Posted: August 24, 2004

Athletics: Monday Team USA athlete quotes

MEN'S 400M FINAL

Otis Harris (Columbia, S.C.), silver medalist

"It was definitely my goal to win a gold medal, but if anyone was going to beat me, I'm glad it was one of my USA members."

"It was definitely a race down the stretch, I wanted a gold medal, he wanted a gold medal, he wound up winning and it's just a blessing for me to be here and be one of the top athletes in the world."

"Race has nothing to do with it. I'm so glad when people take down stereotypes, that's one of the most important things in athletics and our attitude in our country, and that's what Jeremy's doing."

Derrick Brew (Raleigh, N.C.), bronze medalist

"It was definitely a goal to win the gold medal. If anybody was going to beat me, I'm glad it was one of my USA teammates. This race meant everything to me. My jaw tightened up at the end. It wasn't a smile."

Jeremy Wariner (Grand Prairie, Texas), gold medalist

"It means a lot. We all thought we could go 1-2-3, we did our best we fought hard, and we all came out on top right now."

"It hasn't sunk in yet. I've got the 4x400 to concentrate on. This will probably hit me in a couple of days."

"I talked to [Michael Johnson] right after the race he was excited, he really couldn't say much because it's so exciting right now and he'd probably talk to me in a couple of days."

"We were just out there to do what we do every week. We don't like to celebrate that much but we knew in our heads and our minds that we were really excited for each other."

"We talked about going 1-2-3, we knew we could but, we knew we had to run our own races out there."

Clyde Hart (Wariner's coach)

"It was a perfectly executed race. His 200 split was exactly what we wanted (21.3), he waited to make his move like he wanted, and he brought it home like he wanted. That's one of his great attributes - he's got a clock in his head."

On the pressure of dealing with the Olympic Games for a 20-year-old:

"That was my biggest concern coming in, but he did extremely well. I was more worried about it that he was."

On Wariner breaking Michael Johnson's Baylor University school record:

"That's the first thing he said to me: 'I got the school record.'"

On the race plan:

"I said run it just like you did at the U.S. Trials and you'll win. And he did."

WOMEN'S 800 FINAL

Jearl Miles-Clark (Knoxville, Tenn.), 6th in 1:57.27: "It went well until the last seven meters. I wanted to make it an honest fast race. If no one wanted to take it out, I would. I ran hard. I tried the gold medal, but I got bumped about eight meters. Those are the breaks. It may be last one and I wanted to go out with a bang. I didn't get the medal, but I'm not going to cry about it. I ran hard."

WOMEN'S 100 HURDLES SEMIFINAL ROUND

Melissa Morrison (Columbia, S.C.), second in semifinal heat one (12.53 equaling a personal best): "I had an awesome race. My start was a little shaky. I probably took two steps in place. I had some ground to make up and I did. I made it into the finals and that is all that matters where I am going to let it all hang out."

Joanna Hayes (Los Angeles, Calif.) first in semifinal heat two with top overall qualifying time of 12.48 for personal best: "My start was awful because I didn't run at the gun. I felt somebody beside me start faster. I told myself 'relax and with every hurdle pick up speed and get back to where you should be.' I didn't want to panic. I feel great and confident going into the finals. I am going to work on my start for tomorrow. It is going to be a very fast final. I have some good competitors, but I am feeling confident and I can get on that stand."

MEN'S 400 HURDLES ROUND 1

James Carter (Hampton, Va.), 2004 world leader who won heat three (48.64): "I am in the best shape of my life. I just ran an easy 48 seconds out of lane eight with nobody in front of me. I am feeling well.

"I was waiting impatiently to get that first one out of the way. I just had to stay within my race because I know what I am capable doing. I am a veteran.

(On reigning world champion Felix Sanchez listing Carter as his top challenger): "He needs to worry a lot more than me. He is the one with the target on his back. But that is a compliment. He is a two-time world champion and I am still trying to get my medal

Everyone is a contender. Angelo Taylor is the defending Olympic gold medallist."

Angelo Taylor (Decatur, Ga.), winner of heat one (48.79): "This is what I show up for ...the big meets. I was ready to run. The last 100 I wanted to stay relaxed. I was very pleased about the first round. If you come off the tenth hurdle anywhere near me, I am going to beat you to the line. I just turned it up just a little bit. I kept my composure and I am ready for semifinal."

(On running in lane 8): "Lanes don't matter me. I just come to show up and compete. Everybody runs the same distance. When I step on the track, I come to compete. Just because I might have a so-called bad lane, I'm not going to give the race away. The first round was very easy. I feel very confident.

Bennie Brazell (Baton Rouge, La.), second in heat two (48.57): "I'm happy with my race. I felt good. I'm a champion. My technique was good and I was satisfied with my start."

MEN'S DISCUS FINAL

Casey Malone (Fort Collins, Colo.), seventh (64.34m/211-0): "It wasn't spectacular, but I'm definitely pleased. I felt like I had a pretty consistent series. It's not like I had one big throw and the rest were terrible. The way I felt out there was the most important thing. If I go out there and I don't have any control of what I'm doing then I'm disappointed in my throwing. I kind of got better toward the end. It was a learning experience. I wanted to take advantage of the last three throws. I wanted to take advantage of the gift I was given of the last three throws. It's hard not to think medal. I was thinking if I really could catch one, then maybe. When I was finished I sat and soaked it all in. I said "why should I be in a hurry to leave'"

DECATHLON AFTER FIRST DAY OF COMPETITION

Bryan Clay (Azusa, Calif.), second with 3,702 points: "I would have liked to have high jumped a little higher, but the only one I feel like I missed on was the quarter tonight. We had some confusion on which heat I would be in. I thought I would be in three. The next thing I knew I was in heat two. I got about a stride to warm up. I feel good, but my leg locked up. I have to live with it and show up tomorrow and have a better day."

Tom Pappas (Knoxville, Tenn.), sixth with 3,504 points: " I didn't make my mark and I am really disappointed. I really thought that my training has put me in the best shape of my life, but that is just the way it goes. It is hard to put together.

"For some reason I have been struggling in the long jump and high jump and I don't have an answer for it. I will hope for the best tomorrow and keep my head in the game. The decathlon is a strange event and anything can happen. I am not going to worry about the guys in front of me. I have to try to dig myself out of a whole. I am a little banged up but it is not an excuse for my performance. I felt good in the high jump and the long jump. I don't have the confidence right now. Confidence is a big, big thing for me right now. I have been doing this long enough and I felt really good coming into the meet."

Paul Terek (Livonia, Mich.), 18th with 3,225 points: "I think have done okay, but the 400 was really bad for me. There was some confusion about warm up and what heats we would be in. It is disappointing, but I have the long jump coming up and I have to get ready for that."

"It's a learning experience. It's really disappointing for me. My family is here. The support back home has been great. I wanted to come here and do better. I wanted to give them a present, but it didn't work out that way."

WOMEN'S 200 SEMIFINALS

La Shauntea Moore, (Albuquerque, N.M.), 4th in heat one (22.96) : I want to run again so bad because I trained so hard to be here. A lot of people were telling me I had a good chance to run this race. Last night, I tried to go to be early. But 10 o'clock is early for me. I was nervous. I woke up about 6:30 and I still was nervous. I've been nervous all day. I tried to hit my start and I did. The end of my turn was shaky. I felt good on the straightway. I'm always very confident."

Muna Lee (Baton Rouge, La.), 1st in heat two (22.74)

"That was a nice run. It was an easy run. I had a lot of power at the end of my race so I must be doing something right."

"I think the first race I ran was more getting the feeling of the track and knowing what I have to do and trying to put it together. This time I knew exactly how it felt on the first one so I tried not to do that. I just didn't worry about everybody else."

"I could feel someone over there so I didn't know if I wanted to kick or just stay where I am. But I kind of wanted to win so I just kicked on out."

"I love the atmosphere, I love the people. It's so funny because I'm not used to it, it's my first big meet like this. I like the way they are all so excited to see us run and compete.

Allyson Felix (Santa Clarita, Calif.) 1st in heat three (22:69)

"I feel good. I was just trying to qualify and not use too much energy. It is amazing being here at my first Olympics. I'm just trying to take it all in. I know what my goals are. I would like to have a personal record in the finals and that might be good enough for a medal. I am just trying to be patient. Lauryn in great. We have been on the same team and she is an inspiration. We are trying to bring a new wave here and a positive feel track. We are just trying to do the best we can here. We are just so eager and have so much passion."