Athlete Quotes - Day 6 (Thursday 8/9)

Men's 110m hurdles final

Allen Johnson: "It's great. If you would have told me in '97 it would be 2001 before I won any major title again, I would have told you you were crazy. But through all the injuries, all the ups and downs, I'm just happy that I was able to put it all together, come out here and have a good showing and have an excellent race with Garcia.

"Basically, I got out of the blocks well. I separated from Garcia between 1 and 2, which I wanted to do. I ran well the first half of the race. But then the second half, I didn't run as well. Garcia started to pull up on me and I started to really press. It was almost like last year, where the second half of the race I totally fell apart. This time, I held it together a little bit better and stayed ahead of him."

"I feel great. I'm just really happy. I really appreciate that I was able to come out here and win this one. I wanted it extremely badly. For me, it was important, because I'm kind of thinking ahead a little bet. I'm thinking to 2003, and I want to have a bye into that World Championships provided I'm healthy, and hope that can set me up, because Athens is the year after that. That's the main thing that I want to focus on now - getting back to the Olympics, and trying to be gold medalist again."

"Towards the end I was thinking stay in control, stay composed, clear the 10th hurdle and just run as hard as I can until the finish line."

"I felt like I had so many disappointments the past couple years, I felt like I really, really had something to prove this time. I think I wanted Gothenburg almost as much as this one. That win was almost as good as this one. But this one here in 2001 is by far the best so far. I think the statement I made is, I decide when I'm finished. Each time I'm on the track, anytime I'm healthy, I'm the one to beat."

"I felt really fresh. I felt sharp, I felt quick."

Dawane Wallace: "I gave it away. I got out good, I was running good to 5, then I started hitting hurdles. I never really recovered. I recovered as best I could, but there was nothing I could do."

Men's pole vault final

Nick Hysong: "It was pretty much what I was looking for. Obviously, I'd liked to have jumped a little higher and maybe get a new PB today, but things went really well. The year has been progressing as my coach and I had planned. To be able to come here and jump 5.85 at the World Championship - placing third I don't think is such a bad deal."

"My goal was to come here and do better than I did at the last World Championships. I accomplished that. I jumped six inches higher and placed one place higher. I can't really complain. I've got a few more years and a couple more World Championships. If I keep improving, things could be pretty big by the end."

"I'm excited because I got to use a stiffer pole that I've used before, in my life, today. I felt real comfortable on it, even in the headwind at 5.90. It's real exciting to have a few more meets in Europe and the Goodwill Games to look forward to."

Tim Mack: "It actually felt pretty good today. I made a lot of good adjustments, good decisions. But unfortunately, I think some old habits came back - some technical errors that don't help me jump high. I was happy I was able to come here and jump 5.75, but nine or 10 other guys did it, too. It was a great meet to be a part of, though."

Men's 200m final

Shawn Crawford: "It went well. I executed like I planned. My plan was just to relax on the turn then I give it all I've got on the straight and compete with the rest of the field. That's exactly what I did. I was very happy with the way I competed today. The field was strong."

"I didn't know it was that close. I thought maybe I had finished fourth or fifth or something. I'm very happy for that. I got a medal, a bronze medal."

"Lane 2 is a tight turn and I knew that coming in. So I prepared myself warming up to relax on the turn, and know that as long as they're not getting away from me, when we get to the straight it's going to even out, and I'll give it all I've got on the straightaway."

"When you're among the world's best 200m runners, and you're able to get on the stand and get a medal, there's nothing greater than that, except winning the gold, which I plan to do in the future."

Kevin Little: "I felt I ran a good first part. I just wasn't able to hold on and finish it at the end. I had no idea it (the race) was that tight. I was just trying to run it through the end. It's very disappointing to be that close to a medal and not get one. But I'm happy I came here and ran four good races and left everything on the track. It took me a long time to get warmed up today. I felt the rounds in my legs, but when I got in the blocks, I felt good."

Women's 200m semifinals

Marion Jones: "Trevor (Graham, her coach) said today, just run the first 150 and shut it down after that. And I felt pretty good. I felt relaxed and just ready to wake up tomorrow and get ready for the final.

Are you fatigued with all the races you're running? "In the evenings when I get home, I feel some fatigue and I have to take a warm bath and a cold bath to flush my legs out. But when I wake up in the morning, I feel like I haven't done anything in a week, so that's a good sign."

"Hopefully I'll get lane 5 or 6 so I don't have to run so much of that curve. It's better for me."

On possibly winning a gold medal: "One escaped me so far in these games. I'm going to do my darndest not to let this one slip through my fingers."

LaTasha Jenkins: "I made it to the last round. Unbelievable. Sometimes you need to just go out and do it, execute."

Kelli White: "I didn't get out at all. Then I realized I had to make it up in the straightaway. It was running a whole 100. It was like the 100 final all over again."

Inger Miller: "Frustrating. I'm not going to cry about it, though. Of course, I don't like it, but that's going to make me more determined to get it together this fall. I hope to finish this year injury free, so I can have a really good fall. That's all I need. Coming off the hamstring injury (in Sydney), my fall was shortened, then my spring was shortened. So this isn't too bad for someone who's been injured all year."

Men's long jump qualifying

Savante Stringfellow: "My first jump out, 8.33. I couldn't ask for much more today. I was pretty excited. My plan was to go out and get one jump and end it. It went as planned, so I'm ready to jump Saturday. Superman is ready to fly long, fly a long way."

Miguel Pate: "This is my first one (World Championship). I think I made it back to the second day, so I'm happy with that. I've got to come out Saturday a lot better."

Dwight Phillips: "I felt all right. I was cramping up through all my jumps. I don't know what was going on. I was fortunate to get one in, make it to the final, so I think I've got a great shot."

Men's 1,500m first round

Paul McMullen: "I felt solid. There is a little effect from the altitude, but overall, it was solid. I took a quick look, saw that they were charging, turned it on a little more and made sure I leaned at the line to make sure I had it. I like being in the top 3. That felt good. It feels good to get one under my belt, and I look forward tomorrow.

What is behind your resurgence? "In terms of my training, nutrition #1, strength and conditioning #2, and the third thing would be a stretching program, given to me by my decathlete brother (Phil). On the personal end of things, my wife, she's the best. She said 'go to nationals. I'm an independent, strong woman. I can have this baby on my own. You go make that team.' This pink ribbon I wear is for her and my little girl, both. That puts everything in perspective. The baby and her are here with me. Dad (McMullen) takes her (the baby) for a walk every morning. It really helps me stay calm and focused."

Note: McMullen has gone from 200 to 173 pounds this season. His wife, Jill, gave birth to the couple's first child while McMullen was competing at the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Championships last June in Eugene.

Gabe Jennings: "I wasn't expecting the first round to go that fast. My legs felt great going in, and I put it all on the line. If you knew what my training was, you'd laugh. If I'm not doing a (track) workout, I'm not running. I'm talking, like, 20 miles a week. Just to come out here and compete on this big stage is a thrill. I tell you what, this is so much more encouraging than the Olympics. For one reason. When I see I'm in the same playing field as all these guys, and I wasn't scared. Eliminating fear is the name of this game."

On why he's running only 20 miles per week. "I'm studying my butt off. Not sleeping like I should. Trng to do music, I just haven't been running outside of my workouts. You saw proof of that out there."

Seneca Lassiter: "I'm very disappointed, of course. Up until this meet, I had been doing the best training of my life, so I figured I would have the best meet of my life. I just can't explain it. There's no reason for me to run the way I did. I put myself in good position. I found myself leading at one point, where I didn't want to be. I don't know if I panicked, but I just fell apart when those guys passed me."

Women's 100m hurdles 1st round

Anjanette Kirkland: "You can't go all out in the first round. I just executed my race technically, which was sound, but I could have been a little quicker off the hurdles. But it was great. I felt smooth. I've been confident all year."

Gail Devers: "It was a little shaky. Being on the outside, I was high on the first three hurdles and didn't really get myself back into it. I think if I had felt someone there, it would have forced me to get into the hurdles and stay into the hurdles. One (heat) down, two to go. It's been a tough year. The hip and hamstring, still coming off of Sydney last year. Doing so much rehab, it's been hard to train too much with Bobby (Kersee, her coach). Everyone's running about the same time. It's going to be a great semifinal."

Donica Merriman: "I was having problems in the middle of my race. I tried to stay focused and accelerate."

Jenny Adams: "It felt good. I got to advance, and that's all that really matters. I'm ready for tomorrow. I really know I'm capable of running fast. It's a fast track. If I get a little tailwind sometime, I really hope I can come out and have a personal best this weekend. I'm having a lot more fun running the hurdles than I did in the long jump."

Women's discus qualifying

Seilala Sua: "I'm happy with what I got. It felt good, everything felt good. I'm looking forward to Saturda."

Suzy Powell: "It didn't go very well. I have no idea. I felt great, the technique was good, they just didn't go very far."

Kris Kuehl: "It went well enough to make the finals. It took a little while to get into the groove, but as long as you make it through, that's all that matters. The last two throws felt like I was hitting a rhythm, so I wasn't concerned. I've never made it to the final before in the World Championships. Especially after Sydney - I felt great, then I got injured."

Women's 800m 1st round

Hazel Clark: "I went for it. I haven't had many races this year, but that's OK. I knew it would take 2:00 or better. On the backstretch I lost just a little bit. ... I had a crazy year of photo shoots and interviews, so I'm still kind of coming back from that."

Women's 20k race walk final

Debbi Lawrence: "It was very good. I was strong the whole way, mentally. My pace slowed down after halfway a little bit, but mentally I was all the way in there, so I was very happy."

Michelle Rohl: "It wasn't a good day for me."

Women's 5,000m 1st round

Amy Rudolph: "I was in the mix until about a mile, 1200 to go, and then they lifted and I just didn't have it. I missed too much time this spring with a respiratory infection, so it wasn't mental, it was physical today. I just missed too much time, and you pay for it at a championship."

Marla Runyan: "It was very tough. The pace obviously was very slow. There was a lot of falling, but I was pretty good at staying out of trouble. My effort was there. There was a lot of change of pace and a hard last finish. I was pretty cautious."

Elva Dryer: "In a word, disappointment. I feel like I was in really good shape coming in here. Today my stride felt a little short, so I wasn't able to get power and momentum out of it. I just didn't respond real well when the moves were being made at the end."