EDMONTON - Olympic gold medalist Jearl Miles-Clark was chosen at Thursday night’s USA team meeting to serve as flag bearer for Team USA at Friday’s Opening Ceremonies of the IAAF World Track & Field Championships. Miles-Clark was also chosen women’s team captain, with fellow gold medalist Charles Austin elected men’s team captain.

Miles-Clark, of Gainesville, Fla., is a three-time Olympian, with 4x400m gold medals from the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games and a silver from ‘92. She also owns two gold (1993, ‘95) and three silver medals (1991, ‘97, ’99) in the relay from World Championships. The 1993 World Champion at 400m is a three-time U.S. champion in the event and is a two-time champion in the 800m, a distance in which she owns the American record (1:56.40). Miles-Clark, 34, is in the women’s 4x400m relay pool in Edmonton. The first round of the relay is scheduled for August 11, with the finals on August 12.

The 1996 Olympic high jump champion, Austin, 33, is also a three-time Olympian and former World Champion (1991). The San Marcos, Texas, resident won six U.S. outdoor high jump titles from 1995-2000 and owns the American record (2.40m/7-10.5). Men’s high jump qualifying is Sunday, with finals on Wednesday.

The World Championships began with Opening Ceremonies and the men’s marathon Friday night, with competition continuing through August 12.