High Anxiety

There is little doubt about the key to success for Santosh Swamidass at the U.S. Collegiate track and field meet at Sacramento State last March.

It was locked in his car, along with his cleats and uniform.

Swamidass, a freshman high jumper at UC Irvine, was early for the team bus but his gear was still in his car, along with his keys.

“I told everyone that the bus left at 10 a.m., no exceptions,” assistant track coach Ben Cesar said. “Santosh was in a panic. I asked him, ‘Don’t you have a spare key?’ He said, ‘Yes, but it doesn’t work.’ ”

An hour later, the bus was still in a campus parking lot and Swamidass was sweating it out.

“I’m ready to break the window at this point,” he said. “Then, the parking people finally showed up and popped it open.”

The team made its 1 p.m. flight, and everyone tried to calm Swamidass . . . sort of.

“Coach Cesar said, ‘It’s OK, just go do you best today,’ ” said Swamidass, who graduated from El Modena High. “Then he said, ‘But you better win.’ ”

Swamidass jumped 6 feet 9 3/4 inches, the ninth-best mark in Irvine history. He was the only Anteater to win an event in the meet, which also featured Pacific-10 heavyweights UCLA, Washington and California.

Anteater coaches talk confidently about Swamidass being able to break the school record by the time he graduates. The mark is 7-1, held by Mike Powell, the world record-holder in the long jump.

Swamidass enters the Big West finals, through Saturday at Cal State Fullerton, with the eighth-best mark in the conference at 6-9 3/4. Idaho’s Hugo Munoz has the conference’s top mark this season at 7-3.

“That’s going to be tough to beat,” Irvine assistant coach John Gamber said. “But that’s why we have the competition. This is a winnable meet for Santosh.”

For Swamidass, seven feet is the goal.

“That’s something I want,” Swamidass said. “When I see the bar that high, it can be scary. But I’ve been wanting this for a long time.”

At least one year, anyway.

Basketball, not track, was Swamidass’ first love. He only began competing in track as a high school sophomore when a basketball teammate talked him into it, pointing out all he needed to do was jump 5-6 to earn a letter. Swamidass jumped 5-10 in his first meet.

He jumped 6-9, the best in the county, during the Masters meet and finished tied for third in the state championships.

Swamidass was interested in UCLA and Irvine. Both offered the computer major he wanted and both had a track team. One was a lot less crowded.

It was a good move for Swamidass and the Anteaters. He won the high jump competition in four of Irvine’s first six meets.

His teammates joke about his constant grin and his concentration when he jumps. He closes his eyes and waits, motionless, before making his approach.

“All those high jumpers have superstitions and rituals,” distance runner Jamie Blair said. “It’s fun to watch.”

Gamber, who coaches jumps at Irvine, sees the serious side.

“He has the mental part down,” Gamber said, “He just needs to work on the physical part.”

Swamidass said it is something he learned from his coaches at El Modena and his father, Jaipaul, who played soccer while attending college in India. Jaipaul Swamidass and his wife moved to the United States 24 years ago.

“I learned to visualize before I jump,” Swamidass said. “I go through everything totally in my head. Then I just pray and ask God to help me.

“After that, when I’m jumping, I try not think of anything.”

Even his keys.

“Oh, I have several sets of spares now,” he said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Track and Field

* What: Big West Track and Field Championships

* When: Today and Saturday

* Where: Titan Track Complex, Cal State Fullerton

* Today’s field events: 10 a.m.--men’s hammer trials and finals; noon--women’s javelin trials and finals; noon--men’s long jump trials and finals; 2 p.m.--men’s pole vault trials and finals; 2:30--women’s high jump trials and finals; 3:30--women’s shotput trials and finals; 4--women’s long jump trials and finals; 5--men’s discus trials and finals

* Today’s running events: 2 p.m.--men’s 3,000 meter steeplechase finals; 2:25--women’s 1,500 trials; 2:45--men’s 1,500 trials; 3:05--women’s 110 hurdles trials; 3:35--men’s 110 hurdles trials; 4:05--women’s 400 meters trials; 4:25--men’s 400 meters trials; 4:45--women’s 100 trials; 5:05--men’s 100 trials; 5:20--women’s 800 trials; 5:40--men’s 800 trials; 6:05--women’s 400 hurdles trials; 6:25--men’s 400 hurdles trials; 6:40--women’s 200 trials; 7--men’s 200 trials; 7:20--women’s 10,000 finals; 8:05--men’s 10,000 finals

* Saturday’s field events: 10 a.m.--women’s hammer trials and finals; noon--men’s javelin trials and finals; noon--women’s triple jump trials and finals; 2 p.m.--women’s pole vault trials and finals; 2:30--men’s high jump trials and finals; 30--men’s shotput trials and finals; 3:30--women’s discus trials and finals; 3:30--men’s triple jump trials and finals

* Saturday’s running events (all finals): 1 p.m.--women’s 5,000 meters; 1:30--women’s 400 relay; 1:40--men’s 400 relay; 1:55--women’s 1,500; 2:05--men’s 1,500; 2:20--women’s 100 hurdles; 2:30--men’s 110 hurdles; 2:40--women’s 400; 2:50--men’s 400; 3--women’s 100; 3:10--men’s 100; 3:20--women’s 800; 3:30--men’s 800; 3:45--women’s 400 hurdles; 4--men’s 400 hurdles; 4:10--women’s 200; 4:20--men’s 200; 4:30--women’s 3,000; 4:50--men’s 5,000; 5:15--women’s 1,600 relay; 5:25--men’s 1,600 relay

* Admission: Free on Friday; $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors on Saturday

* Information: (714) 278-2783