Bruins in track trials

Current & Former Bruins Set To Compete At U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials

Road to 2008 Beijing Olympics begins Friday in Eugene, OR

June 25, 2008

The road to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will begin on Friday for numerous current and former Bruins as they compete at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, OR. The meet runs from June 27th to July 6th. The top three finishers in each event are eligible for the Olympic team. There will be a break in competition on July 1st and July 2nd.

Eight current members of the UCLA track and field teams will be in attendance, with 16 alumni and one incoming frosh also competing at the meet.

Current Bruins heading to Eugene are Nicole Leach (400m hurdles), Krishna Curry (800m), Renee Williams (triple jump), Ingrid Kantola (pole vault), Tori Anthony (pole vault), Greg Garza (discus), Kevin Craddock (110m hurdles) and Boldizsar Kocsor (hammer). Incoming freshman and 2008 USATF Junior National Heptathlon Champion, Ryann Krais, will compete in the 400m hurdles competition. Former Bruins competing include Hasani Roseby (100m/200m), Monique Henderson (400m), Michelle Perry (100m hurdles), Joanna Hayes (100m hurdles), Dawn Harper (100m hurdles), Sheena (Johnson) Tosta (400m hurdles), Amy Acuff (high jump), Chelsea Johnson (pole vault), Tracy O'Hara (pole vault), Suzy Powell-Roos (discus), Jessica Cosby (hammer), Cari Soong (hammer), Jon Rankin (1500m), Meb Keflezighi (10,000m), Brandon Johnson (400m hurdles) and John Godina (discus).

Leach was a member of the 2007 USA World team where she advanced to the semifinal round. She heads into the meet ranked fifth in the U.S. with a top time of 54.32. Curry had a breakout year in the 800m and competed at the NCAA Outdoor meet. She heads to Eugene with the 29th-best time (2:04.70). Williams, a 2008 outdoor All-American in the triple ranks 19th coming into the meet (44-3.25). Anthony is tied for 15th with a top vault mark of 14-2.50 (high school best). She was a 2008 NCAA Indoor All-American, but suffered from mononucleosis the latter part of the outdoor season. Kantola, the 2008 Pac-10 champion, is tied for 17th with a mark of 14-1.

Garza ranks ninth in the U.S. in the discus with a mark of 211-8 and has the Olympic "A" standard. Kocsor, who threw a big lifetime-best of 229-5 at the NCAA Outdoor meet a few weeks ago, is ranked 13th in the country. Craddock, who was injured in the opening round of the high hurdles at the NCAA meet, ranks 22nd with a top time of 13.46. He will be a meet day decision as to whether he competes or not.

Below is a list of alumni competing and their rank heading into the Olympic Trials.

* Hasani Roseby - 100m, 11.16 (18th); 200m, 23.12 (30th)
* Monique Henderson - 400m, 50.80 (4th)
* Michelle Perry - 100mH, 12.44 (1st)
* Joanna Hayes - 100mH, 12.64 (5th)
* Dawn Harper - 100mH, 12.67 (6th)
* Sheena (Johnson) Tosta - 400mH, 53.29
* Amy Acuff - HJ, 6-4.75 (3rd)
* Chelsea Johnson - PV, 15-4.25 (3rd)
* Tracy O'Hara - PV, 14-8 (11th)
* Suzy Powell-Roos - DT, 222-0 (1st)
* Jessica Cosby - HT, 226-4 (6th)
* Cari Soong - HT, 210-7 (17th)
* Jon Rankin - 1500m, 3:35.72 (4th)
* Meb Keflezighi - 10,000m, 27:41.36 (3rd)
* Brandon Johnson - 400mH, 49.02 (14th)
* John Godina - DT, 213-2 (5th)

Krais ranks 21st in the intermediate hurdles with a top time of 57.20. She will head to the World Junior Championships in Poland after the Olympic Trials.

The Trials will be televised on the USA network, as well as NBC. Below is a listing of dates, times and TV stations of the track and field coverage.

* June 28 - 12:00-1:00 am, USA
* June 29 - 8:00-9:00 pm, NBC
* June 29 - 7:00-8:00 pm, NBC
* June 30 - 11:00 pm-1:00 am, USA
* July 3 - 11:00 pm-1:00 am, USA
* July 4 - 11:00 pm-1:00 am, USA
* July 5 - 5:00-6:00 pm, NBC
* July 6 - 7:00-9:00 pm, NBC

Results will be available at the USATF website.