2004 Olympics: Track and Field

11:33 AM CDT on Monday, August 9, 2004

By KEN STEPHENS / The Dallas Morning News

The United States has dominated the men's 400 meters, winning gold medals at 17 of the 24 Olympics since 1896 and 37 of the 70 total medals awarded.

Another indication of American dominance of the 400 is the all-time list. The top 10 runners are all Americans. Further, there have been 34 sub-44 seconds 400s in history, all by Americans. Former Dallas resident and Baylor alumnus Michael Johnson had 22 of them, including the world record – 43.18 seconds.

Now another Baylor runner, Jeremy Wariner, an Arlington Lamar graduate who lives in Grand Prairie, is a medal favorite. Wariner beat seven of the top 12 400-meter runners in the world in the Olympic Trials final on July 15.

No nation has had as much success in the sprints as the United States. And that shouldn't change this year.

Maurice Greene, the defending champion and former world-record holder, looks to be the favorite in the 100 meters. Justin Gatlin and Shawn Crawford will be medal contenders in the 100 and 200. But don't expect a medal sweep in either event.

Jamaica has two sprinters who could get medals – Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt. Bolt broke Dallas sprinter Roy Martin's 19-year-old world junior record in April but has had knee and hamstring injuries this summer. Kim Collins, a former TCU sprinter from St. Kitts and Nevis, and the upset winner of the 2003 world championship in the 100, also may be a factor.

In the 400, Jeremy Wariner of Baylor established himself as the favorite by winning the U.S. Trials against tough competition and with the fastest time in the world this season. His principal rivals should be Alleyne Francique of Grenada, Michael Blackwood of Jamaica and the other Americans, Otis Harris and Derrick Brew.

The women's sprints are wide open without Marion Jones, who didn't make the team in either sprint. And Kelli White, the 2003 world champion in the 100 and 200, has been banned for using performance-enhancing drugs. The same fate may befall Torri Edwards, who inherited White's world 100-meter title and a silver medal in the 200.

For the United States, that leaves LaTasha Colander and Lauryn Williams as the best hopes in the 100 and Allyson Felix and Muna Lee in the 200. All are good enough to medal, but none is good enough to rate being called a favorite.

Look for Bulgaria's Ivet Lalova, who is nearly two-tenths of a second faster than any other woman this year, in the 100 and Veronica Campbell of Jamaica and Lalova again in the 200.

In the women's 400, Monique Hennagan and Sanya Richards ran sub-50 second races in the U.S. Trials, but they will have a tough time getting a medal against the likes of Mexico's Ana Guevara, Tonique Williams-Darling of the Bahamas and Olga Kotlyarova of Russia.

Don't expect to see the U.S. flag raised during the medals ceremonies for any race longer than 800 meters. The United States hasn't won a gold medal in any men's middle or long distance event since 1972 and a medal of any color since 1992. For the women, there's been no gold medal since '68 and no other medal since '92.

The superstar of men's distance running this year is Ethiopia's 22-year-old Kenenisa Bekele, who has set world records in the 5,000 and 10,000 this season. Bekele and his countrymen should dominate those two races.

In the 800, 1,500 and steeplechase, most of the medalists should be Kenyans, although a couple of them may be ex-patriot Kenyans who escaped the ultra-competitive team selection in Kenya by changing citizenship.

In the women's distance events, don't bet against Mozambique's Maria Mutola in the 800. She is the defending Olympic gold medalist, and last year she won world championships indoors and outdoors. She will, however, be challenged by a number of Eastern European women.

The U.S. men have won 18 gold medals in the 110-meter hurdles and 17 in the 400-meter hurdles. That success could continue. Allen Johnson, the '96 Olympic gold medalist and 2003 world champion, is No. 1 in the world this season and knocked off his best international competition, Liu Xiang of China, in a photo finish in Rome. But Terrence Trammell won the U.S. Trials and will be in the medal hunt, too.

In the 400 hurdles, James Carter won the Trials with the fastest time in the world this season, and defending Olympic champion Angelo Taylor and Bennie Brazell checked in at Nos. 5 and 6. But Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic is still the favorite.

At 37, Gail Devers, a three-time world champion, is still in search of her first Olympic medal in women's 100-meter hurdles. She won the U.S. Trials and is No. 2 in the world this season behind world champion Perdita Felicien of Cuba. Joanna Hayes of the United States also will be in the hunt.

In the women's 400 hurdles, Sheena Johnson, Brenda Taylor and Lashinda Demus ran the three fastest times in the world this season in the Trials final.

U.S. athletes have won the long jump 20 times, more than any other Olympic event. Trials winner Dwight Phillips has the four best jumps in the world this year. Marion Jones should win a medal in the women's long jump.

Melvin Lister unleashed a career-best triple jump of 58 feet, 4 inches in the U.S. Trials. It's a world leader for the season, but Lister, a long jumper who rarely triple jumps, will have to prove it wasn't a fluke. Either he or teammates Walter Davis and Kenta Bell, a native of Kilgore, Texas, could win a medal.

In the pole vault, Odessa, Texas, native Toby Stevenson has cleared 19 feet, 8 ¼ inches, highest in the world this season. Tim Mack, the Trials winner, is the No. 2 vaulter in the world.

In the women's vault, Stacy Dragila of the United States is the former world-record holder and defending champion. She should win a medal, but two Russian women – current world-record holder Svetlana Feofanova and Yelena Isinbayeva – are jumping better this season.

In the men's high jump, Stefan Holm of Sweden is the favorite. Jamie Nieto of the United States could steal a medal.

The shot put will be staged in the ancient stadium at Olympia, and the United States should be a prohibitive favorite to win its 17th gold medal.

The U.S. Trials were so tough that Christian Cantwell, who had the top four throws in the world, didn't make the team. Those who did – John Godina, Adam Nelson and Reese Hoffa – are ranked Nos. 2, 3 and 4 in the world. Next on the list is former SMU thrower Janus Robberts of South Africa.

Houston-born Breaux Greer, who lives in Athens, Ga., is No. 2 in the world in the javelin, but his medal hopes may hinge on how an injured knee improves.

In the discus, defending Olympic and world champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania is the prohibitive favorite. Another former SMU thrower, Aleksander Tammert of Estonia, is No. 4 on the world list.

No American woman has won a gold medal in the throws since 1932. The last medal of any kind came 20 years ago. America's best will do well just to get out of the qualifying round.

The two biggest favorites in the women's throws are Yipsi Moreno of Cuba in the hammer and her teammate, Osleidys Menendez, in the javelin.

Tom Pappas, whose great-grandfather came to the United States from Greece, will have the home-field advantage in the decathlon. Pappas won the 2003 world championship but will have his hands full in Athens with world-record holder Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic and Bryan Clay, who beat Pappas in the Trials.

Also keep an eye on Estonia's Erki Nool. The defending Olympic champion spent a couple of months in Dallas during the off-season getting help with his discus throw from SMU coach Dave Wollman. Nool is No. 4 on the 2004 world list.

World champion Carolina Kluft of Sweden is the favorite in the heptathlon. The best of the American women would have to improve by 300 points to have a shot at a medal.

E-mail kstephens@dallasnews.com