Kholev Vaults to National Title

USC pole vaulter Denis Kholev was flying high when he cleared his previous lifetime best. He was in another stratosphere when he learned that he won.

Kholev’s mark of 18 feet 6 1/2 inches gave him a collegiate title Wednesday and his exuberant victory lap around the track at Hayward Field stirred up the crowd of 4,325 on the first day of the NCAA outdoor track and field championships.

On a day when USC’s and UCLA’s women had mixed results while jockeying for national contention, Kholev’s achievement stood out. After clearing 18-2 on his third and final try at the height, the senior cleared his winning mark on the first try to defeat Brigham Young’s Jeff Hansen, becoming the first Trojan to win the pole vault since Dave Kenworthy in 1982.

Only 10 days ago, Kholev cleared 18-4 1/2 at the Pacific 10 Conference meet to set a school record.

“I kind of knew I was capable of jumping this high,” said Kholev. “When I saw the jump of Hansen, I was surprised. I felt some pressure, this is my senior year and my last chance.

“I told myself there’s no way I can go away with second place. I made myself believe this was possible. To beat UCLA in the dual meet, win the Pac-10 and win the NCAA. This is the best senior year anyone can have.”

Kholev was so happy that as he circled the track, he did a back flip in front of the stands. USC Coach Ron Allice said the Ukraine native and Israeli citizen deserved to revel in his success.

“He’s had a lot of bumps in the road, believe me,” he said. “From him being a reason we didn’t win the [USC-UCLA] dual meet a couple of years ago and the Israeli team not taking him when he already had the standard, and he had to pay his own way back to their trials.

“We’ve had a lot of great pole vaulters in the history of USC. Olympic champions, world-record holders and everything else. He’s the school record-holder.”

In men’s team competition, after only three events, Kholev’s performance put the USC in a tie for second with 10 points behind first-place Oregon, which had 16.

Arizona and Idaho lead the women’s competition with 10 points each after two events. UCLA was tied for fifth with six points from Chaniqua Ross’ third-place finish in the discus behind Idaho’s Katja Schreiber and Colorado State’s Liz Toman. USC’s Cynthia Ademiluyi finished 10th.

“I would say I did my job,” said Ross, who threw 180-9. “I wanted second because it was at a mark that was within reach.”

The Bruin women weren’t as fortunate in the 400-meter relay, when Sheena Johnson took off early and never got the baton from Hasani Roseby, who lagged behind on the leadoff leg. Later, Johnson, a freshman, failed to qualify for the 400 hurdles final after posting a nation-leading 56.02 on May 20.

“This is only our third time running that combination,” UCLA women’s Coach Jeannette Bolden said of the relay mishap. “It’s probably more my fault than it is theirs for not having those four young ladies together on a regular basis, so I take full responsibility.”

UCLA rebounded as Lena Nilsson and Ysanne Williams finished 1-2 in the 800 semifinals. USC senior Brigita Langerholc, who finished fourth in the event in the Sydney Olympics, won her heat, but teammate Aleksandra Deren failed to qualify for the final.

Langerholc said she is motivated to win Friday after wilting in the heat and humidity of Durham, N.C., last year. Her eighth-place finish hurt the Trojans’ title chances.

USC’s Kinshasa Davis won her 200-meter heat with a time of 22.79, but Angela Williams did not reach the final.