Eleven schools are entered in the College/University division of the 74th annual Easter Relays track and field meet, which will be held Friday at SBCC’s La Playa Stadium.
Fifty years ago, a world record was set in the pole vault on the very same La Playa track. John Uelses will be honored during Saturday’s High School portion of the Easter Relays.
On March 16, 1962, he set a world record in front of 9,000 fans by clearing 16 feet, ¾ inch. Uelses, a high school pole vault champion from Florida, was competing for a Marine Corps team.
Uelses, 74, was one of the first vaulters to use a fiberglass vaulting pole.
SBCC will be one of nine Community College teams participating in Friday’s meet, along with Westmont College and Bowdoin College of Maine (which is training at SBCC this week).
The running and field events start at 11 a.m., with several throwing events slated for Westmont at 9 a.m.
Cerritos, last year’s state runner-up, has a strong team, particularly in the women’s throws. Antelope Valley has a solid women’s sprint lineup and Bakersfield is bringing one of the top 1500m runners in the state in Chris Schwartz.
Schwartz is seeded No. 1 in the 1500 with a best of 3:53.9, nearly seven seconds faster than the next Community College runner.
The Vaquero men will be led by Matthew Bailey (seeded 3rd in the 1500), Tristan Lake (No. 3 in 400m hurdles) and Chase Lee (No. 6 in discus, No. 9 in javelin). On the women’s side, keep your eye on Zoe Davis, the No. 2 seed and school record-holder in the shot put at 39 feet, 9¾ inches; Kate Earle (No. 9 in 110m hurdles) and Kaytee Krivulka (No. 9 in hammer).
“We want to be competitive in as many events as possible and get as many top-3 places as possible,” said SBCC coach Scott Fickerson.
