Trojans Sweep Annual USC-UCLA Dual Meet For Third Time In Four Seasons

Track & Field | April 28, 2024

Temi Ojora won three women’s individual events and Johnnie Blockburger had his hands in four men’s wins to lead the USC men’s and women’s track and field teams to a Dual Meet sweep over UCLA on Allyson Felix Field at Loker Stadium today (April 28).  The men’s team rolled wire-to-wire to a 99-60 win, while the women’s team overcame an early 27-point deficit to win 85-74.  It was the third sweep for the Trojans at the USC-UCLA Dual Meet in the last four meetings.

The victory for the USC women’s team was its 10^th consecutive Dual Meet win over UCLA and for the men it was their third win in the last four seasons.  The women now are 18-22 all-time in the Dual Meet and the men’s team owns a 47-43 all-time lead in the annual battle between the crosstown rivals.

The women’s team trailed 16-2 after the hammer throw and discus throw competitions yesterday and the deficit swelled to 21-2 when UCLA had the only pole vaulter competing.

• Sara Zabarino got things started today with a best mark of 170-8 (52.02m) to place second in the women’s javelin throw and Kamryn Elgersma a best throw of 147-4 (44.91m) to take third and earn USC four points.  USC now trailed 26-6.
• Next, Marina Soares placed third in the women’s 3000m steeplechase with a personal-best time of 11:09.34 to earn USC a point.  USC trailed 34-7 at that point.
• The women’s 4x100m relay team of Christine M. Mallard, Madison Whyte, Samirah Moody and Jassani Carter won with a time of 43.74 to earn the Trojans five points.
• Tracy Towns won the women’s 1500m race with a PR of over two seconds with a time of 4:25.65.  Leah Disher had an 8-second PR with a time of 4:27.28 to place third.  The pair earned USC six points in the team competition to cut the deficit to 37-18.
• Temi Ojora won the women’s long jump, her first of three wins on the day, with a leap of 20-7.75/6.29m (+0.0).  It was her first long jump competition this season.  Alyssa Hope placed third with a best leap of 20-1.75/6.14m (+0.0).  USC now trailed 40-24.
• Jalaysiya Smith took second with a time of 13.26 (-1.1) and Simone Ballard third with a time of 13.36 (-1.1) in the women’s 100m hurdles to earn the Trojans four points.  UCLA’s Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck won the even with a time of 13.06 (-1.1), snapping USC’s victory streak in the event at…