University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Pac-12 Championships
Triple Jump Highlights UCLA's Second Day at Pac-12s
May 13, 2018 | Track & Field
PALO ALTO, Calif. โ A highlight-reel performance in the men's and women's triple jump highlighted the second day of the Pac-12 Championships for the UCLA track & field teams, held Sunday at Stanford's Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Senior Jessie Maduka had the biggest outing by a Bruin on Sunday, ending the day as the women's triple jump champion with a winning mark of 13.59 (44-7) on her first attempt. The No. 2 triple jumper in UCLA history and No. 5 triple jumper in Pac-12 lore, Maduka's performance gave the Bruins their first individual Pac-12 championship in that event since the 2004 season.
Here is video of Jessie's winning triple jump.
— UCLA Track & Field (@UCLATrack_Field) May 13, 2018
Make sure to tune in to live coverage on @pac12 Network!#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/sBLyKrq7c8
Senior Efe Agege also had a solid showing in the triple jump, going over 12 meters with a top mark of 12.37m (40-7) on her second try to set a new PR in that event and finish fifth. Junior Lillianna Hebert finished in 17th place, coming in at 11.57m (37-11.5) on her best jump.
UCLA had a successful turn on the men's side of the triple jump as well. Sitting in fourth place after three jumps, junior CJ Alumbres moved all the way up to second on his fourth attempt with a lifetime best of 15.67m (51-5). He would finish there, giving UCLA its last podium appearance of the championships in the final hour of the competition.
Much earlier in the day, junior Justin Stafford got UCLA off to a good start with a 63.77m (209-3) mark in the men's hammer, notching a third-place finish and six points for the Bruins. His was the first podium appearance of the day for UCLA.ย
The Bruins sent another athlete to the podium this morning, as Justin Stafford took third in the men's hammer with a mark of 63.77m (209-03)#GoBruins | #Pac12TF pic.twitter.com/j7Iw59JXpo
— UCLA Track & Field (@UCLATrack_Field) May 13, 2018
In the women's discus throw, UCLA had a pair of top-10 finishers, led by Alyssa Wilson's 51.93m (170-04) launch which was good for fifth. Ashlie Blake was the ninth-place finisher at 49.43m (162-02). Despite setting a new lifetime best of 49.22m (161-6) in the men's discus, Stafford had to settle for a 12th place finish in that event.
A pair of Bruins made it to the finals of the men's 1500m run. George Gleason slightly improved on his prelim performance, shaving a second off his time and finishing in eighth at 3:46.77 on Sunday. Sophomore Tyler Janes came in 12th at 4:02.47.
Senior Pattriana Perry was the No. 9 finisher in the women's 100-meter hurdles final, finishing with a time of 14.17. She qualified for the finals with a 13.65 time on Saturday.
Joe Herrera, a senior sprinter, notched an eighth-place finish in the men's 400m dash final at 47.46 to land a point for UCLA.
In UCLA's last event of the day, the men's 5000m, senior Daniel De La Torre raced to a 12th place finish with a time of 14:25.90. Competing in the 5000m for the first time in his collegiate career, freshman Andy Ehrenberg came in 25th with a time of 14:58.20.
The Bruins ended the two-day Championships ranked sixth on the women's side and ninth on the men's side. UCLA took home two individual championships (Maduka, Simon Litzell โ men's javelin) and had seven podium finishes.
UCLA is next in action at the NCAA West Regionals on May 24-26 at Sacramento State.
Players Mentioned
