2005 World Championships
Helsinki, Finland
Day 2 - Sunday August 7th
US preview

Team USA World Championships preview - Sunday, August 7 events

Sunday, August 7
U.S. TELECAST: 4-5 p.m. Eastern, PAX (check local listings)
U.S. Webcast: www.wcsn.com

FINALS

Women's 20 km race walk final, 11:35 a.m.

U.S. entrants: Teresa Vaill, Joanne Dow

The scoop: The two oldest athletes on Team USA, Vaill, 42, and Dow, 41, use experience to their advantage. Vaill set an American record in winning the 20 km walk on the track at USA Outdoors (1:33:28) and also was the 2004 Olympic Trials champ, while Dow was 24th at World Outdoors in 2003.

Women's heptathlon final

U.S. entrants: Hyleas Fountain, GiGi Miller

The scoop: The long jump, javelin and 800m are contested as the heptathlon wraps up. Fountain and Miller were in 11th (3584) and 12th (3571), respectively after day 1. Fountain's long jump is especially strong, having won the 2004 NCAA title in that event while Miller also is an accomplished jumper.

Men's discus final, 6:40 p.m.

U.S. entrants: Ian Waltz, Jarred Rome

The scoop: Waltz automatically qualified for the final with a toss of 64.30m/210-11, and Rome as the 12th and final qualifier with 62.72m/202-6. Anything goes in the final.

Men's 100m semifinals 7:20 p.m., final, 9:35 p.m.

U.S. entrants: Justin Gatlin, Shawn Crawford, Leonard Scott

The scoop: Gatlin (10.27) and Leonard (10.19) each won their quarterfinal rounds, with Crawford second in his quarterfinal (10.25) on Saturday. All eyes are on the Americans for today's semifinal and final, and Team USA seeks to reclaim the gold at the World Championships. The chilly conditions could put a damper on times, but Americans' will to win is what will determine the outcome.

QUALIFYING ROUNDS

Women's discus qualifying, 11:45 a.m., 1:10 p.m.

U.S. entrants: Becky Breisch, Aretha Thurmond, Seilala Sua

The scoop: The 2004 NCAA champ, Breisch won her first U.S. title in 2005 on her last throw. At age 22, she is a World Championships rookie. Thurmond is a two-time U.S. champ ('03, '04) who has won Pan Am Games gold and competed at '03 Worlds and the '04 Olympics. She will try to make her first WCs final here. Four-time U.S. champion Sua is the most experienced on this level. The two-time Olympian was sixth at the 2001 World Outdoor Championships and 10th at the Sydney Games.

Women's 400m 1st round, 11:55 a.m.

U.S. entrants: Sanya Richards, Dee Dee Trotter, Monique Henderson

The scoop: The women's 400 is one of the most competitive events of the meet, but the American women have never looked better. Richards has the fastest time in the world this year (49.28 at USA Outdoors), while Trotter is the fourth-fastest (49.88) woman in the world and Henderson (49.96) fifth-fastest in 2005. Richards is 20, while Trotter and Henderson both are 22; Richards and Trotter both are Olympic finalists. This World Championships could be the start of something big.

Women's pole vault qualifying, 1:30 p.m.

U.S. entrants: Stacy Dragila, Tracy O'Hara, Jillian Schwartz

The scoop: The women's vault has taken off internationally in 2005, and Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia has dominated. But Dragila, who has been coming back from foot injury, is a steely and experienced competitor looking to return to the medal stand, while O'Hara and Schwartz both have jumped over 15 feet.

Men's 3,000m steeplechase heats

U.S. entrants: Daniel Lincoln, Anthony Famiglietti, Steve Slattery

The scoop: Lincoln raced up the all-time U.S. list (3rd performer all-time) with his PR 8:12.65 in Rome, while Famiglietti, the 2001 World University Games gold medalist, has consistently been in the 8:20 range. The 2003 U.S. champ, Slattery set his PR of 8:22.32 at the 2003 Worlds, so he can run fast when it counts.

Women's 100m first round, 12:30 p.m. quarterfinal 6:45 p.m.

U.S. entrants: Lisa Barber, Muna Lee, Lauryn Williams

The scoop: Barber was the top-performing American early in the summer, having won the U.S. title going away. But Lee and Williams are experienced on the Olympic level, with Williams' silver showing her ability to improve throughout the rounds. Her 10.91 in Lausanne is #2 in the world this year. All three should advance.

Women's 800m semifinals, 7:50 p.m.

U.S. entrants: Hazel Clark, Kameisha Bennett, Alice Schmidt

The scoop: Clark won the first heat in Saturday's rounds (2:01.91), while Bennett was third in her heat (2:01.78) and Schmidt second in hers (2:07.10), as all three women advanced to the semifinals. Look for times to dip under 2:00 today.

Men's 400m hurdles semifinals

U.S. entrants: Kerron Clement, Bershawn Jackson, James Carter

The scoop: Clement (48.98), Jackson (49.34) and Carter (49.05) all won their first-round heats on Saturday. Competition intensities today, but all three plan to make the final.