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Rafer Johnson and Jackie Joyner-Kersee embrace at Saturday’s invitational.

Everything UCLA could have hoped for was there – high-caliber competition, spectacular performances, good-quality facilities and gorgeous Los Angeles weather. The only real variable last weekend’s Rafer Johnson/ Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational needed to be considered a complete success was more people watching it. A brainchild of UCLA men’s track and field coach Art Venegas, the three-year-old meet, which was created to revive track and field’s fanbase in Southern California, drew approximately 1,500 people to Drake Stadium, a number that meet organizers hoped would be higher. Still, they are not worried. “It’s building,” Venegas said. “I had a choice to bring better teams or put the money into promoting for better crowds. Last year I put some more money into promoting and bringing a bigger crowd, but we didn’t have the competitive level of teams. Next year, I hope to spend money for better teams and a bigger crowd.” Parts of the problems are due to the timing of the meet. This year it competed both with the well-established Texas Relays and the local Arcadia Invitational, one of the premier high school meets in the country. While the RJ/JJK Invitational won’t conflict with the Texas Relays next year, it will with Arcadia. Though the Arcadia Invitational is a nighttime event, the likelihood of those fans attending the RJ/JJK Invitational seems slim. “We would like to have a bigger crowd, obviously,” meet coordinator Eric Peterson said. “We know that there’s a competitive meet over at Arcadia and so we don’t get the high school fans like we do for other home meets, and it will be a little bit light. But I think this meet has a little bit better crowd than it was a year ago.”

FILLING IN: Stepping up for an injured Yoo Kim, junior pole vaulter David Murphy had a strong showing this weekend. Murphy equaled his lifetime best with a regional-qualifying jump of 17 feet, .75 inches, placing third overall. “When you have an injury to your athlete like Yoo, having another kid come in really big is great,” Venegas said. “The next level is to be consistent in clearing the mid-17 footers. He’s talented enough to do so.” Kim, who injured his hand last week during practice and will not be able to practice for the next several weeks in that event, was able to compete in the long jump on Friday. He was the top collegiate finisher and second overall with a mark of 22 feet, 4 inches. If by chance Kim is not ready for the UCLA-USC dual meet at the end of the month, Venegas will look to Murphy again to come through with points in the pole vault and possibly in the high jump. Saturday, Murphy jumped a lifetime-best of 6-4.75 in the high jump.