One current and one former UCLA gymnast will be vying for their
respective countries’ national titles this weekend. This
weekend’s results will either bring them a step closer to
2004 Olympic bids or cause their aspirations to come crashing to a
halt. Current Bruin Kate Richardson will compete
at the Canadian National Championships in Mississauga, Ontario, in
preparation for her Olympic bid. She last entered the event in
2001, winning the all-around and three individual titles.
Richardson’s last elite event was the 2002 Commonwealth
Games, when she took the gold medals in the all-around and balance
beam. The results of the Canadian Nationals will weigh 75 percent
toward choosing the 10 Canadian Olympic trial candidates.
Mohini Bhardwaj, who last competed for the Bruins
in 2001, will make her eighth appearance at the U.S. National
Championships, held in Nashville. At the 2001 competition, Bhardwaj
placed third in the all-around and took the vault title. The top 12
scores at the U.S. Nationals will secure trips to the Olympic
trials later this month.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL: UCLA coach Al
Scates was a finalist in the AVCA Division I-II
Men’s National Coach of the Year balloting. The winner was
Alan Knipe, who took Long Beach State to the NCAA
finals. UC San Diego coach Ron Larsen and BYU
coach Tom Peterson were also finalists. Under
Scates, the Bruins went 24-6 this year, and lost in the MPSF
semifinals.
Compiled by Frank Portillo and Diamond Leung, Bruin sports
senior staff.