Track and field: Five UCI athletes at junior nationals

Steve Virgen

PALO ALTO - UC Irvine freshman Erin Curtis, one of five Anteaters

who will compete in the USA Junior National Track and Field Championships

at Stanford today and Saturday, has received huge inspiration to achieve

her personal best in the pole vault.

Jenny Liou, Kelli Vanderburg, Mike Beerer and David Santos will also

represent the Anteaters in the junior nationals.

Curtis, who owns the school record in the pole vault (12-9 1/2), was

seven centimeters away from qualifying for the NCAA Championships, which

now serves as motivation. She wants to clear 13-0 at Stanford.

“I’m really competitive. I’m really aggressive and I’m really hard on

myself,” said Curtis, who has improved 14 inches in the pole vault this

season and finished second at the Big West Conference Championships. “But

(pole vault coach) Greg (Charles) is always positive and he’s good for my

personality.”

Liou, who set the UCI record when she won the 3,000-meter steeplechase

(10:57.0) at the Big West Championships May 17, is new to her event,

having just started in March.

Vanderburg will compete in the 5,000. She completed a personal-best

18:17.60 at the Big West Championships.

On the men’s side, Beerer will attempt to improve on his 174-10 mark

in the hammer throw. And, Santos will try to do the same in the 1,500,

hoping to run faster than 3:56.06.