Changes Make It a Name Event

The track and field meet formerly known as the Arcadia Invitational begins a new era Saturday with a new name and site.

The FloJo Memorial Arcadia Invitational, named in honor of the late Olympic gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner, is sponsored by www.WorkSeek.com and will be run at Citrus College in Glendora.

Field events begin at 5 p.m., running events at 6.

Doug Speck, co-director of the meet and a longtime participant in the Southland track scene, said sponsorship and the change of venue will help take the nationally recognized meet to a new level in its 33rd year.

“The Olympic sports [such as track and field] are in such financial trouble, any time adequate sponsorship appears, people are thrilled,” Speck said. “It can only get better.”

The move from Arcadia High, with a capacity of about 6,000, to Citrus, with a capacity of about 12,000 in its multilevel stadium, will allow spectators more elbow room and a much better view of the meet.

And, as usual, there are plenty of talented athletes worth watching.

The boys’ portion features, among others, Warren Rogers of Gardena Serra, the nation’s top sprinter, and Rickey Harris of Clifton Centreville (Va.), the top hurdler, who also runs the 200 and 400 meters.

The girls’ portion of the meet features hurdler Lashinda Demus of Long Beach Wilson, Track & Field News magazine’s female athlete of the year in 1999.

Victoria Chang of Honolulu Punahou, the national cross-country champion, will compete in the 3,200. Alejandra Barrientos of Felton San Lorenzo Valley, the winner of the mile race at the Nike Indoor Classic in March, is the favorite in the 1,600.

In the field events, Jill Camarena of Woodland will go against Karen Freberg of San Luis Obispo in the shotput.