TRACK AND FIELD / NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS : UCLA Women in Hunt; USC Reprimanded

EUGENE, Ore. — Rain, cold and a blustery wind put a damper on the first day of the NCAA track and field championships, eliciting modest performances.

UCLA’s women’s team stayed alive in its run for the national title before a crowd of 3,688 at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field, although heptathlete Tonya Sedwick lost ground with a poor showing in the high jump and discus thrower Melisa Weis failed to qualify for the finals in the discus.

Sedwick began her day with the fastest time in the 100 hurdles, 13.96. However she cleared only 5 feet 3 inches in the high jump--well off her best of 5-8. She recovered in the shot with 37-1 1/4 and the 200 with a third-best time of 25.95 seconds.

Sedwick finished the day in sixth place with 3,227 points but only 139 points off the leader. Sedwick also qualified for the final in the long jump with a jump of 20-5 3/4.

Weis, a freshman, threw three fouls in the discus qualifying and did not advance to the final. That was a blow to UCLA’s chance to win the title, however, Dawn Dumble and defending champion Tracie Millett did advance.

Defending champion Janeen Vickers qualified in the 400 hurdles with the day’s fastest time of 57.03. Bruin high jumper Lisa Coleman failed to clear a height and did not advance.

Among the UCLA men, Marty Beck advanced in the 400 hurdles, Jay Borick did not clear a height in the pole vault and javelin thrower Eric Smith advanced. Teammate David Bunevacz did not throw the javelin because of injury.

USC’s four athletes very nearly didn’t get to compete here because of an oversight by the USC staff.

The school missed the deadline to file eligibility forms for athletes who had qualified for the meet and, last Saturday, someone on the USC coaching staff failed to call to declare the school’s entries.

Only after much discussion was USC allowed to compete here. The school was reprimanded and fined $400.

Coach Jim Bush would not comment on the matter.

The Trojan sprinters did well with temperatures in the 40s. Both Quincy Watts and Travis Hannah advanced in the 400 meters. Michelle DeCoux did not advance in the 400 hurdles.