Reese Hoffa's 21.06m heads results in Fresno (© Kirby Lee)
Led by strength in the Shot Put, Pole Vault and hurdles and boasting four past World Indoor individual champions, the USA will send a strong team of 51 athletes for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor championships.
Defending World Indoor gold medalists Reese Hoffa and Brad Walker are joined by three-time World champion Allen Johnson and 2004 World champ Christian Cantwell, as well as 2005 World Outdoor champion Bryan Clay on a roster that mixes experience and youth. Cantwell and Hoffa will look for a sweep in the shot, which they accomplished in 2004 when they went 1-2, respectively. Entering Valencia, only Adam Nelson has thrown father than either man, and both have thrown roughly a half-meter farther than their nearest international competitor this year.
Other top contenders include surprising sprinter Michael Rodgers, the USA Indoor champion who owns the third fastest time in the world this year (6.54), and 2007 World Outdoor 4x100m gold medallist Leroy Dixon in the men’s 60m. Two-time World Indoor silver medallist Angela Williams headlines the women’s sprint.
US champion Lolo Jones enters the women’s 60m Hurdles as the second fastest performer in the world this season (7.77), while David Oliver is the third-best performer globally in the men’s hurdles (7.47).
In the field, Olympic silver medalist John Moffitt is in the Long Jump, and outdoor American record holder Jenn Stuczynski is entered in the women’s Pole Vault, where she is the third-best performer in the world this year (4.71m). American record holder Nicole Teter will run the women’s 800m.
The team
Men
60m: Michael Rodgers (Round Rock, Texas), Leroy Dixon (Los Angeles, Calif.)
400m: David Neville (Los Angeles, Calif.), Greg Nixon (Lubbock, Texas)
800m: Khadevis Robinson (Santa Monica, Calif.), Nick Symmonds (Springfield, Ore.)
1500m: Rob Myers (Westerville, Ohio), Russell Brown (Hanover, N.H.)
3000m: Chris Solinsky (Madison, Wisc.), Jonathon Riley (Fitchburg, Wisc.)
60mH: David Oliver (Kissimmee, Fla.), Allen Johnson (Columbia, S.C.)
LJ: Trevell Quinley (Chula Vista, Calif.), John Moffitt (Baton Rouge, La.)
TJ: Aarik Wilson (Lawrence, Kan.), Kenta Bell (Kissimmee, Fla.)
HJ: Andra Mason (Austin, Texas), Jesse Williams (Eugene, Ore.)
PV: Brad Walker (Mountlake Terrace, Wa.), Derek Miles (Tea, S.D.)
SP: Christian Cantwell (Columbia, Miss.), Reese Hoffa (Athens, Ga.)
Heptathlon: Bryan Clay (Glendora, Calif.), Donovan Kilmartin (Austin, Texas)
4x400m relay: Jamaal Torrance (Raleigh, N.C.), Joel Stallworth (Upland, Calif.), James Davis (Houston, Texas), Kelly Willie (Simi Valley, Calif.), plus any athlete on the roster in another event
Women
60m: Angela Williams (Ontario, Calif.), Alexis Joyce
400m: Sharese Woods (Charlotte, N.C.), Moushaumi Robinson (New Albany, Ohio)
800m: Nicole Teter (Eugene, Ore.), Nicole Cook (Knoxville, Tenn.)
1500m: Christin Wurth-Thomas (Springdale, Ark.), Jenelle Deatherage (St. Louis Park, Minn.)
3000m: Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.), Julie Culley (Arlington, Va.)
60mH: Lolo Jones (Baton Rouge, La.), Candice Davis Culver City, Calif.
PV: Jenn Stuczynski (Churchville, N.Y.), Jillian Schwartz (Jonesboro, Ark.)
LJ: Lela Nelson (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
HJ: Amy Acuff (Isleton, Calif.)
TJ: Shani Marks (Brookly Park, Minn.)
SP: Jillian Camarena (Tucson, Ariz.), Abby Ruston (San Marcos, Texas)
4x400m relay: Miriam Barnes (Ruston, La.), Angel Perkins (Cerritos, Calif.), Jennifer Grossarth (Provo, Utah), Ashlee Kidd (Atlanta, Ga.), plus any athlete on the roster in another event
