Christian Cantwell, the 2004 world indoor shot put champion and the world's top thrower outdoors in 2004, on Wednesday spoke with the media via a national USATF teleconference. Cantwell won the Home Depot Invitational, the first stop on USA Track & Field's 2004 Golden Spike Tour, last Saturday. He will compete Monday at the Payton Jordan U.S. Open in Stanford, Calif.

Below are excerpts from Wednesday's teleconference. A full digital audio replay will be available at www.usatf.org. For a bio of Cantwell, visit the Athlete Bios section of www.usatf.org.

Q: Did you expect to have this kind of success so early in the season?

A: I did, but the way the weather in Missouri has been kind of tough. Home Depot was only my third meet of the outdoor season. Not being able to practice and train like we normally do was kind of difficult. But I knew I was ready to do something good. I was just hoping it would happen.

Q: What was the breakthrough for you?

A: There really isn't any breakthrough. We've done everything the same way we've done the last couple years. Train hard, and lift hard. It's a progression. Anybody who knows me and sees me every day knows this isn't a big surprise.

Q: What do you think about the Olympic shot put competition being held at Olympia?

A: That seems to be a hot topic now. I'm just going into it thinking, it's a great experience, but you can't let it consume you. The ring is still 7 feet, the ball is 16 pounds. I won't be thinking about it much before, but definitely afterwards. It was cool at first, but we've put that behind us.

Q: Do you have a sense of what you're ready to do at the U.S. Open this Monday?

A: Coming into it, I was pretty confident. It's been raining all week here, so I haven't been able to get in the ring, but I've been lifting really hard. I can see 22 meters, but 22.35, I don't know. It could happen. Obviously I want to have a good series. I haven't even begun to peak yet, so when we start backing off here the next few weeks, good things will be happening.

Q: People say the Olympic Trials are as nerve-wracking as the Olympics themselves.

A: There are a few events in track and field where they the Olympics are the Olympic Trials for some people. The sprints, the shot put definitely. Four or five of the top 10 throwers in the world are in America. Some people who could medal will be left home. I'm treating it as the Olympic Games. I'm going in there to put out my best throw of the year. We're peaking for it.

Q: How do you address the drug issues that exist right now?

A: Everybody in the shot put right now is clean. We're doing our part to try to take a clean team to Athens. You've got to trust that USADA and WADA are doing their job. I know they're here in Columbia, Missouri. [Regarding BALCO]: It's not something I really worry about, because it's not going to affect me. It [catching cheaters] will make our sport better.

Q: For a guy your size using the spin technique, are their any particular challenges?

A: Three years ago, four years ago I had a hard time staying in the ring. When you're tall and you have a lot of weight moving in one direction, it doesn't want to stop. I had to make some changes to my technique.

Q: What's going on in Eldon, Mo? (Cantwell's hometown.) How big is it, and how big are you in it?

A: It's a little over 4,000 people, down by Lake of the Ozarks. I was there just two weeks ago for Mother's Day. My mom says she can hardly go out to the store without people wanting to talk for 20 minutes [about Cantwell]. She said they're going to have Christian Cantwell Appreciation Day coming up pretty soon. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that, but it's an honor just to hear somebody say that.

Q: What explains the improvement from last year to this year?

A: If you go back to 2002, I hurt my hand throwing. That injury was with me until late last year. I did throw almost 71 feet injured last year. Not being injured, and not having to worry about that has been important. Had I not been injured, I think you would have seen some of these things happening last year.

Q: What was the injury?

A: The tendon sheath around my ring finger ... wouldn't let the tendon slide through there. We were going to have surgery this summer to correct it, but it must have torn loose, because it hasn't hurt since then.

Q: Did I read that you have a brother named Chris?

A: My closest brother in age is Christopher. My mom must like C names. I get that question all the time. When I was younger, if I'd get called to the principal's office, they would call for Chris Cantwell. All my teachers wanted to call me that, but I wouldn't let them. My name is Christian.

Q: Do you consider yourself the favorite for Athens?

A: I don't see why I wouldn't. I was hoping to be the favorite for the world championships last year, but I didn't get to go. Any time I go into a competition, I consider myself the favorite. I compete well, and my confidence is through the roof.

Q: Do you interact with other people on the American team, or do shot putters pretty much hang out with each other?

A: We hang out with everybody. Shot putters are pretty easygoing guys. I have lots of friends in track & field. I hang out with several pole vaulters, middle-distance runners. There's a general friendship among each other.

Q: As a young, aspiring thrower, you must have looked up to some of the guys you are now competing against and beating regularly. What's that like for you?

A: In high school, John Godina was my favorite. I remember getting Track & Field News, looking at his pictures and seeing his results. I remember the first time I competed against him, I thought, how does he do it, how does he make it go so far? John, I think he's the best in the world, maybe the best ever. Even though I beat him, I still feel I'm not as good as him. Having the chance to meet him, see him and hang out with him has been a treat. I get to see he's not just a great athlete, he's a great person, too.

Q: What do you think about Reese Hoffa?

A: He's been a real joy for me to be around. Just to see somebody who has kept at it, kept working to achieve this level- -I have the utmost respect. There's no telling what they guy will do. He never ceases to surprise me.