In a city known for speed, American athletes will determine thei team for the World Athletics Championships beginning today through Sunday in Indianapolis at the AT&T USA Trac and Field national championships.
The path to Osaka, host of the World Championships on August 25-September 2, leads through Indianapolis, where the top three finishers in each event qualify for the Worlds.
"The US Championships is one of the greatest events in the world," said Pat Henry, the A&M coach who will coach the US men's squad in Osaka.
Already pre-selected for the men's team are Jeremy Wariner of Baylor at 400, Bershawn Jackson in the 400 hurdles, long jumper Dwight Phillips, triple jumper Walter Davis, shot putter Adam Nelson and decathlete Bryan Clay who are all automatically invited to the World Championships as defending champions from the 2005 event in Helsinki.
The women's team for Osaka has three members set: 2005 world champions Allyson Felix at 200, Michelle Perry in the 100 hurdles and long jumper Tianna Madison.
Henry predicts the US squad will be strong in their usual events. "It will be basically like other US teams in the past. We'll be strong in the sprints and the relays, and our hurdlers are a big strength. The shot putters are going to be very good too."
The men's 200 figures to be one of the top US events, where a sub-20-second performance may not be good enough to qualify for Sunday's final.
The field includes Walter Dix (19.69), Wallace Spearmon (19.82), Tyson Gay (19.97), LaShawn Merritt (19.98), Xavier Carter (19.63 last year), Shawn Crawford (19.79 in 2004) and Jordan Vaden (19.98 in 2006).
Crawford is the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, while Gay, Carter and Spearmon were ranked 1-2-3 in that order among the world's best for 2006. Dix is the newly-crowned 100 and 200 US college champion.
Wariner, the reigning world 400 champion, and top-eight 2006 runners Kelly Willie and Rodney Martin are also in the mix. With only eight qualifiers, at least two of the contenders will be watching the final from the stands.
The women's best bets are Felix, Perry, Texas ex Sanya Richards at 400 and Jenn Stuczynski in the pole vault.
The TV schedule from Indy:
Friday, 7-8 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday, 1-2 p.m., NBC
Saturday, 6-7 p.m., ESPN2
Sunday, noon-2 p.m., NBC
Austin times
