Thursday, April 15, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Athletes earn invitation to premier meet
By Mike Miller
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
The men's and women's track teams split into two squads this weekend as the teams' most accomplished athletes will compete at the Mt. SAC Relays, in Walnut, Calif., during the next four days.
The Mt. SAC Relays have grown in the last two years, becoming one of the premier meets in the nation. "It's right up there with the Penn, Texas, Drake and Kansas Relays," said Coach Gary Schwartz.
The rest of the team will travel to Fayetteville, Ark.. to compete in the Arkansas Invitational.
The relays will feature 21 ranked men's and women's teams, including top-ranked Arkansas and four other top-five men's and women's teams. The invitational will also include international teams from Australia, China, Canada, Great Britain, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico and Venezuela.
"By competing against the best of the best, we can test our fitness and mental capabilities against top-notch competition." Schwartz said.
The Jayhawks feature top-notch athletes of their own, including five athletes ranked in the top 15 of their respective events. Three-time All-American senior Candy Mason is ranked second in the heptathlon and sixth in the pole vault, while two-time AllAmerican sophomore Andrea Branson is ranked third in the pole vault.
"This meet I get excited for — maybe because it's like a vacation — but once I get there I get a little nervous because it is such a big meet," Branson said.
Two-time All-American Scott Russell is ranked fourth in the invelin and 11th in the hammer throw.
Two-time All-American Scott Russell is ranked fourth in the javelin and 11th in the hammer throw. Sophomore Charlie Gruber is ranked fifth in the 800-meter run, while junior Brian Jensen is ranked 15th in the 10,000-meter run.
Other male athletes that will make the trip to Walnut include senior runner Kevin McGinn, sophomore hurdler Eric Patterson, junior sprinter Dave Tomlin, senior pole vaulters Colby Miller and Marc Romito, senior triple-jumper Lester Smith and sophomore decathlete Andy Morris.
Female athletes traveling to Walnut include sophomore thrower Marlea Woodman and freshman polevaulter Shannon Agee.
The tough competition includes NCAA pole-vault record holder Melissa Price. But, both Branson and Mason have begun to creep up on her record. Branson vaulted 13-1-1/2 two weeks ago and 13-0 last weekend. Mason will focus on only the pole-vault this weekend, and she is suitably pumped-up.
"We both want to beat her so badly. I think it could happen this weekend. We're both ready to jump 13-6," Mason said.
Swinging to victory
Kansas tennis player Julia Sidorova returns a serve against Kansas State last night at Alvamar Racquet Club. Kansas swept Kansas State 9-0. The Kansas women are 30-1 in their playing history against Kansas State. Photo by Eric Sahmann / Kansas
Track star looks to Olympics
Continued from page 1B
Last year, during a meet at Washington State, she was talking with Olympic gold medalist Dan O'Brien about the finer points of men's and women's athletics. Mason wondered if women would ever get a chance to compete in decathlons, like men do.
O'Brien, agast at the remark said, "Why? We already gave you the pole vault?"
Mason's jaw dropped, but she proceeded to chew out O'Brien about his insensitive remark.
On the plane ride home, her coaches reminded her that she yelled at a world-record- holding gold medalist.
"I didn't care. He deserved it," she said.
Joyner-Kersee for the first time in 1988, she was the exact opposite of O'Brien. Fresh from an Olympic gold medal performance, Joyner-Kersee signed autographs for fans, despite other pressing engagements.
When she met Jackie
"Her manager was telling her that she needed to go, but she wanted to hang out for awhile. That was really cool." Mason said.
the 2000 Olympics. After that, she'll put her degree to work and look for a coaching job.
Joyner-Kersee was one of Mason's idols growing up. As a heaptathlete, Mason wants to compete at the Olympics — just like Joyner-Kersee.
"If they gave me a job here, today, I'd take it. Wouldn't even think twice," she said.
"I've had dreams of going to the Olympics forever. That's the ultimate," she said.
But for now, she'll keep training and travel to Europe this summer to compete and coach high school athletes.
For the next two years, Mason will work towards her master's degree and train for
Meeting famous people, traveling all over the United States and Europe and a shot at the 2000 Olympics makes Mason a very busy, interesting person. But she doesn't think of it that way.
"With all the stuff I've done, my friends tell me that I should make my life into a movie," she said. "Yeah, right. It'd be so rated G, it's not even funny."
Edited by Melody Ard
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