Wednesday Team USA quotes

WOMEN'S 400 HURDLES FINAL

Sheena Johnson (Los Angeles, Calif.) fourth place (53.83): "I had a good race, I just wasn't good enough today to win it. I couldn't really say that I made any big mistakes. I just ran my best and it wasn't good enough."

(On her lane:) "In lane eight you can't really see anybody, so by the time I did, it was too late. I was running a great race and tightened up a bit in the end."

(On the winner:) "I wasn't really looking at her all year and this past week she came up and started running really well, so I was a little bit surprised. But I don't really pay attention to the other competitors that much."

Brenda Taylor (Chula Vista, Calif.) seventh place (54.97): "I'm usually a really consistent runner. This is the first time I haven't been. It was a bad time for it. I'm not used to being on the inside. I just pushed too hard, I think. I used

too much energy. I was giving 110 percent and getting about 85 back. It's tough, because I came here to be on the medal stand. ... It's awesome being here and it's awesome wearing the USA gear. I wish I ran better."

WOMEN'S JAVELIN QUALIFYING ROUND

Kim Kreiner (Baton Rouge, La.), 51.18m/171-2, did not qualify: "The only thing I can do is look at this as a learning experience and start looking toward Beijing (site of 2008 Olympic Games) immediately. I thought I could perform better than

this, but I didn't expect too much. I've got so much time to improve and I'm certainly going to grow from this."

MEN'S POLE VAULT QUALIFYING ROUND

Tim Mack ( Knoxville, Tenn.) 5.70m (18-8.5q) (about qualifying with teammates) "Awesome, personally it couldn't have gone any better. It went as planned - I had two warm-up jumps and I got through each height pretty much as planned. I had a

little glitch at 18-8, but I think it was a little bit more because the crowd went nuts and I got a little bit excited and my run got a little short.

"I'm pumped that all three Americans got in there because we can go into the final with a little bit more energy within ourselves and that helps when you have a team out there. We're all going to be competing against each other, don't get me

wrong, but we also going to help each other out as much as we can."

Derek Miles (Jonesboro, Ark.) 5.70m/18-8.5q: "I was pretty relieved to get through because our goal was to make it to the finals. It was a little shaky in getting things figured out. But I think now that we made it to the finals were a little

relaxed and we can take this experience forward. I'm excited about Friday. Today was really good as far the experience to take into the finals ...what poles I should be on...how high I should be holding those things.

"After Zurich, I had two poles that got smashed from the competition that I just noticed four days ago. So the two poles that I would actually go to at 18-8 and 19 feet are those two poles. We did some doctoring to them...put a little glue on

them...wrapped them up. It took me a couple attempts to actually inch my way up on to the damaged part of the pole and it still worked okay.

"I was more nervous about what combinations were going to make the pole do what I needed it to do and that was the right combination of grip and speed and take off. Finally after raising my grip it worked out okay.

(About competing during the roaring crowd after Fani Halkia from Greece won women's 400 hurdles): "When the Greek runner won that race and the crowd was going nuts, I told myself were finally at the biggest stage you can get because that was

piercing loud noise was just amazing."

Toby Stevenson (Chula Vista, Calif.), 5.70m/18-8.5 Q: "I missed once at 5.50 and once at 5.60, then I moved my steps back three feet because I was going under, then I hit 5.70 real easy. It was a great jump and I'm in the final now."

(Feelings on being in the Olympics) "You know what, it's incredible when you've got 80,000 people screaming at you from all sides. I feed off the crowd and when I'm playing to 80,000 people, it just amps me up even more."

(About the final) "It took me a while to figure my steps out, but now that I've got that set - I'm ready. I'm in a groove, I'm feeling great and honestly, I've never felt this good."

MEN'S 5,000 QUALIFYING ROUND

Tim Broe (Ann Arbor, Mich.), 6th in heat 2 (13:20.29) qualified for final:

"There were five guys I had highlighted who I knew would be tough to beat and they beat me. And the rest of them? I made my move early and might have put a double in their head. I can't say I felt like million bucks when I crossed the line...that

was pretty much all I had.

"I told everyone that this was my final. Whatever happens in the final is icing on the cake. Obviously I will compete well."

Jonathon Riley (Palo Alto, Calif.), 14th in heat 1, 13:38.79, did not qualify: "I was trying to enjoy the experience but was difficult when I knew I wasn't running as well as I had hoped. The pace wasn't as fast as some other races I've done

this year and I didn't feel particularly well at the slower pace.

"It was about 4:20 and I tried to relax at the pace and I wanted to be more aggressive in the second half of the race. But that pace was tiring me more than expected. That was the frustrating part about four laps into it to feel like I was

already working hard when there was still a lot of the race to go.

"It's frustrating. I've got my coach here, my family's here, I would have liked to have performed better."

MEN'S 800 ROUND ONE

Jonathan Johnson (College Station, Texas) second in heat 3 (1:45.31) qualifying for semifinal round: "It was amazing, there was a lot of people here, I loved the crowd. I haven't raced in a while so, I just wanted to come out and get a good

race in before the semifinals.

"I felt really good. I knew he was going to come and pass me up but this is not the final so I didn't really press to try to beat him or anything, I just wanted to qualify to the next round.

"I feel really good. I just want to take it one day at a time. I got this one out of the way so now I just have to focus on the next race. I'm not going to change a thing. What I've been doing has been working so I'm going to keep on doing what

I've been doing up to this point."

Khadevis Robinson (Santa Monica, Calif.), third in heat 6 (1:45.31) qualifying for semifinal round: "It was a weird race because I feel terrible right now and I don't know why. All year I've run 1:44's and I haven't felt this bad all year, my

legs are burning, I can't catch my breath, I don't know what it is but that's not the reason I didn't run well. The guy snuck in on the inside and there's nothing you can do about that. It's a bad position and he made it work.

"It's the Olympic Games, I was happy to be here, I was excited to be competing in front of everyone it's been a great experience. Those are the things you have to learn, you've got to learn how to relax, and compose yourself and get ready to

attack these races. That's what a lot of guys are able to do and adapt, and I guess some of us haven't realized that yet.

"The pace felt hard, and I wanted to lead coming around 51.5 that was my plan, the guy did it for me and I thought 'perfect' but my body just didn't feel it, to be honest, no excuses."

"I was nervous until I got on the line. I looked at the crowd and I wasn't nervous anymore, it's that simple. I have family and friends watching who have supported me so much. Everything has been great this whole year, the guys just ran well."

Derrick Peterson (Columbia, Mo.) 9th in heat 9 (1:47.60), did not qualify: "Everything went as planned with me but three guys finished in front of me and some of the heats were a lot faster. But that's the draw sometimes, you get picked in heat

8 and you have to sit around and see what happens. I got an opportunity to fulfill a dream and run on the world's biggest athletic stage so I'm not walking out of here with my head hung low.

"I'm not down, some of the runners and folks in our country said I wasn't even supposed to be here so like I said I got a chance to run out here and they're sitting at home. I'm still going to walk out of here, go back home to Columbia,

Missouri and be called Derrick Peterson the Olympian."

WOMEN'S LONG JUMP QUALIFYING ROUND

Marion Jones (Cary, N.C.), 6.70m/21-11.75 Q: "It went very good. I'm excited to have finally got into the stadium. I it's been a number of days of me watching the competition at home, so to finally have walked into the stadium, it was quite a

good feeling. I felt very good on my first jump. I was a little bit of a foul but well over seven meters. I'm just happy to have made the final. Now it's pretty much anybody's game.

"I'm so excited. I really can't wait. I was itching to go today. I finally got out there and I was upset that I only took two jumps. I'm ready to go out there and jump far. I wanted the first jump to be big, and it was, but then on the second

one I just wanted to be safe. Everybody's so accustomed to waiting for me to get to the third jump and then everybody closing their eyes. I didn't want it to get to that so I did a safe, well behind the board the second jump. I'm ready to go.

"I think that my speed has increased. I think it's going to be a very interesting competition on Friday for me."

Grace Upshaw (Menlo Park, Calif.) 6.68m/21-11q: "I was confident, but you can't take anything for granted. I've seen a lot of upsets in the preliminaries."

(On the Olympic scene): "I use it to keep me up in the game - it doesn't intimidate me at all and I can definitely feed off it. I made it into the final and I'm hoping to continue the charge."

Rose Richmond (St. Petersburg, Fla.) 6.46m/21-2.5: "On my first jump, I think I would have had it but I dragged my left foot really bad. So I tried to pick it up but other things went wrong. I guess it's not my time yet.

"There were 19 people in the field so I was use to jumping faster. I needed to stay moving. Oh, well you live and you learn. I just really wanted to make the finals really bad. I know I was capable of doing it. But it wasn't my time. I learned

a lot for next year. I think next year will be a whole different year.

"This is too much fun. I have to do this again. It was a great process getting here. I am definitely coming back in 2008

MEN'S 110 HURDLES ROUND TWO

Allen Johnson (Irmo, S.C.), fell in heat 2: "You always have disappointments. Sydney showed me that. I just have to take this and keep going."

(On hitting the hurdles): "At the first hurdle, I felt I could get myself back together. On the last one, there was nothing I could do. It was going great, then, I don't know, I just went down. I thought I was in control until I hit that

hurdle. I got myself together, but on the last one I hit I went down. Only twice in my career I've fallen. The other time was two years ago in South Africa. Unfortunately, this was at the Olympic Games. There's nothing I can do now but sit and

cheer everyone else on. I'm fairly disappointed, but it happens. I'll be watching the final, unfortunately. There's nothing I can do."

Duane Ross (Garner, N.C.), fourth in heat one (13.50:

"It's a little back pain so I tried not to run too hard after the second hurdle. Then once somebody gets in front of you you don't try to press. I just tried to relax and hopefully my time will get me into the semifinals, it should.

"It's exciting out there. You see that crowd?"

Terrence Trammell (Ellenwood, Ga.), second in round 2 (13.34), qualifying for final: "It was a lot better than the first round. I think I moved my blocks back a little too far. The first round I had them kind of close and I was tentative. That

kind of set up that tentative rhythm throughout the race. This time I wanted to be more explosive out of the blocks. But I set them back just a little too far. I hit my trail leg a couple times but I made it through. It is just a matter of

adjustment and I will be ready for tomorrow.

I feel that I can keep the hopes of the U.S. up for the gold medal. I am ready to step up to the challenge.

MEN'S 200 SEMIFINAL ROUND

Shawn Crawford (Raleigh, N.C.), winner of semifinal 1 (20.05): no comment

Justin Gatlin (Raleigh, N.C.), winner of semifinal 2 (20.35): "I feel all right, I feel pretty good, I just wanted to execute the curve - make sure I had the lead so I would have a good lane in the finals.

"We want to go out there and sweep and that's our goal. They (us teammates in the 400) put on a good show and we want to put on a good show."