Up-and-Comers Could Help U.S. Medal Count

UCLA senior Sheena Johnson did more than record the fastest time in the world this year when she won the NCAA 400-meter hurdles title in 53.54 seconds.

When she crossed the finish line in Austin, Texas, last weekend, Johnson moved to the forefront of a pack of young runners, jumpers and hurdlers who might contribute to the U.S. medal count at the Athens Olympics if athletes being investigated for possible drug use aren’t allowed to compete.

All that’s certain is that Kelli White, the 2003 world champion in the 100 and 200, is out of the Games after accepting a two-year ban from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Still under investigation are Tim Montgomery, the men’s world-record holder in the 100; sprinter Chryste Gaines, a member of the victorious women’s 400-meter relay team at the 2003 World Championships; Alvin Harrison, part of the triumphant men’s 1,600-meter relay team at the Sydney Games; and Michelle Collins, the 2003 U.S. and world indoor 200-meter champion.

Marion Jones, winner of three gold and two bronze medals at Sydney, has been questioned by USADA about evidence relating to her alleged use of banned substances. Jones has never failed a drug test, has denied using illegal drugs and has vowed to take legal action if she’s prohibited from competing in Athens.

Losing some or all of those facing drug allegations figures to hurt the U.S. team’s prospects of matching its 20-medal haul at Sydney. But Rich Perelman, meet director of the Home Depot Invitational and a track and field statistician for 30 years, said the overall effect would be “negligible,” adding, “I think there’s an opportunity for this team to go out and have a performance everybody’s proud of.”

His optimism is based on the excellence this season of sprinter Torri Edwards, the return to fitness of Sydney gold medalist Maurice Greene, the resurgence of Sydney pole vault champion Stacy Dragila and the progress of men’s world pole vault leader Toby Stevenson. He included Jones in his projections and predicted she would be allowed to compete because “she shows no benefits of doping.”

He’s also encouraged by youngsters such as Johnson, UCLA’s Monique Henderson, and Texas’ 400-meter specialist Sanya Richards. Another rising star is University of Miami junior Lauryn Williams, who won the NCAA 100-meter title in a world-best 10.97 seconds. Williams, who ran in a heat of the women’s 400-meter relay at last year’s World Championships in Paris, also has this year’s second-best time, 11.01 seconds.

“Certainly, some medals that would have been a lock won’t be without Kelli White, and maybe without Marion,” said Scott Davis, director of the Mt. San Antonio College Relays. “But we do have Torri, and Lauryn Williams is the real deal. She’s been coming on for a couple of years.... There’s a lot of speed out there.”

There also are Tyson Gay of Arkansas, who ran a 10.06 in the 100; Jeremy Wariner of Baylor, whose 44.50 in the 400 was second-fastest in the world this season; and teammate Darold Williamson, as well as sprinters Tonette Dyer of San Diego State and Muna Lee of Louisiana State and half a dozen others.

“You’re also seeing the emergence of the next class of athletes,” Perelman said. “They could be one of the great surprises of the Games. This team could win 15 to 18 medals, and if everything goes right, and it won’t, it could win 30....

“The U.S. has a lot of talent coming up. It could be one of those teams that, when we look back 20 years from now, you say, ‘Wow!’ ”

Much hinges on Jones, who won gold at Sydney in the 100, 200 and the 1,600-meter relay, and bronze in the long jump and 400-meter relay.

Perelman said losing Collins wouldn’t hurt “because we weren’t going to win anything in the 400.” A 1,600-meter team of Richards, Henderson, Jones and veteran Jearl Miles-Clark, “will be tough to beat.”

Montgomery hasn’t been consistent this season. Greene, Darvis Patton, John Capel and Joshua Johnson give the U.S. hope of more than one finalist in the 100. Greene was the only U.S. finalist when he won at Sydney.

Figuring into the relay picture are Shawn Crawford and Justin Gatlin.

“In the 4 by 100, it might not make a difference” if Montgomery is absent, Davis said, adding that the U.S. won at last year’s World Championships without Montgomery or Greene.

In the 400, Jerome Young could make the team even though he might lose his Sydney gold medal for having tested positive for drugs before the 2000 Games. However, twins Calvin and Alvin Harrison could be off the 1,600-meter relay. Alvin is under USADA investigation, and Calvin has tested positive twice for modafinil. That’s where Wariner, Williamson and Craig Everhart of UCLA might come in.

“I think the best race in the world in the 400 meters won’t be at the Olympics, it will be at the U.S. Olympic trials,” Perelman said.

Said Davis: “Regardless of who we put on the track in the 4 by 400, unless there’s an absolute meltdown, I can’t see the U.S. losing that medal.”

Pole vaulters Nick Hysong and Lawrence Johnson finished one-two at Sydney, and U.S. vaulters have six of the top seven heights in the world this season, led by Stevenson’s 6-meter jump (19 feet 8 1/4 inches). Although world indoor long jump champion Savante Stringfellow had Achilles’ tendon surgery and was forced out of the Games, 2003 world indoor and outdoor champion Dwight Phillips is a medal contender.

A sweep of the men’s shotput involving Christian Cantwell, John Godina, Adam Nelson or Reese Hoffa is a real possibility, improving on Nelson and Godina’s two-three finish in 2000. U.S. men have also done well in the 110-meter hurdles, with Allen Johnson, Larry Wade, Terence Trammell and Dawane Wallace posting eight of the season’s top 10 times. Trammell, Mark Crear and Johnson finished second, third and fourth at Sydney.

Breaux Greer is a contender in men’s javelin after recording the world’s second-best throw this season, 286 feet 8 inches. Tom Pappas has the second-best decathlon total this season, and Alan Webb, who cut his 1,500-meter time to 3:32.73 last week, has become a potential medalist.

Sydney 100-meter hurdles bronze medalist Melissa Morrison remains a contender in that event. She, Gail Devers and Miesha McKelvy rank among the world leaders this season. UCLA’s Johnson and Lashinda Demus of the University of South Carolina join Sandra Glover and Brenda Taylor as hopefuls in the 400-meter hurdles.

Of course, there are variables. Fatigue could hamper the college athletes, and Europeans are just approaching the height of their season. Nonetheless, Perelman expects a strong U.S. showing at Athens no matter what the team looks like.

“If we’re not out eating feta cheese and drinking ouzo every day,” Perelman said, “this team could be dangerous.”