Three-time Olympian Allen Johnson will participate in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games as captain of the USA Track & Field Team.

Elected by a vote of the 82 U.S. athletes on hand at team training camp on the Greek island of Crete, the 33-year-old Johnson (Irmo, S.C.) is the 1996 Olympic gold medalist in the 110-meter hurdles and is the only four-time world champion in his event. The American record holder in the hurdles, Johnson is a consummate team player who in 1997 received the Jesse Owens Award as the top male track & field athlete. That year, he won the world championship in the hurdles and volunteered to run in the 4x400-meter relay when injuries forced other athletes out of the semifinal round. His efforts helped the team qualify for the final, where they won a gold medal.

Known for his professionalism and class, Johnson is admired by his teammates, coaches, and the media for the way he handles himself. In 2004 he received the Track & Field Writers Association's Sam Skinner Award in recognition of his cooperativeness with the press. As gracious in victory as he is in defeat, Johnson in Athens will attempt to avenge his fourth-place finish at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, where he competed with an injured hamstring.