Hayes Has a Day to Remember as Bruins Close In on the Lead

After two days of clouds and rain at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, the skies above Bronco Stadium cleared Friday and UCLA’s Joanna Hayes took full advantage of it.

Hayes, using a strong back turn to gain the lead in the final straightaway, set personal and stadium records in winning the 400-meter hurdles in 55.16 seconds, .64 seconds ahead of Tanya Jarrett of Texas.

“This was my best race ever,” said Hayes, a senior who suffered injuries either at the NCAA or Pacific 10 meet in each of her three previous seasons. “I was more nervous for this race than any time in my life. All those finals I’ve been in and I was injured, the pressure was on today.”

The victory gave Hayes redemption and UCLA 10 more points, leaving the Bruins in second, three points behind Texas, 31-28. The Bruins also got six points from their 4x100 relay team, which ran a season-best 43.81 to finish third.

And UCLA has positioned itself well for today.

After the 400 hurdles, Hayes finished second in her heat in the 100-meter hurdles to advance to today’s finals. If she wins the 100 hurdles, she’ll be the first woman in meet history to win both hurdle events.

UCLA also has two-time defending national discus champion Seilala Sua, three pole vaulters, Shakedia Jones in the 100, and the 4x400 relay left. The only event in which UCLA did not score points Friday was the triple jump, where junior Deana Simmons jumped 42 feet 8 inches, finishing 13th. Cal State Northridge’s Brandi Prieto jumped 42- 3/4, finishing 18th.

“UCLA had a perfect day,” USC Coach Ron Allice said. “Their women were on.”

The USC women aren’t far behind. Every Trojan woman qualified in their semifinals, which means USC will have both Torri Edwards and Angela Williams in the 100.

Williams holds college’s top 100 time this year, 10.96 wind-aided, and Edwards set the school record in the 100 in her qualifying heat Friday, finishing in 11.10.

“I think I have a lot left, I’m going to go for the win,” Edwards said of today’s 100.

Edwards was also part of the women’s 4x100 relay team that finished second in 43.52, .57 behind Texas, and picked up eight points. Natasha Danvers earned five points in the 400 hurdles with a 56.03, and Brigita Langerholc finished third and picked up six points in the 800 with a time of 2:03.79, .41 behind Louisiana State’s Claudine Williams.

Allice protested the race, saying Langerholc was cut off by second-place finisher, Liz Diaz of Texas, but it was denied.

But it was not a good day for the USC men, who suffered a loss that could affect the Trojan football team as well.

Halfway into his 100 semifinal, freshman Sultan McCullough, a running back on the football team, tore his left hamstring. The injury means USC won’t have a runner in the men’s 100 final and McCullough won’t be able to run for two months. The injury won’t require surgery.

Kaaron Conwright of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, after running the fastest preliminary 100, did qualify sixth in 10.23.

The Trojans are in 15th place with nine points, 36 behind leader Stanford. UCLA still has the four points they received in the discus Wednesday from Luke Sullivan.