Team Usa's Women's Track and Field for 2008 Olympics: a Backgrounder

  
100, 200 meters | Allyson FelixHigh jump | Amy Acuff
A Two-time world champion in the outdoors for theWon her first U.S. championship in 1995 and still is
200 meter-dash.among the best in the world. A three-time Olympian
She had the biggest margin of victory ever in Worldand the reigning U.S. champion, she finished fourth in
Championships 200-meter final (2007).the 2004 Athens Games. Competed for UCLA.
She was the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the 200 
meters. 
Has run a 10.93second 100m. this season.Long jump | Brittney Reese
 NCAA champion in 2008
 NCAA champion in 2007
400 meters | Sanya RichardsNamed Southeastern Conference women's field
She is the 2006 IAAF world athlete of the yearathlete of the year.
A three-time U.S. champion outdoorsSecond at the 2007 U.S. Championships
A 2004 Olympic gold medalist on the 4x400 relayRanked eighth at the World Championships.
team. 
She competed at University of Texas. 
 Triple jump | Erica McClain
 She has won seven Pacific-10 Conference titles in
800 meters | Alysia Johnsoneither the long or triple jumps, including both events
She just completed her college eligibility for Californiaat the 2008 Pac-10 meet.
at the NCAA championshipsShe has won the 2005 U.S. triple jump championship
She is the reigning U.S. outdoor champion.as a Stanford freshman.
Her winning time of 1:59.29 at the 2007 NCAA meetThird at the U.S. championships outdoors last season.
is the 3rd fastest in college history. 
  
 Pole vault | Jenn Stuczynski
1,500 meters | Treniere ClementA U.S. Record-holder
Has won three successive U.S. outdoor championshipsShe reset her own record last month at 16- 3/4.
in the 1,500She has won three consecutive U.S. outdoor
She was the 2006 U.S. indoor 1,500 championchampionships
A sub-2-minute 800 runner.She has won three of the last four national
She competed for Georgetown.championships indoors.
  
  
5,000 meters | Lauren FleshmanShot | Kristin Heaston
The 2006 U.S. ChampionshipThree-time U.S. champion outdoors and 2004
A three-time NCAA champion for Stanford.Olympian.
She is trained by Oregon Coach Vin Lananna.She was the first thrower in the qualifying round in
 the 2004 Games at Ancient Olympia
 The first woman to compete there in an Olympiad
10,000 meters | Kara Goucher 
Became the first U.S. woman to medal at the World 
Championships in the 10,000 by taking the bronze inDiscus | Suzy Powell-Roos
2007.U.S. Record-holder
Was second in the 5,000 at the 2006 nationalsShe broke a mark that had stood for 21 years by
Second Placer in the 10,000 at last year's U.S.throwing 222-0 last year.
championships.The reigning U.S. Champion
She is trained by Coach Alberto SalazarA two-time Olympian.
 She finished eighth at last year's World Championships
  
Steeplechase | Jennifer Barringer 
The reigning U.S. champion after winning last seasonHammer | Brittany Riley
in 9:34.64, then the second-fastest time by a U.S.Reigning U.S. Champion
woman.The 2007 runner-up at the NCAA championships
2008 NCAA champion for University of Colorado.She was the 2005 U.S. junior champion.
  
  
100 hurdles | Lolo JonesJavelin | Dana Pounds
A two-time reigning U.S. indoor 60-meter championBeat U.S. record-holder Kim Kreiner to win the 2007
and 2008 world indoor champion.U.S. Championship
She placed third in the 2007 U.S. championshipsShe was a runner-up in 2006
outdoorsShe was a runner-up in 2005
She placed sixth at last year's World ChampionshipsShe won back-to-back NCAA titles for the Air Force
outdoors.Academy in 2006
Was a three-time national championShe won back-to-back NCAA titles for the Air Force
Was an 11-time All-American for Louisiana State.Academy in 2005
 Sixth at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials.
  
  
400 hurdles | Tiffany Ross-WilliamsHeptathlon | Jacquelyn Johnson
The reigning U.S. ChampionShe won her fourth consecutive Pac-10 heptathlon
Winner of the 2007 Visa Championship Series.championship last month for Arizona State, scoring
Ranked sixth in the world in 2007 by Track & Fieldmeet-record 6,307 points.
News.She was fifth at the 2007 U.S. championships while a
 college junior.