Team USA Wednesday morning quotes from Helsinki

Allen Johnson, 110m hurdles

The only thing I changed technically during the race was to make sure

I was running forward. I felt like I was about to go backwards. It

was a really, really strong headwind, especially between hurdles 2

and 3. I felt like I wasn't going to make it to the next hurdle. I

have never run with a wind like that.

I'm not a big, powerful guy, and if we have rounds like this with

this kind of a wind, it will change the complexion of the race.

Terrance Trammell, 110 hurdles

Everyone has to compete in it. There's no need to complain about it.

I'm feeling good about how things are going. My goal is to make it

through safely. That's what I did. I'm pretty sure tomorrow things

will be more intense. I feel like I'm prepared to run well.

(Hurdle 8)

I think I might have either collapsed going into it or just got a

little lazy with my trail leg. It's the first round. We'll go back,

work on a couple of things and get it ready for the semis.

It was kind of tough, but everybody had to do it. There's no need to

complain. I'm grateful I made it through.

Dominique Arnold, 110 hurdles

We came here with the same plan, and that's to get onto the podium.

Today was a good day. All I wanted to do was to get through the

round.

The weather was like Pullman (Arnold attended Washington State

University), but it was the same for everyone and we all had to deal

with it. No one was doing anything out of this world. People were

ready to run fast if need be.

I stayed down a little bit, but the wind helped us slow down because

no one wanted to run particularly fast.

Joel Brown, 110 high hurdles

Over the first hurdles, the wind came so strong I thought I was going

to fall. I was kind of out of rhythm. I surged and I made it through.

Hopefully, the weather will be better tomorrow. This has been a good

experience. I have been here since the first day. The people here are

very lovely people. I've really enjoyed it. Now my goal is to make it

to the finals, and we'll see what happens.

Walter Davis, triple jump

I had a plan and I worked it my plan. My plan going in was to take one

jump and then save the rest for tomorrow. I didn't want to jump

nothing far today. I want to save it for tomorrow. I just wanted to

take it easy. I got 17.08 on my first one. That got in. I'm now going

to get ready for tomorrow. It wasn't that cold. It was all right. It

was a little windy. It's nothing that I haven't been through before.

I'm not used to it, but I've been it before. It was a good thing the

wind wasn't too strong. I got jammed up at the board. I had to adjust

my run. If I had gone 17.00, I would have been satisfied. I didn't

want to use my energy in the prelims.

LaTasha Colander, 200 meters

I'm really glad to be on the track now. We've been waiting. First

round was good...glad to make it to the semifinals.

Allyson Felix, 200 meters

The weather was a little bit of a factor. I tried not to let it

affect me too much.

Rachelle Boone-Smith, 200 meters

The weather cleared up a lot from yesterday and this morning. The

rain was coming down hard. It's tough to run (with the head wind in

your face), but it's what you do with it. Today was another smooth

day. They take the top three to the next round. You have to bring it

home each and make it to the next round. It was a good race. I'm

running tomorrow. Sprinters love 90-degree weather. But with this

type of weather, you do what you do and move to the next round.

Kenta Bell, triple jump

The wind wasn't a big deal to me. The wind wasn't that big of a

factor. Everyone had to deal with it. I'll take a tail wind over a

head wind any day of the week. Honestly, I wasn't worried going into

the final jump. After the first jump, I knew I was in great shape. It

was a small foul. Strategy wise was to go out on the second one as

hard as I can, then come back on the third one, taper back and I knew

I would be close if I can back from what I did on the second one.

Then I'd be in good place to hit one. You always want to have it on

the first jump. The three jumps were good for me. They gave me a

chance to feel the runway.

Sandra Glover, 400 hurdles

(My strategy was) stick to the game plan and don't change anything.

My main focus was making sure I hit my rhythm, and not to do anything

different. From a technical standpoint, I thought I ran a very good

race. Once I got to hurdle 7, I said, "kick it in".

Shauna Smith, 400 hurdles

That was the goal today, top 4 in the heat. It wasn't a great race,

but I got it done. I've run races in these types of conditions

before, but not under these circumstances.

I've been struggling to find my rhythm in the hurdles. Hopefully it

will come tomorrow, and I can qualify for the finals. I started

struggling around hurdle 3. The wind threw me off, and I was

struggling to make up what I had lost.

John Capel, Men's 200 meters

It was great out there. We finally got some decent conditions. I

just want to let people know that I haven't given up yet. I still see

myself as the underdog. We'll see what happens in the final.

Bethany Hart, women's hammer

It wasn't bad out there. I just didn't have my best day out there. It was a learning experience and that's what I'm taking away from this. I learned you can't think out there. You just got go in and do what you have been doing all season. The weather doesn't really bother me. I'm from Connecticut. I used to training in this weather more months out of this year than not.

Amber Campbell, women's hammer

The weather wasn't a problem for me. I just couldn't get my legs into it. The weather wasn't a problem. No excuses. I just didn't get it done.

Erin Gilreath, women's hammer

I'm happy with things. Obviously, the conditions weren't really ideal. But you had to take advantage of it. I did the best I could. I've been saying all year that I just want to do better than last year at the Olympics. It's tough to stay warm.

For more information on Team USA at the 2005 World Outdoor Track & Field Championships, visit www.usatf.org