LOS ANGELES – The UCLA track and field team will host the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational on Saturday, April 9 at Drake Stadium. The meet will showcase some of the greats in the sport while the Bruins also welcome Florida State, Utah State and UNLV.
The meet will start with the women's hammer throw at 9 a.m. The first event on the track will be the women's 3,000m steeple at 12:05 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office for $8 for adults and $5 for youth.
The meet started in 2003, and salutes two of UCLA's greatest champions, Rafer Johnson and Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Both are Olympic gold medalists and world-record holders. Johnson won the decathlon in 1960 and set three world records in that event between 1955 and 1960. Joyner-Kersee won the Olympic heptathlon in 1988 and 1992 and the long jump in 1988, and set seven heptathlon world records in all, including her still-standing mark of 7,291, set in 1988.
The meet is known to showcase some of the top talent in the sport and this Saturday will be no different. Long time former UCLA assistants John Smith and Bobby Kersee will open up their athletes at Drake Stadium and will joined by other world-class athletes and past Bruin greats.
The list of stars includes: Allyson Felix, Ashton Eaton, Carmelita Jeter, Jeneba Tarmoh, Miki Barber, DeeDee Trotter, Tyson Gay, Tia Brooks, Brianne Theisen-Eaton, Sharon Day-Monroe, Joe Kovacs, Molly Ludlow, Octavious Freeman, Ginnie Crawford and many more.
UCLA greats Dawn Harper, Turquoise Thompson, Nicole Leach, Joy Eaton, Allison Koressel, Tatum Souza, Zibby Boyer, Brea Buchanan, Yasmin Woodruff, Kelsey Smith, Shannon Murakami, Katja Goldring, Brandon Johnson, Nicholas Thornton and Mike Woepse will also be competing at the meet.
Last weekend the Bruins dominated the Legends Invitational and the Legends Distance Carnival. The men outdistanced runner-up Cornell 185.3-124 while the women posted 173.5 points to down the 124.5 points from Kansas State. UCLA totaled 15 event victories over the course of the weekend.
UCLA enters the meet with 15 marks in the top 25 in the country. Senior Kylie Price still paces the NCAA with her leading long jump of 21-4.75. Also sporting a top-10 mark is sophomore Braheme Days in the shot put with a throw of 63-10.50 and junior Torie Owers in the women's shot put who has a throw of 54-7.50 that ranks ninth.
The Bruins will continue their busy home schedule next weekend with a highly anticipated dual meet against Texas A&M. The meet is scheduled for Saturday, April 16. Select Bruins will also compete at the Mt. SAC Relays, that will begin on Thursday, April 14.