INDIANAPOLIS – When USA Track & Field announced its final Team USA roster for the 2003 IAAF World Track & Field Championships, one of the most anticipated pieces of information the public and media were waiting for was the relay pools for the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

The relays at any track meet, from the local to the World Championship and Olympic levels, are some of the most crowd-pleasing and hyped events on the track as a largely individual sport takes on its purest expression of team competition. The 9th edition of the IAAF World Championships August 23-31 in Paris will be no different.

• Team USA’s men, in particular, have dominated the relay events on the World Championships. In the previous eight editions of the meet, Team USA has won gold medals six times in each of the two relays.

• In the 4x100m, the only color of medal the U.S. has ever won is gold, in 1983, ’87, ’91, ’93, ’99 and 2001. In 1995 and 1997, Canada reigned as the only other country ever to win the 4x100 at the World Championships.

• In the 4x400m, the United States took home gold in ’87, ‘93, ’95, ’97, ’99 and ’01, with the silver in 1991, the year Great Britain won gold. The Soviet Union won the 4x400m relay at the inaugural World Championships in 1983 in Helsinki.

• Not only is the U.S. the best in the world in the relays, but the relays are the strongest events for Team USA. The only events in which the United States has equaled the total of six World Championships gold medals is the men’s 100 (Carl Lewis ‘83, ’97, ’91; Maurice Greene ’97, ’99, 2001) and the 110m hurdles (Greg Foster ‘83, ’87, ’91; Allen Johnson ’95, ’97, ’01)

• The U.S. women also boast the relays as among their strongest events. Team USA has won four gold medals in the 4x100m relay, in 1987, ’95, ’97 and 2001; they won silver in 1993. No other country has one more than once. Other countries winning the 4x100 are East Germany (’83), Jamaica (’91), Russia (’93) and the Bahamas (’99).

• In the 4x400, U.S. women have medaled six times, with two gold medals (’93, ’95), three silver (’91, ’97, ’99) and bronze in 1987. Germans are the biggest women’s 4x400 relay threat, with East Germany winning in 1983 and ’87, and Germany winning in 1997. The Soviet Union won in 1991, with Russia winning in 1999 and Jamaica in 2001.

• Like the men, the relays and hurdles are biggest gold medal-producing events. Matching the 4x100m relay with four gold medals are the 100 meters (Gail Devers ’93, Gwen Torrence ’95, Marion Jones ’97, ’99) and the 100m hurdles (Devers 1993, ’95, ’99; Anjanette Kirkland ’01).

For a full Team USA roster, including relay pools, for the 2003 World Championships, visit the World Championships link at www.usatf.org