell all over again.

John Godina, the 1995 NCAA champion in both the shotput and discus, qualified for the Olympics on June 15. His throw of 69 feet, 6 1/4 inches was good for second place in the shotput and a spot on the U.S. team.

"I finally got it in the groove," Godina said. "This was the first meet I felt like I was competing and not screwing around."

A couple days later in the discus, Godina qualified for the squad with a second-place throw of 211-10, 4 feet better than the third-place finisher, Adam Setcliff.

His former teammate, Dawn Dumble, was not quite so successful, but managed to make the team on the last day of competition.

After finishing sixth in the discus and failing to qualify with an effort that included three fouls in six attempts, the former Bruin had her final crack at making the Olympics in the shotput.

Dumble staked claim to an Olympic berth in her fifth throw when she heaved the shot 58-2. It would hold up for third place, 5 inches better than just-graduated Bruin Valeyta Althouse.

This hasn't been a career year for Althouse, the 1995 NCAA shotput champion. She fell victim to competitors' personal bests in second place finishes at the Pacific 10 and NCAA championships. Althouse, a favorite to make the U.S. team, will now have to wait four years to fulfill her Olympic dream.

High-jumper Amy Acuff, who just completed her junior year at UCLA, qualified for Atlanta on the first weekend of the trials. After clearing 5-10 3/4 on her first attempt to make the finals, Acuff was successful on her first four jumps, the last with the bar at 6-3 1/2.

"I'm grateful to be on the team; I'm pretty excited," Acuff said. "I'm from Texas so it's good to get back to this humidity."

She missed all three attempts at 6-4 3/4 and settled for third place, and a return trip to Atlanta.

"I'm a little disappointed I didn't jump higher, but it was out of my control," Acuff said. "I had a few problems with my ankle."

Bruin teammate Joanna Hayes was not so fortunate in Atlanta. The UCLA freshman, who has the Olympic rings tattooed on her right thigh, qualified for the quarterfinals of the 100-meter hurdles but found herself overmatched. Her time of 13.35 seconds was only seventh-best in her heat.

Sprinter Gentry Bradley made a run in the 200 competition that saw him nearly reach the Sunday's final. The former Bruin, who just completed his senior season at UCLA, ran a 20.34 in the first round and improved in each successive race.

In the semifinals, he posted a 20.20 ­ less than one-tenth of a second from the fourth and final qualifying position. In his heat, current 200-meter world champion Michael Johnson ran a wind-aided 19.70, the second best time ever in any conditions.