Team USA Monday evening quotes from Helsinki

Chaunte Howard, high jump

I used to try to stay focused. Now relaxing, I realized that I can

still have fun and still smile. Regardless of how everyone does, I'm

still going to do well. The better the whole field does, the better

I'm going to do. Just cheering everyone else on helps the meet.

(On realizing there were just three high jumpers left)

I went "What do you want? Do you want gold or do you want silver?"

Obviously I go for the gold. Whatever was going to happen, happens.

When I made that last height, I felt so happy that I could make the

next height. At Athens, I got 28th place. It's a big difference from

second to 28th. I'm shocked right now. It hasn't sunk in yet. The

greatest thing was that it was a tremendous field out there. The

competition was not lacking in talent. It was a tremendous field. To

be able to rise above and get second I'm extremely pleased about that.

Amy Acuff, women's high jump

I'm really lucky to be here today and to get eighth place. I'm one

wheel short on the cart this season.

It's my take off ankle, a ligament. I thought I could mentally

overcome it. It's affecting my run-up and my take-off, so it's been

frustrating but it'll probably work out for me in the long run to

probably have kind of a down year and come back next year.

I think I would have jumped the same if it was sunny. It's just hard to run.

Lauryn Williams, women's 100

I think my new saying is "silver feels good, but gold feels great."

I think it was a good start and a good finish. I didn't notice the

rain. I was nervous, but it didn't even matter what was going on as

far as the rain.

I think it was a good start and a good finish and that's why I made

it to the finish line first. If I could put the whole race together

every time I'd be a lot better off.

I ran 10.91 in Lausanne. This is the first time I've noticed I had a

good start and a good finish.

I think I needed the rounds. I think the biggest adjustment is that

you come over to Europe and you get one race. We've been trying to

do some different things as far as getting warmed up for just one

race. But getting back into the rounds and having four rounds was a

big plus for me. Going through, working the kinks out, being able to

focus, go through the race -- my coach being able to tell me ' you

did this wrong, try this next time' that sort of thing, I think that

really made a difference.

I'm just getting started. I'm only 21 still. And I'm drinking milk

though so I can probably make it to 5-3. 'Milk does a body good,'

right?

Muna Lee, womens 100

The rain didn't bother me. I was focused. We still ran fast.

Lisa Barber, womens 100

I wasn't satisfied with my race. I'm happy for Lauryn. I didn't

feel the rain at all.

Dee Dee Trotter, women's 400

Today, I definitely went out the way I wanted to. I anticipated

closing stronger, but there was a little bit of wind that prohibited

me from doing what I really wanted to do the last 30 meters, but

everyone has the same wind, so we have to go with that.

I feel like I'll be ready for the finals on Wednesday. Give me a

day's rest, and I will be back.

Monique Henderson, women's 400

Can't say (what's going to happen Wednesday). I am getting better

every round. I'm excited to be in the finals,

Sanya Richards, women's 400

My coach wanted me to execute the first 300, and I didn't want to let

him down. Chaunte (Howard) was rooting for me, and that was

motivating me.

It was really windy in the homestretch. Whatever the weather's gonna

be like on Wednesday, I will be ready to compete in it.

Carrie Messner, 3,000 steeplechase

I came out with a personal record in the preliminary race. I ran

fast. Because there are not too many steeples, we are used to a

prelim/final situation. I did my best. It was hard. There were some

good runners out here. It's nice to get everyone together. I'm happy

that it went as fast as it did. A lot of girls set PRs, so I'm taking

it.

I'd like to think we can get into more steeples over here. I think

people like it. I think it's exciting.

I love the event. Running a 10:10 steeple hurts just as much as a

9;10. It's a hard event, and you're gonna have your ups and downs.

Elizabeth Jackson, 3,000 steeplechase

I talked to my coach and he felt very good about me going out

conservatively. I tried to give myself some room to hurdle. I knew

that if I ran conservative, ran smart, and run good hurdles, I could

catch some people towards the end. We figured some of them were not

used to running a hard trial and final, and may not have been

recovered.

Most of the runners were pretty tired (from the prelims), so I tried

to recover as best as I could. My plan was to move up over the last

three laps. I was trying to stay in contact with the pack ahead of

me and pull them in.

It's awesome to be a part of the first women's steeplechase at the

world championships.

Rob Myers, Men's 1500 meters

I tried to get out good, put myself in good position. I ran in lane

two most of the way and a half mile to go, someone made a hard move.

I tried to cover it, but I felt kind of flat. I just couldn't get

turned over today. I guess it happens.

The weather didn't have anything to do with it. It's been a long

year and, I try to time things just right so you peak at the right

time, but unfortunately I felt kind of flat today.

I learned that I can run fast. I didn't have the greatest showing

here. I proved to myself that I'm capable of running world class.

Chris Lukezic, Men's 1500 meters

I got out there, the last two felt pretty good. I think maybe I went

about 10 meters too early. I got a little impatient. I felt good

heading into the last three. Maybe it was a lack of confidence I

couldn't hold it from that far out. Coming into the last 100 I

thought I had it when I finished. I counted 7 guys in front of me so

I missed it by a spot. I'm pretty bummed. I felt like I was having

a good race, I felt like I'd make it into the final, but it just

didn't happen.

Alan Webb, Men's 1500 meters

I basically wanted to get a feel for it in the first 200. I looked at

the clock at 200 meters and we were at 28 seconds. I felt like we

were slowing. I didn't want it to turn into a 3:40 race which was

the race before. I knew even if I did the same thing as I did in the

prelim, even if I was in seventh place I'd still make it in as long

as we ran faster than the heat before, we would be good. So I just

went for it and nobody came with me. Ramzi passed me with 400 to go.

I tried to stay with him as long as I could, but I'd already been out

front the whole race. That's the way it goes.

I was definitely working that last lap. I tried to cruise as much as

I could running 3:36 pace. Race time decision -- I'm going to get in

there and see how it is, see how I feel and go from there. You have

to keep an open mind. I think I proved I can kick well at USA's and

I'll make the decision when the gun goes off.

Meb Keflezighi, Men's 10,000 km

My quad just tightened up. I've been nursing it since Tuesday. It

just tightened up. I felt like I was going to tear it up so I just

ran off. I tried to get going, trying to loosen it up, but I knew I

was not going to be able to do so.

It got tight a little bit after the workout, we've just been doing

quick stuff, 2-3 hundreds. I've been training normal, it's just been

tight. I've been trying to loosen up, the trainers have been helping

me out.

I was fine for a while, but when I started picking up and was on my

toes, I started feeling it. Probably six or eight laps, I was fine

but after that it wasn't going.

I never dropped out before. This is my first dropped out.

Unfortunately, in 2000 in Edmonton and in Paris I felt like dropping

out because of sickness or other stuff. I was ready for this one, but

I'm pretty disappointed. You just move on to the next one. I

would've loved to finish up here.

Abdi Abdirahman, Men's 10,000 km

The race is one of those races. I just have to take it the way it

is. Nothing went my way today. I tried my best. I don't know. My

workouts have been going well the past couple of days, I thought

things were going to go better. It's one thing to think it, another

to do it. I'm disappointed in the way I ran. I was out there, I

gave it my best, I gave it all I got, I thought I had it today. It

didn't go my way.

I was feeling pretty good. When the tempo picked up, I felt it. I

don't know. Tonight was not my best, I wasn't 100 percent. I felt

like, I kind of felt weak to be honest. I have felt like I have the

last couple of weeks. That's the way it goes.