University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Sua Wins Discus at USA Championships
June 25, 1999
EUGENE, Ore. - UCLA senior-to-be Seilala Sua won her second consecutive national championship in the discus, throwing a 203-8 Thursday at the USA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Sua, the three-time NCAA discus champion, defeated the likes of former Bruin Olympians Suzy Powell (UCLA '95-98), who placed fifth with a throw of 185-02, and Dawn Dumble (UCLA '91-95), who finished seventh with a throw of 176-10.
"I'm glad I got a good throw early," said Sua. "I think I threw (poorly) today, and the wind wasn't helping at all. I was worried if my second throw would hold up, but I'm glad I got the win."
NCAA 400m hurdle champion Joanna Hayes placed second in her preliminary heat and sixth overall with a time of 56.39 to advance to Friday's semifinals.
Senior-to-be Jess Strutzel had the top qualifying time in the 800m prelims, clocking in at 1:48.06. He will race in the semifinals Friday afternoon.
"It was really windy down the homestretch," Strutzel said. "I just wanted to relax, and I saw that I could win at the end."
Former Bruin Shelia Burrell (UCLA '91-95) finished Day One of the heptathlon in first place with 3,585 points after three events. Burrell, last year's runner-up, received 1,021 points by running a 13.70 in the 100 hurdles, and her time of 24.04 in the 200m brought in 977 points. She also picked up 830 in the high jump (5-06) and 757 in the shot put (44-1.25).
Mebrahtom Keflezighi (UCLA '95-98) placed fourth in the 10,000m final with a time of 28:29.27. Alan Culpepper won the race with a time of 28:22.46. Keflezighi will run in the 5000m final Friday night.
World record holder Kevin Young (UCLA '85-88) placed fifth in his 400m hurdle heat but managed to advance to the semifinals as the 14th of 16 qualifiers with a time of 50.33.
"I wasn't disappointed," Young said. "My regular shoes wore out, and I was running in Butch Reynolds' shoes. They're not a good shoe for a hurdler."
With a time of 47.08, UCLA's Brian Fell did not qualify in the 400m prelims.