UCLA Track & Field Athletes, Alumni Advance at Olympic Trials
June 28, 2012 | Track & Field
June 28, 2012
After a two day break in competition, the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials resumed on Thursday, with Amy Acuff posting the top qualifying mark in the high jump and Turquoise Thompson and Nicole Leach advancing to the semifinals in the 400m hurdles. Additionally, Dustin DeLeo placed sixth and Mike Woepse finished seventh in the pole vault final.
In women's high jump qualifying, Acuff tied for first with five other jumpers who all cleared 6-0. Acuff won a pair of NCAA outdoor titles as a Bruin in 1995 and 1996, has represented the U.S. at the last four Olympic Games.
Thompson and Leach advanced to Friday's women's 400m hurdles semifinals. Thompson, a rising senior who recently placed second for the second consecutive year on the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finished second in heat one with a time of 55.96. Leach, who won this event for the Bruins at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2007 and 2009, placed fifth in heat one with a time of 56.71. Overall, Thompson's time was fourth, and Leach's was 11th. Alumna MacKenzie Hill had an overall time of 59.42, which was 25th overall, and she did not advance.
In the men's pole vault final, both DeLeo and Woepse cleared 18-0.50. DeLeo cleared it on his first attempt, and Woepse cleared it on his second. When the bar was raised to 18-4.50 both DeLeo and Woepse missed their three attempts at the height.
Competing in the triple jump, alumnus Jonathan Clark's mark of 51-10.5 was good for 17th overall, and he did not qualify to the finals.
