Saturday evening session quotes

WOMEN'S 100M FINAL

Lauryn Williams (Miami, Fla.), silver medal, 10.93: "It felt great. I'm a silver medallist!

On seeing her family in the stands: "They were going crazy. I'm so glad they're here, because my dad missed the first two rounds. I want to thank everybody back home who helped get my family here."

On waiting for the result, to find out whether she was second or third: "My stomach was doing more than cartwheels and butterflies. I wanted the silver medal, not the bronze. I really tried to run my heart out. I had a great start, and prior to the last 5 to 10 meters, I thought I was in there for gold. I couldn't see her [Nesterenko]. The only thing I regret about the race is I wish she had been next to me. I don't know if it would have made a difference, but I would have known she was there."

On her future: "I'm very excited about my future. I'm going to go home and celebrate my 21st birthday on September 11."

On her lean at the finish: "I felt Veronica [Campbell] on my shoulder. I didn't want to be third by a hair. It worked for me."

LaTasha Colander (Garner, N.C.), 8th, 11.16: "It's not what I wanted, but I made a valiant effort. I made the final in an individual event, now I can come back in the relay. We're very confident. We have an excellent squad."

On her race: "I got out of the blocks really slow, then I had to pick it up in the first 30 meters to get back in the race."

On Williams' race: "It was awesome. I think we should promote our youth and back her up.

WOMEN'S 100M SEMIFINAL

Gail Devers (Duluth, Ga.), 7th in semifinal 1 (11.22):"I got out well the first 40 meters, then I went long [reaching long in her stride rather than having quick turnover].

On the wrap on her left calf: "I had a setback six days ago, training for the hurdles in Atlanta. Had I not had that setback, I would have been able to work on the last part of my race. But had it not happened then, it would have happened here and would have pulled me out of the Games. I had eight rounds [in the 100 and 100m hurdles] coming into these Games, that was my goal. Maybe that one extra race I won't be running will be a blessing." NOTE: Devers declined to identify her exact injury.

"I've been in this sport 21 years, and as long as I have the will, I'll continue on. I don't have anything to prove to anyone. Not even to myself. All I have to prove is I'm 37 years old, and I still have the will to run."

WOMEN'S POLE VAULT QUALIFYING ROUND

Stacy Dragila (Phoenix, Ariz.), 4.30m/14-1 1/4 dnq: "I didn't make it. I blew my shot.

Asked about an injury: "I had a little bit of an Achilles problem since the Trials, and I haven't been able to jump much. But tonight I felt great. I took my warm-up jump at the track, and I didn't feel anything."

On struggling with her takeoff: "I didn't know what to do. Either I was going to move back and risk falling or rush under it.

On how her Achilles problems affected her preparations: "I need to jump. I'm a jumper. I was unable to do a lot of that. I've been on painkillers and (trainers) have been good to me. I've been doing a lot of walking drills. I thought, 'I can do this. I can pole vault.' But I couldn't pole vault tonight. This is something I should be able to do in my sleep. This is what I come in at a local meet. It's going to be a great final. I just won't be a part of it."

MEN'S 100 ROUND TWO

Justin Gatlin (Raleigh, N.C.), 1st in heat 3 (9.96)

Is the track that fast? Or are you sending a message?: "A little bit of both. I feel like I'm running on air out there I moved strongly through my race. First race I worked on my middle part. This time I worked on my end. I just pulled away from the field, it felt great, I felt strong."

On making it to the finals: "I don't think it's going to be that tough. The smart ones are going to get in the finals. You've got to know what you're going to do through the rounds and you're going to be in the finals."

Will there be a world record set: "I think so, I really do. If not me then somebody else will. My training partner Shawn is running really well. I know his race felt easy and my race felt easy too."

"I think I can shave off a lot after that race. I didn't start to strong in the beginning but I came on hard at the end. I'll do my best of course. My best is a gold medal."

Shawn Crawford (Raleigh, N.C.), 1st in heat 2 (9.89)

"I felt my start was better than it usually is. I went out and sent the message that I wanted to send. My coach will evaluate what I need to do tomorrow and the next two rounds to drop down there (time) again. I feel good, I feel good, I just have to perform two more times in the 100."

"I was happy for Justin (Gatlin) he's my friend."

Maurice Greene (Granada Hills, Calif.), 1st in heat 5 (9.93)

On what his fast time in qualifying means: "I don't have my gold medal yet, so it doesn't mean anything. It just means I make it to the next round. The time is ok, you do what you have to do."

On how he feels: "I feel great. We're going to have a party tomorrow. Everybody's invited...I'm buying."

On being beaten by Asafa Powell this summer: "That doesn't mean anything. What happened earlier this year, what happened now? It doesn't mean anything."

On running such fast times in qualifying: "We've got 24 hours to recover. I know me; I train harder than just one hard race a day. If you can't recover in 24 hours, something's wrong with you."

MEN'S 400 SEMIFINALS

Jeremy Wariner (Grand Prairie, Texas), 1st in semifinal 1 (44.87) - "I had a bad start, but I made up for it in the first 200, so I ran a pretty smart race tonight - I think a bit better than the day before.

What were you working on today? "I was working on getting out the way my coach wanted me too and I was working the turns. I did that pretty well today. I've got a day off tomorrow to rest and get my legs back under me for the final on Monday."

"Every heat is tough right now - you can't count anybody out right now so all three heats are going to be real strong."

Is youth an advantage? "There is no advantage or disadvantage, there's just your ability. Both coach Hart and Michael Johnson have been both great to me today. They both have been teaching me what I need to learn as I prepare for the Olympics because they've both been in this position, so it helps to have both of them out there for me."

On Michael Johnson: "He (Michael Johnson) was up at the village with us today and he just told me what I needed to do. He watched my race in Munich two weeks ago and said that I ran that perfect and said that I needed to do that today."

Do you consider yourself a favorite: "Anyone is a favorite, everyone is running really fast right now."

Otis Harris (Columbia, S.C.), 2nd in semifinal 3 (44.99)

On his race: "It was great. Everything I expected. It was hot, a lot of competition, these are the greatest athletes in the world and you're going to have to come out with your best every race and that's what I did."

On his strong finishing kick: "That's been the thing my whole career. I can't explain it; it's just there when I call for it. I felt all the athletes on my right and on my left but I knew I have a strong kick but I just do what I naturally do. I pressed forward."

What about an American sweep in the final? "That's definitely a possibility, I don't want to say it's going to happen but the athletes talent and hard work and results are showing for themselves. It's going to be great, it's going to be just like the trials all over again, only hopefully this time I'll get first."

Derrick Brew (Raleigh, N.C.), 1st in semifinal 2 (45.05)

"I felt good and controlled the race. I wasn't worried about my time. I just wanted to advance to the finals and go for the gold. I ran the heat like yesterday. I have one more round. This is the final, which I've been waiting for all year.

"I changed coaches this year and am working with Antonio Pettigrew (2000 4x400 relay gold medallist) who is a veteran in this race and it has worked out good for me the whole year.

WOMEN'S 800 SEMIFINALS

Nicole Teter (Palo Alto, Calif.), 4th in semifinal 2 (1:59.50): "I made a mistake in my time coming through the first 400. It was too fast for me. I was tight. I didn't go soon enough off the corner the last 200. I'm disappointed."

Jearl Miles Clark (Knoxville, Tenn.), 3rd in 1st semifinal (1:58.71q): "I felt good, but I lost focus - it's not a good time to loose focus. The pace was really good and I felt comfortable. My plan was to take it out and make it an honest race. I did that. I got jumped in the last 200 and got boxed."

MEN'S 3,000 STEEPLECHASE ROUND ONE

Anthony Famiglietti (Knoxville, Tenn.), 8th in heat 3 (8:31.59): (On hitting his left knee): "I took a first step down and I knew it wasn't right, then I took a second step down and I kept wondering how long is this (his knee) going to go.

"I was jumping all the hurdles and landing on this leg and I thought I was going to collapse. But, you know what, it's an Olympic race and I wasn't going to give up for anything. If my leg would have fell off, I would have hopped in."

Robert Gary (Westerville, Ohio), 12th in heat 2 (8:38.01): "My foot (left) has been injured since the Olympic Trials. It's the foot I land on so it was tough to get any spring at all. The water jump was killing me. I dreaded it every time I came around. It was disappointing.

I was hoping to come in here and get something. The heat certainly did make me feel any better. The pace was great. I wanted to run 66, 67 splits all year. That an 8:20 pace which would basically put you in the finals. If my foot could have held up I think I could have done it.

HEPTATHLON DAY TWO

Sheila Burrell (Chula Vista, Calif.), fourth, 6,296 points: (on finishing fourth) "So close, but no cigar. That was pretty intense. I came here expecting to medal and I'm just so thankful to the medical staff at USA Track and Field. This past week since we've been in Crete I've been a high matinence athlete. I competed today with a stress fracture in my foot (right). I didn't want anybody to know - I said I'm going to go for this. I said to my coach, don't ask me if I'm hurt, don't ask me how I'm feeling. I'm just going to go out there and be a soldier."

"I don't even think my coach thought I would do this well. I'm a two-time Olympian and I walk out of here with my head hanging really high, not even hanging. My head is lifted up. I finished fourth place, I wanted to be on that medal stand really bad, but after this, I'll walk out of here a champion."

Tiffany Lott-Hogan (Pleasant Grove, Utah), 20th, 6,066 points: "I started off real strong. The javelin was weak for me today and I was glad to finish the 800. My goal was to finish in the top 10. I was ready go home long before the 800 got started. My tank was dry. I was ready to go home and get some sleep. But I had to try to finish as strong as I could. Mentally, it was very very difficult to get going beside the fact that I don't like the 800."

"I loved this Olympic experience. The crowd was very responsive. I probably have one more year ahead of me.

Michelle Perry (Los Angeles, Calif.), 14th, 6,124 points: "Today wasn't the best day for me. I was consistent as far as my long jump and javelin.

"Physically this is probably one of the hardest heptathlons I have done. I had to battle my body for the last two days because there was always something that wasn't feeling good but I made it through and that was positive. My groin yesterday, my heels, everything you can think of but this is the heptathlon.

"It was a positive experience being in my first Olympic Games and I finished. The Olympic Trials are probably the hardest track meet in the U.S. so for me to make it here says a lot. Sheila (Burrell) helped me through the javelin and I talked to her about the 800 and to bring home the medal."

WOMEN'S TRIPLE JUMP

Tiombe Hurd (Upper Marlboro, Md.): 22nd overall in qualifying 13.98m/45-10 1/2 How do you feel? "Not well at all. I felt really good in the warm-ups and they went well, but unfortunately when it was time to jump, my steps were off and I was stutter stepping to the board, so it really didn't set me up to have a good take-off and I just couldn't jump well."

"I felt really great training here, but when you get to the big day, you've got to make it happen and I didn't make it happen today. I wish I could have had a better performance with my parents in the stands, but it didn't happen."

Yuliana Perez (Fayetteville, Ark.), 28th overall in qualifying 13.62m/44-8 1/4: "It didn't work for me tonight but I got some experience and that was worth it. I'm coming back definitely. I don't give up. I don't fall down. That's just me.

"I've been developing a lot this year. It set me back some but it's going to pay off in the long run. I don't have any control on my new strength now.