LOS ANGELES – The UCLA track and field team continued to improve in its second home meet of the outdoor season as more personal bests fell, Saturday at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational at Drake Stadium.
After an impressive showing from the distance squad at the Bob Larsen Distance Carnival last weekend, the crew continued to impress. Sophomore Arturo Sotomayor dropped nearly nine seconds off his 1,500m personal best as he clocked a 3:42.60 to win the event. Senior Austin O'Neil closed strong to place second with a near-personal-best of 3:42.86.
In the women's 1,500m, Cassandra Durgy was second overall in her first collegiate 1,500m with a time of 4:28.37. In the women's 800m, sophomore Julia Rizk clocked a season-best 2:09.10 to win the grueling two-lap event.
The running portion of the meet opened with Damion Marshall, Logen Casavant, Brett Mormon and Leon Powell running a 40.34 to win the 4x100m relay. Later on, Powell blitzed the 100m straightaway to a lifetime best of 10.36 to blow away the field.
In the 100m hurdles, junior Pattriana Perry posted a personal best 14.02 to place fifth overall. Junior MIsana Viltz ran a season-best 14.04 to win the 110m hurdles.
The Bruins closed out the running portion of the meet with the 3,000m. In her first collegiate race at the distance, freshman Sophie Baird was second with a 9:57.68. Max Davis was third in the men's 3,000m with a personal best time of 8:39.
In the field events, junior Jessie Maduka won the long jump in her first in her first crack at the event during the outdoor season with a leap of 19-8.25. Meghan Tucker followed in third with a personal-best 18-8. In the men's long jump, freshman Isaiah Holmes won with his collegiate-best leap of 24-8.25. Senior Austin Hazel was second at 24-3.75.
In the men's hammer, newcomer Justin Stafford improved in his second meet as a Bruin as he threw a lifetime-best 194-11 to place third in the hammer.
The shot put ring was one of the focal points at the meet as several Olympians competed on Saturday. The likes of Joe Kovacs, Darrell Hill, and Jon Jones competed in the Drake ring. Hill won the event with a throw of 71-10.75. UCLA sophomore Dotun Ogundeji opened his outdoor season in the shot as the top collegiate finisher with a throw of 60-1. Freshman Nate Esparza followed with a lifetime-best 59-9.75. In the women's shot put, senior Torie Owers was second with a throw of 52-11.50. Ogundeji closed out the meet with a win in the discus with a season-best 176-3.
The javelin saw UCLA senior Zaybree Haury place second with a throw of 159-0. In the men's event, freshman Simon Litzell was also the runner-up with a throw of 213-8.
In the men's high jump, senior Sage Stone took third with a leap of 7-0. Senior Cody Crampton followed in fifth at 6-11. In the men's triple jump, sophomore CJ Alumbres was the runner-up at 49-5.75.
UCLA will remain at Drake Stadium next weekend for one of the most anticipated meets of the season. The Bruins will welcome Alabama, Arizona State, Texas A&M and UTEP to Westwood on Saturday, April 15 for the Jim Bush Collegiate Invitational.