Pac-10 Championships Postgame Quotes
May 18, 2003 | Track & Field
May 18, 2003
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Women's 4x100 meter relay champion (USC) 44.26
Lead-off Virginia Powell: "We had no doubt in our mind that we'd win."
Anchor Miya Edmonson: "Our coach has been working us so much, on our speed and on our morale ... We had a delay between 2 and 3. Our time will drop, at least by a half second or a second."
Men's 4x100 meter relay champion (Washington State) 39.68
Anchor Anthony Buchanon: "I was determined to finish the race. I was like, 'today is our day'. Today, we all felt good and we all ran well. Last year, USC beat us (at Pac-10s) at our place, which was burning in our minds. We felt we had to come back here and do it at their place."
Leadoff Lamar Kirk on winning Washington State's first 4x100 relay in more than a decade: "It's feels great. Especially since I'm from L.A. (he prepped at Dorsey High), to come here and win the 4x100."
Women's triple jump champion Candice Bauchum (UCLA) 42-06.75
"After the first jump, I really surprised myself when I went 42-03. I thought I'd start at 41. I thought to myself, 'Oh yeah, I could do this.' I knew I had to come in and win and get some points for the team."
Men's Hammer champion Adam Kriz (Oregon) 221.03 (p.r.)
(On winning by two inches): "I thought Nick (Welihozki of Stanford, who was second) was great. It's too bad he didn't get a hold of his last throw because he was competing well. My hat goes off to him."
(On Oregon's strong showing): "An athlete's job is to perform. As a team, we're supposed to win. It's great. Surprised is the wrong word. We're doing what we're supposed to do."
(On his second Pac-10 win in a row): "I'm not embarrassed about this one like I was last year. Last year, it wasn't much of a stellar effort to win."
Women's 800-meter and 1500-meter champion Lena Nilsson (UCLA) 4:13.21 in 1500 and 2:03.86 in 800
"I felt really good in both races. I had a lot left after the 1500, which I think showed in the 800. I didn't think we ran that fast in the 800, so I'm surprised with the time."
"I felt really good. I haven't raced much this year. I wasn't as tired as I thought I'd be. If you're tired, you feel it right at the end of the 1500, but I felt good."
Men's 1500-meter champion Grant Robison (Stanford) 3:44.42
(On the extremely physical race): "I don't know how many times I got clipped from behind. It was physical from the gun. When it came down to the final straightaway, I decided that if I was going to survive, I had to unload as much as I had and pull away. I've never been in a race where so many people went down."
Women's 100-meter hurdles champion Sheena Johnson (UCLA) 13.10
"I actually got off to a good start. That's the best part of my race. In practice, I've been working on my last part and I felt it today after the fifth hurdle. It paid off."
"I try to focus on my own race, but you always see the others. But after the fifth hurdle today, I didn't see anybody."
Men's 110-meter hurdles champion Ryan Wilson (USC) 13.42
(On winning his third Pac-10 title): "It feels really good. Unfortunately, the Pac-10 is not known as an elite hurdlers conference, but I'm happy to get 10 points for the team each year."
(On the race): "It was a pretty good start. I started to lose it at the end, which was refreshing. Usually, my best part is the end and I did better at the start this time. It's nice to see practice pay off. It was a big step forward today, more mentally and technically as far as (breaking) through a barrier. I felt confident running at that speed, which is important. I didn't feel out of control. I feel I'm peaking at the right time."
Men's High Jump champion Dawid Jaworski (USC)
"Today, I felt terrible. The worst all season. But today, I woke up with stomach pain and ankle pain and I couldn't focus. I don't know what happened. The last two weeks, I've felt great, but today I woke up in pain."
"I knew the guy from Cal (in second) would be very good. I saw him at Mount Sac and he was a beautiful runner with great concentration."
(On almost clearing 7-5): "It was so close. But to jump high, you have to be very straight to go up, but I couldn't do it with my ankle."
Women's discus champion Sandra Orsund (ASU) 182-11
(On her win and her growing confidence): "It started happening last week and I knew it was there, it was coming. I knew it would take a great throw to beat (UCLA's) Shaniqua Ross and it came. My last two coaches are from UCLA. U of A is usually ASU's rival, but UCLA is my rival."
Women's 400-meter dash champion Cassandra Reed (ASU) 52.89
"I was surprised since I was seventh last year. I didn't start running the quarter (mile) since about mid-April.
(On her improvement from a freshman to a sophomore): "As a freshman, I didn't have a lot of quarters in me. I have more experience now. My training regimen is better. I've trained hard this year."
(On UCLA favorite Monique Henderson scratching): "I thought it would be easier without her. At the same time, you've always got to execute because on any given day, anyone could p.r.)"
Men's 400-meter dash champion Lewis Banda (ASU) 45.83
"From how I've been running so far, I wasn't expecting any competition, but these guys gave it to me. I felt the other guy try to pass me and I had to accelerate at the end. I was hoping to go 45.5, 45.4, but I didn't get into the right rhythm."
Men's 100-meter dash champion Anthony Buchanon (WSU) 10.10
(On going 1-2 with teammate Bennie Chatman): "(Our team) was very focused all week. We knew we had the speed to do it. I felt if we came down here and stayed focused, we had enough to finish."
(On chasing down Oregon's Samie Parker): "He was ahead the first 60 or 70, but we kept him within striking distance. We know he doesn't have as good of a finish. We knew we'd have enough left to win the race."
Men's 800-meter run champion Justin Romaniuk (Stanford) 1:49.86
"It was a p.r., so it was great. I knew they (the rest of the field) were close. I knew they were all there. This is (second-place finisher) Rapheal Asafo-Agyei's home stadium. I heard the crowd roar for him. I knew he was on my heels. I was going home as strong as I could. I knew I needed as many points as I could for the team."
Women's 400-meter hurdles champion Sheena Johnson (UCLA) 56.45
"I'm getting a bit tired, but I had enough left. I wanted to defend my title."
(On going 1-2 with teammate Ysanne Williams): "After yesterday, we were trying to go 1-2 and it was big for us today. (Ysanne) just decided to run this a couple weeks ago. It's really good to see her come on like this."
Men's 400-meter hurdles champion Ryan Wilson (USC) 49.33 (p.r.)
"At first I thought it was a 48, but you can't be disappointed with a p.r. It's the second fastest time in the country, my last 400 hurdle for a long time and it's great to do it here."
"Honestly, I didn't come in thinking p.r. I wanted to score points for the team. That was the only thing that was important.
(On improvement in 400): "Maturity. A full year of training. I finally got a full year in with no injuries stalling me or delaying my development. For a couple of years, I couldn't even run this at Pac-10s."
Women's 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash champion Natasha Mayers (USC) 11.39 in 100 and 23.32 200
(On 100): "I'm happy with it. It's my second since my (hamstring) injury. Sometimes, you can't look at the time, but be happy with the finish."
(On 200): "I'll take it. It's my last 200 collegiately. At regionals, it's too hard to compete in both."
"I want to applaud (former USC NCAA champion) Angela Williams. Competing under pressure is hard and I saw her rise to the competition and I tried to do the same today. She made me go beyond what I thought I could do."
Men's 200-meter dash champion Wes Felix (USC) 20.81
"I'm real tired. I've done a lot of running that last couple of days. I was confident if I could get out in a good first 100 and relax in the second 100, I'd be okay. It wasn't the best of races, but it wasn't the worst, and it got us 10 points."
Women's Pole Vault champion Becky Holliday (Oregon) 14-6
"I was so nervous coming. I came in ranked high and I had to jump high. With all of the pressure, I'm proud of myself for coming through and jumping high.
(On when she knew she'd have a good day): "After the first bar. I was using a bigger pole than I had been on that height. My body felt good and I was performing how I wanted. This means I'm definitely achieving my goals. I set high goals before the season and you have to achieve them."
Women's 5000-meter run champion Lauren Fleshman (Stanford) 16:37.52
(On Stanford's tradition of distance runners): "Different schools build their own traditions. Our team has become a lot more well-rounded. I went to Stanford because of the distance running tradition. (Stanford) is a really good place to learn."
(On UCLA-Stanford distance-running rivalry): "I respect the competitiveness a lot. We consistently beat them in cross country and they have consistently beaten us in track. We aren't graduating a lot of people, so I look forward to watching the (Pac-10 Track Championships) next year from the stands."
Men's triple jump champion Julien Kapek (USC)
(On placing ahead of teammate Allen Simms): "We both practice together. We are friends and roommates. His hamstring was a little sore today. The order (of finish) does not really matter anyway." (On his performance)
"I could have jumped way further, but I scratched most of my jumps. That was a little sad."
Men's discus champion Dan Ames (UCLA)
(On his performance): "This meet is a nice notch on my belt. It is nice to get up to higher competition finally."
(On team performance): "We would have liked to score a couple more points. As far as my points, that is exactly where I wanted to be (coming into the meet)."
Men's 5000-meter run champion Louie Luchini (Stanford) 14:06.67
"Personally, it feels great to win my second race. I wasn't sure how much I'd have left.
(On getting five Stanford runners in the top 8): "We knew we needed a lot of points to sta y in it and just tried to get as many runners in the top 8 as possible."
UCLA Head Coach Jeanette Bolden
(On team's performance)
"This morning we brought the team together and I told them to just do what got you to the competition. Then if you feel good, do a little more."
"The beauty of our team is that we have such a balanced program. We came into the (Pac-10 Track Championships) 24 strong. We are in it together. There are highs and lows. That is what I love about track, it brings so many different experiences."
USC Head Coach Ron Allice
(On championship)
"This is just the beginning of what we think we can do in the next couple of weeks."
(On come-from-behind victory)
"These kids did not give up. Young people bring some freshness to everything. That is what makes track so unpredictable. They believed and they did not give up. We just kept on coming."
(On this championship compared to other)
"This is the most special championship. This is the sweetest because I did it at (USC) and I worked awful hard to put this (track meet) on."
