INDIANAPOLIS - With 13 current or former Olympic gold medalists leading the way, Team USA will enter the IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships August 3-12 in Edmonton, Canada, in position to defend its status as the World’s #1 Track & Field Team.

Olympic gold medalists Marion Jones, Maurice Greene, Stacy Dragila, Angelo Taylor, Allen Johnson, Gail Devers, Bernard Williams, Tim Montgomery, Antonio Pettigrew, Jerome Young, Jon Drummond, Chryste Gaines and Monique Hennagan are on the Team USA roster for Edmonton, announced Tuesday by USA Track & Field. Sixty of the team’s athletes were 2000 Olympians.

U.S. athletes who will defend 1999 World titles include Jones, who returns to defend her 1999 World Championship in the 100 meters and will go for her first 200 title in Edmonton; Greene in the men’s 100, 200; Dragila in the women’s pole vault; Devers in the women’s 100m hurdles; and Inger Miller in the women’s 200. Also entering the meet as a favorite are World Indoor champion John Godina in the shot put, Olympic gold medalist Angelo Taylor in the 400m hurdles, world record holder Khalid Khannouchi in the men’s marathon, and Olympic champion Nick Hysong in the men’s pole vault.

Also announced Tuesday were the women’s relay pools. Listed in the 4x100 pool are 1996 Olympic relay gold medalists Chryste Gaines and Inger Miller, 2000 Olympic relay bronze medalist Torri Edwards; three-time NCAA 100m champion Angela Williams, U.S. third-place finisher Kelli White, U.S. Championships 100m finalist Brianna Glenn, and any other athlete on the Team USA roster.

In the women’s 4x400 pool are two-time Olympic relay gold medalist Jearl Miles-Clark, 2000 relay gold medalist Monique Hennagan, Olympian Michele Collins, 400m team member Demetria Washington, Olympic relay pool member Miki Barber and her twin sister, Me’Lisa Barber, two-time U.S. Indoor champion Suziann Reid, and any U.S. team member. Marion Jones’ relay status has not yet been decided.

The announcement of the Team USA World Championships roster carried several changes or clarifications: Regina Jacobs, U.S. champion at 800m and 1,500m, has entered those two events. She had placed second in the 5,000m at the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Championships and was eligible to compete in the longer event as well. Jacobs will be replaced in the 5,000 by two-time Olympian Amy Rudolph.

Olympic and World Championships relay gold medalist Jon Drummond was added to the men’s 4x100m relay pool, as well as Mickey Grimes. Olympic Trials marathon champion Christine Clark has withdrawn due to an Achilles tendon injury and is being replaced by Beth Whitney, who was 18th at the 2001 Boston Marathon. Two-time U.S. champion LaTasha-Colander Richardson has battled a nagging quadriceps injury, initially suffered at the GMC Envoy Outdoor Championships, and has withdrawn from the 400m. She is being replaced by Demetria Washington, who was fourth at Eugene.

Two-time Olympic Trials Champion, 2001 U.S. champion and World Indoor pole vault champion Lawrence Johnson has withdrawn after sustaining a stress fracture of his right femur. Russ Buller, fourth at the U.S. championships, has replaced him. Four-time U.S. champion, two-time Olympian and American record holder at 5,000m, Bob Kennedy, has withdrawn from the 5,000m after being diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and low iron.

Orin Ritchburg of the University of Washington leads the men’s team as head coach. His staff includes assistants Ron Allice (Southern Cal), Ken Bantum (former St. John’s coach), Ken Brauman (Seminole HS) and Kelly Sullivan (Willamette). Team manager is James Williams (Minnesota State-Moorhead), assisted by Scott Davis (Mt SAC Relays).

J.J. Clark of the University of Florida heads the women’s coaching staff. Joining him on staff as assistants are Beth Alford-Sullivan (Penn State), Chandra Cheeseborough (Tennessee State), Ramona Pagel (Ken State) and John Rembao (University of Texas). Head manager is Maryanne Torrellas (Connecticut Racewalkers Club), assisted by Kim Duyst (Cal State-Stanislaus).

TEAM USA ROSTER, 2001 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
As of July 24, 2001
Subject to change

MEN

100m: Tim Montgomery, Bernard Williams, Curtis Johnson, Maurice Greene

200m: Shawn Crawford, Ramon Clay, Kevin Little, Maurice Greene

400m: Antonio Pettigrew, Leonard Byrd, Jerome Young

800m: David Krummenacker, Derrick Peterson, Khadevis Robinson

1500m: Seneca Lassiter, Paul McMullen, Gabriel Jennings

3000m Steeplechase: Thomas Chorny, Anthony Famiglietti, Tim Broe

5000m: Adam Goucher, Nick Rogers

10,000m: Abdi Abdirahman, Mebrahtom Keflezighi, Alan Culpepper

Marathon: Khalid Khannouchi, David Morris, Josh Cox, Eddy Hellebuyck, Mike Dudley

110m Hurdles: Allen Johnson, Terrence Trammell, Dawane Wallace

400m Hurdles: Angelo Taylor, Calvin Davis, James Carter

20K Walk: Tim Seaman

50K Walk: Phillip Dunn, Curt Clausen

High Jump: Nathan Leeper, Charles Austin, Dave Furman

Pole Vault: Tim Mack, Nick Hysong, Russ Buller

Long Jump: Savante Stringfellow, Miguel Pate, Dwight Phillips

Triple Jump: LaMark Carter, Robert Howard, Walter Davis

Shot Put: John Godina, Adam Nelson, John Davis

Discus: Adam Setliff, John Godina, Andrew Bloom

Hammer: Kevin McMahon

Javelin: Breaux Greer, Tom Pukstys

Decathlon: Kip Janvrin, Phil McMullen, Bryan Clay

4x100m relay pool (subject to change): Maurice Greene, Bernard Williams, Curtis Johnson, J.J. Johnson, Tim Montgomery, Dennis Mitchell, Jonathan Carter, Jon Drummond, Mickey Grimes

4x400m relay pool (subject to change): Antonio Pettigrew, Leonard Byrd, Jerome Young, Derrick Brew, Andrew Pierce, Thomas Gerding, Geno White, Angelo Taylor.

WOMEN

100m: Chryste Gaines, Kelli White, Angela Williams, Marion Jones

200m: Marion Jones, LaTasha Jenkins, Kelli White, Inger Miller

400m: Michele Collins, Monique Hennagan, Demetria Washington

800m: Regina Jacobs, Hazel Clark

1500m: Regina Jacobs, Suzy Favor Hamilton, Sarah Schwald

5000m: Marla Runyan, Elva Dryer, Amy Rudolph

10,000m: Deena Drossin, Jen Rhines

Marathon: Jill Gaitenby, Jennifer Tonkin, Michelle Simonaitis, Rachel Cook, Beth Whitney

100m Hurdles: Gail Devers, Jenny Adams, Anjanette Kirkland, Donica Merriman

400m Hurdles: Sandra Glover, Tonja Buford-Bailey, Brenda Taylor

20K Walk: Michelle Rohl, Jill Zenner, Debbi Lawrence

High Jump: Amy Acuff, Erin Aldrich

Pole Vault: Stacy Dragila, Alicia Warlick, Mary Sauer, Tracy O’Hara

Long Jump: Jenny Adams

Triple Jump: Tiombe Hurd, Yuliana Perez

Shot Put: Seilala Sua

Discus: Seilala Sua, Suzy Powell, Kris Kuehl

Hammer: Dawn Ellerbe, Anna Norgren, Melissa Price

Heptathlon: DeDee Nathan, Shelia Burrell

4x100m relay (subject to change): Chryste Gaines, Inger Miller, Angela Williams, Kelli White, Torri Edwards, Brianna Glenn, any USA team member.

4x400m relay (subject to change): Jearl Miles-Clark, Monique Hennagan, Michele Collins, Demetria Washington, Miki Barber, Me’Lisa Barber, Suziann Reid, any USA team member.