Athletics
The centerpiece of every Olympics both ancient and modern, athletics is the Games' largest sport. This year 2,000 participants will vie for gold in 46 events (up from 44 in Atlanta, with women contesting the pole vault and hammer throw for the first time).
Men
If any sporting event can stop the world in its tracks, it's the men's 100-m sprint. Although the fastest human in history, Maurice Greene of the U.S. has been beaten this season by Trinidad and Tobago's Atlanta bronze medalist Ato Boldon and by Britain's Dwain Chambers. The world champion is expected to take the gold-and help the U.S. 4 x 100-m relay team beat defending Games champs Canada. A serious injury almost ended Donovan Bailey's career, but if Canada's Atlanta gold medalist and former world record holder can come back and win the 100 m, it will be one of the biggest stories of the Games. The 200 m was the most anticipated event of the men's program until injuries forced out Greene and U.S. Olympic champion and record holder Michael Johnson. Now Boldon is expected to outrun the sentimental favorite, four-time Olympic silver medalist Frankie Fredericks of Namibia. With 12 of the 15 fastest times in history, Johnson is the hottest of favorites to repeat his 1996 400-m win. And unless they drop the baton, the Johnson-anchored, world-record holding U.S. 4 x 400-m relay team should repeat their winning Atlanta performance.
The middle- and long- distance events should produce some unforgettable races. Three-time 800-m world champion Wilson Kipketer of Denmark (formerly Kenya) will make his Olympic debut. Close on his heels will be South Africa's Hezekiel Sepeng, Algeria's Djabir Said-Guerni, and 800-m specialist Andre Bucher of Switzerland. Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj will be trying to banish memories of the stumble that cost him a medal in the 1,500 m at Atlanta and to capture the only major title that still eludes him. Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie is on track for double gold in the 5,000 m and 10,000 m.
There will be some great duels in the field events. With his two-year drug ban halved, Cuban world-record holder Javier Sotomayor is keen to repeat his winning high-jump performance at Barcelona.
But U.S. Atlanta victor Charles Austin is in top form, as is Russian world champ Vyacheslav Voronin. Despite his 35 world records, Ukrainian vaulting legend Sergei Bubka hasn't won an Olympic medal since 1988. His farewell performance in Sydney is unlikely to break that trend, with Russian Maxim Tarasov still the favorite. Now that four-time gold medalist Carl Lewis has left the sand pit, the long jump should be a duel between Cuban triple world champion Ivan Pedroso and Atlanta runner-up James Beckford of Jamaica. In the javelin, Finnish world champ Aki Parviainen is the main obstacle to Jan Zelezny's goal of becoming the event's first three-time gold medalist. In the decathlon, Czech world record holder Tomas Dvorak is short of rivals.
Women
No track athlete since Paavo Nurmi (in 1924) has won five gold medals at a single Games. Can Marion Jones match the Flying Finn's record? The U.S. superstar will be going all out to finish the 100 m and 200 m ahead of teammate Inger Miller, and will also anchor America's defense of their Olympic titles in the 4 x 100-m and 4 x 400-m relays. Australia expects gold from Cathy Freeman in the 400 m, and the 1996 silver medalist and world champion looks ready to deliver-unlike defending Olympic champion Marie-Jose Perec of France, who has refused to race her rival since returning to competition after a viral illness.
Russia's Svetlana Masterkova is hoping to repeat her 1996 double victory in the 800 m and 1,500 m. She'll be pursued by Czech 800-m world champion Ludmila Formanova and Atlanta 1,500-m silver medalist Gabriella Szabo of Romania, who is also slated to beat Morocco's Zahra Ouaziz to the 5,000-m gold.
Though they used to exchange world records, U.S. world champion pole vaulter Stacy Dragila has lately left Australia's Emma George in her wake. With 10 of the 12 best throws ever, including the current world record, Mihaela Melinte of Romania is almost certain to win the hammer's inaugural gold medal.
WHEN TO WATCH
Men
- 100m Sept. 23
- 4x100m Sept. 30
- 200m Sept. 28
- 400m Sept. 25
- 4x400m Sept. 30
- 800m Sept. 27
- 1,500m Sept. 29
- 5,000m Sept. 30
- 10,000m Sept. 25
- high jump Sept. 24
- pole vault Sept. 29
- long jump Sept. 28
- shot put Sept. 22
- decathlon Sept. 27-28
Women
- 100m Sept. 23
- 200m Sept. 28
- 4x100m Sept. 30
- 4x400m Sept. 30
- 400m Sept. 25
- 800m Sept. 25
- 1,500m Sept. 30
- 5,000m Sept. 25
- pole vault Sept. 25
- hammer throw Sept. 29
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