Deep vault fields

The first group to get down to business on Friday afternoon will be the pole vaulting men, led this year by Toby Stevenson, whose spectacular 6.00 jump two months ago in Modesto catapulted the helmeted jumper from relative international obscurity to the top place on this year's world list. It will be one of the deepest events of the eight days, with no fewer than seven of the vaulters posting season bests of 5.80 or higher, including Sydney finalist Tim Mack (5.90), the Sydney champion Nick Hysong (5.81) and four-time US champion Jeff Hartwig (5.81), the other US member of the "six-metre club".

The women's vault, which is scheduled near the end of the Trials, is just as prominent as the men's event, perhaps even a bit more, given this year's heated rivalry pitting Stacy Dragila against a pair of Russian jumpers. At various times during the season, each of them has laid claim to history's best-ever outdoor performance. Dragila, with a 4.83 jump this year, will seek a team place to defend the Olympic title she won in Sydney, when women's pole vaulting was added to the programme for the first time. Seven US jumpers have cleared 4.50 or higher this year, with Seville and Sydney finalist Kellie Suttle (4.67), plus Jillian Schwartz (4.60) and Angela Dutoit (4.60), ready to step up if Dragila should encounter problems. No one would realistically deny that this title is Dragila's to lose, however.

Shot - Cantwell's to lose?

For most of the year, one of Sacramento's strongest residents has been California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, but for the first two days of the Trials, the "Terminator" will be obliged to step aside in deference to US shot putters. A relatively new name - Christian Cantwell - leads both the Trials competitors' list as well as the current world list, but the 23- year-old Ozark strongman has already added notably to his resume by winning last winter's World Indoor Championships. Cantwell's 22.54 only a month ago registered him as history's eighth-best thrower, and he clearly is the favourite here. However, the world list is headed by four Americans, all aspiring for Olympic glory. Clustered closely together but well behind Cantwell are three-time world champion and Sydney bronze winner John Godina (21.71), Sydney silver medallist Adam Nelson (21.68) and Reese Hoffa (21.67). There are but three seats to Athens for the four combatants in this shot-put version of "musical chairs".

Phillips ahead of the field

The men's Long Jump is headed by Paris World champion Dwight Phillips, who also leads the season list in that event with an 8.44 in Mexico City in May. After that, the list of Olympic aspirants thins out quickly, due in large measure to the absence of Edmonton silver medallist Savante Stringfellow after foot surgery in late May. NCAA champion John Moffitt, with a wind-aided 8.40 and a legal 8.29, is the only remaining competitor to have exceeded 8.10 this season.

Three events for Jones

Marion Jones was responsible for three of the five individual medals won by US women in Sydney. She is entered in all three events in which she won an individual medal in 2000 - the 100, 200, and Long Jump - and it remains to be seen if the distractions from the "boulevard press" will endanger her chances of gaining a team spot in any of those disciplines.

The 100 metres will be first up for Jones (11.04) on Friday, where she will battle against 20-year-old Lauryn Williams (10.97), the NCAA champion and US list leader. Paris silver medallist Torri Edwards (11.05), the Seville silver medallist Inger Miller (11.05), plus two-time Olympic 100 metres gold medallist Gail Devers (11.05) will be in the battle for team assignments.

The women's 200 metres is more of a tossup, as June produced very few top marks by Americans. This could bode well for the experience Jones brings to the multi-round competition, despite her single outing at a wind-aided 23.02. Of interest will be the fortunes of 18-year-old Allyson Felix (22.71), who left a university stipendium last year and will have her first major test after turning professional.

Just as in 2000, Jones (6.93) is slated to vie for a position in the women's Long Jump, where her main rival will be defending national champion and Paris finalist Grace Upshaw (6.73).

Webb front running challenge

Alan Webb has caused many heads to turn after consecutive 800/1500/ mile PBs (four in total) during May and June. His 3:32.73 in Ostrava held the top position on the world list in the men's 1500 metres for almost a month, and the 21-year-old's gutsy front-running style will be a challenge for the others seeking an Athens spot.

Greene to exploit an open 100m?

No clear frontrunner has emerged in the men's 100 Metres, although the astounding results from last month's Prefontaine Classic give an indication of who the principals in next Sunday's final may be. Shawn Crawford puts his world-leading 9.88 on the table, accompanied by defending Olympic champion Maurice Greene (9.93) and John Capel (9.95). Close behind are Mickey Grimes (10.04) and a pair of university sprinters, NCAA champion Tyson Gay (10.06) and Mardy Scales (10.07).

On the basis of an outstanding heat performance at the NCAA championships, Gay (20.09) also may figure in the Men's 200 metres, but he will have to run consistently through all four rounds to stand up against the experience of Justin Gatlin (20.21), Crawford (20.23) and J.J. Johnson (20.29), not to mention Paris World champion Capel (20.34) who is undoubtedly eager to erase the memory of his debacle in the Sydney 2000.

Serious university input expected in 400m outcome

University runners will assuredly be part of the mix in both of the 400- metre contests. The silver medallist in Paris, Tyree Washington (45.14), has only two races in his season record, but his well-rested condition may be the best solution to three grueling rounds in the over-30C temperatures promised by Sacramento. He will have to contend with a host of college runners, nine of whom occupy the top spots on the US list. Leading the group are Jeremy Wariner (44.50), his Baylor University teammate Darold Williamson (44.51), and Andrew Rock (44.66).

Similarly, the women's 400 metres is peppered with collegiate runners. Behind US leader Michelle Collins (50.02) are surprise NCAA champion DeeDee Trotter (50.32), her upset victim Sanya Richards (50.49) and Monique Henderson (50.62). Also expected to be in the final fray are Monique Henagan (50.54), and former World 400 champion Jearl Miles Clark (51.46).

Johnson - back on top of the world

Even as recently as this past Tuesday, Allen Johnson was still banging the hurdles in Europe. But with his event scheduled only for the final two days in Sacramento, the Atlanta Olympic champion obviously felt the need to get back on top of the world list with a superb 13.05 in Lausanne. His main competition in Sacramento appears to be Larry Wade (13.13), Paris and Sydney silver medallist Terrence Trammell (13.20) and Dawane Wallace (13.22).

Last chance for Devers

It is difficult to believe that Gail Devers, long a dominant force in the women's 100 Hurdles, is still without an Olympic medal despite four previous appearances. As she nears her 38th birthday, Devers is clearly facing her final chance to correct that deficiency, even though she can point to a pair of Olympic golds in the flat 100 metres. Behind her 12.50 this year are five aspirants who have bettered 12.70 this season, topped by Danielle Carruthers (12.56), NCAA champion Nichole Denby (12.62) and Sydney bronze winner Melissa Morrison (12.63).

400m Hurdles - another college winner? As with the Men's 100, the Prefontaine results of the Men's 400 Hurdles - behind winner Felix Sanchez - gives a reasonable indication what that event may produce, as 2002 World Junior bronze medallist Bershawn Jackson (48.48), Sydney fourth-placer James Carter (48.83), and Paris silver medallist Joey Woody (48.62) finished virtually together. The Sydney champion, Angelo Taylor (50.28), would seemingly need a complete season turnaround to make a title defense possible.

The women's 400m Hurdles could well be a springboard for college runner Sheena Johnson (53.54) who led the world for more than three weeks after her NCAA win. Chasing Johnson to that time was 2002 world junior champion Lashinda Demus (54.22), who could well challenge experienced internationalists Sandra Glover (54.24) and Brenda Taylor (54.36).

Teter and Runyan to highlight

In the women's 800 metres, Nicole Teter (1:58.53) is the top US entrant and currently fifth on the world list. Other leading team candidates are Sydney finalist Hazel Clark (1:59.32), Chantee Earl (2:01.78) and Jen Toomey (1:59.64 indoors for fourth at World Indoors), who plans to double in both the 800 and 1500.

Marla Runyan has also qualified in two events - the 1500, in which she reached the Sydney finals, and the 5000, but she likely will opt for the longer race, where her 14:59.20 season best matches up against Amy Rudolph (15:00.03) and Shayne Culpepper (15:01.36), who will attempt to join her previously-qualified marathoner husband Alan on the US roster.

Tiffany McWilliams (4:09.19) returns to the track where she won the women's 1500 metres in last year's NCAA championships with a brilliant 4:06.75 clocking. Others expected to be in the lead pack in next Sunday's final are Sarah Schwald (4:09.03) and Shalane Flanagan (4:09.27). After battling plantar facia problems all spring, Suzy Favor Hamilton has not indicated whether she plans to participate.

Interesting men's 800m

Former world indoor 800 champion David Krummenacker (1:45.59) and NCAA champion Jonathan Johnson (1:45.76) have diametrically opposed styles, which should make for an interesting final, most certainly to also include US leader Khadevis Robinson (1:45.30).

10,000m fortunes on the rise

This season has seen an upsurge in American distance fortunes, with four runners under 27:40 in the 10,000 metres for the first time ever. Season US leader Mebrahtom Keflezighi (27:24.10) is intent on adding a team spot in the 10K as an adjuct to the marathon position he secured earlier in the year. Sydney Olympian Abdi Abdirahman (27:34.24) and Bob Kennedy (27:37.45), with seven previous World and Olympic appearances, top the list of other contenders. Another would-be contender, 21-year-old Dathan Ritzenhein (27:38.50), is suffering from a stress fracture in his left foot.

Jonathan Riley (13:21.11) leads the list in the Men's 5000 metres, with young runners Jorge Torres (13:24.17) and Louis Luchini (13.25.19) both awaiting their chance for an Athens trip.

Seemingly unopposed path to Olympic team

Two competitors virtually unchallenged for team spots are Paris Decathlon champion Tom Pappas (8732), and Sydney javelin finalist Breaux Greer (87.39).

Similarly, Paris Triple Jump finalist Kenta Bell (17.49) sees only Sydney and Edmonton finalist Walter Davis (17.16) standing out among the other competitors with a jump over seventeen metres this season.

Based on his only race of the year in the men's Steeplechase, Daniel Lincoln (8:17.93) sits in 13th place on the world list. But after removing all but three of the Kenyan chasers, his position improves to a respectable seventh globally.

High Jump hope

Four-time national champion Tisha Waller (1.98) and three-time winner Amy Acuff (1.95) are joined by 20-year-old Chaunte Howard (1.98) as the leading candidates in the Women's High Jump.

Just as a rather lack lustre outdoor season was drawing to a close, 2002 World Junior high jump champion Andra Manson exploded with a PB 2.32 to win the NCAA championships and join Jamie Nieto (2.30) as one of the favourites in that event. Sydney finalist and two-time US champion Nathan Leeper (2.28) again is back in form after a year's hiatus due to injury, and Paris finalist Matt Hemingway (2.27) has been known to surprise when least expected. University jumpers Kyle Lancaster (2.29) and Cedric Norman (2.29) also should not be discounted.

Leading female throwers include Erin Gilreath (72.12 and 5th on the world list) in the Hammer, Aretha Hill (65.86 and 7th on the world list) in the Discus, and 2002 World Junior bronze winner Laura Gerraughty (18.54) in the Shot Put.

Heptathlete Sheila Burrell (6272), the Edmonton World bronze medallist, appears to have bounced back from last season's knee injury, judging from her sixth-place finish in Gotzis last month.