OMAHA--Steve Roush, chief of sport performance for the U.S. Olympic Committee, was awaiting some of the last races of the swimming trials when he got a text message: “Tyson’s down.”
More than 1,300 miles away, at the track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon, Tyson Gay had fallen to the track in pain during the 200-meter quarterfinals.
Some 50 text messages later, Roush was assured Gay’s injury was minor rather than a hamstring pull or tear. Although Gay didn’t qualify for the 200 at next month’s Beijing Olympics, he still could run the 100 and the 4x100 relay.
Roush then eased into a seat to watch Michael Phelps finalize his shot at an Olympics for the ages and to see Dara Torres prove she is ageless.
Such were the swings of emotion in this year’s trials for track and field and swimming, which ended Sunday after more than a week of record-breaking performances and nerve-fraying twists and upsets, creating a mix of anticipation and anxiety for Beijing.
“The competition for making the Olympic team in those two sports was fierce,” Roush said, “and there are some people staying home who could potentially be medalists at the Games.”
That reality could impact what will be one of the more closely watched medal races of all time, since swimming and track and field historically account for about half of the country’s medal haul.
America has topped the medals table in the last three Summer Games.
In Beijing, the United States domination will be challenged by host China, especially in the gold medal count. China won 32 gold medals four years ago, to the United States’ 36.
An injury such as Gay’s, or an upset such as the one that knocked world champion Brendan Hansen out of the 200 breaststroke, could reverberate all the way to the top of the Beijing medal stand and standings.
With more inexperienced Olympians in the United States’ stronghold sports, American officials take some comfort in knowing they were tested in the crucible that is the win-or-stay-home trials.
“I think the fact that some of those that won medals in world championships failed to make the team only tells me that those that are coming are more prepared and probably just as likely to vie for those medals,” Roush said.
Whether from proven performers or unknown upstarts, the United States will need a strong showing from its swimmers and track and field athletes, who contributed 28 and 25 medals, respectively, to the American total of 102 in the 2004 Athens Games.
Mark Schubert, coach of the United States swimming national team, doesn’t reveal a medal goal for Beijing: “We hope to do much better than the team in Athens.”
Bill Roe, acting chief executive officer of United States Track & Field, also equivocates:
“We’ve got some newcomers in international competition. It’s always interesting to see how they will compete on the track once they get to Beijing.”
Seeing how everyone competed in the trials offered an indication of what’s to come. A look at the potential glories and challenges that await:
Phelps did nothing in the trials to douse the hopes and hype that he could contend for a record eight gold medals in Beijing, going 5-for-5 in his events and lowering two of his world records.
Phelps outraced Ryan Lochte in the 200 and 400 individual medleys and was comfortably ahead of the field in the 200 freestyle and 100 and 200 butterfly, even though he wasn’t completely rested.
He’s expected to swim in all three relays in addition to his five individual events.
“I would expect that, in a month from now, you’re going to see him win by margins and set times that have never been done before,” said Mark Spitz, whose record of seven gold medals in the 1972 Olympics Phelps could break.
“He’ll be unbelievable.”
Gay’s tumble in the 200 raised questions about his readiness and deflated buildup of a marquee fastest-man showdown in Beijing.
The reigning world champion in the 100 and 200, Gay was expected to contend for gold in the Olympic double and go toe-to-toe with Jamaica’s Bolt in both races.
Earlier at the trials, Gay set an American record of 9.77 seconds in the quarterfinals of the 100, then won in a wind-aided 9.68--a gauntlet for Bolt, who recently set the world record of 9.72.
“Anytime you lose the face of the program, that’s tough,” said Harvey Glance, an assistant men’s sprint coach. “Tyson’s the man, but I think the team will certainly rally.”
The American team, in fact, has been the medals leader in recent Olympics and world championships because of depth beyond sprinting.
In Beijing, the United States will have athletes such as world champion pole vaulter Brad Walker and defending Olympic marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor.
Allyson Felix’s attempt at an Olympic double in the 100 and 200 also derailed, as the reigning 200 world champion was fifth in the women’s 100 final in the trials.
Felix qualified in the 200.
With Muna Lee, 2003 world champion Torri Edwards and 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2005 world champion Lauryn Williams qualified in the 100, the United States has the runners to challenge the Jamaican women, who also are strong in the event.
For the American men’s swimmers, the 4x100 freestyle was the biggest concern going into the trials.
They won bronze in the 4x100 in 2004, and, although the United States claimed world titles in 2005 and 2007, the French sprinters have been posting fast times.
In the trials, Phelps, Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber Gale swam the 100 freestyle under 48 seconds (the world record, held by France’s Alain Bernard, is 47.5 seconds).
Gale also won the 50 freestyle in a American-record 21.47.
The men could sweep the relays.
With Phelps and backstroker Aaron Peirsol leading the way and Lochte and Ian Crocker their top challengers, they also could finish 1-2 in a handful of individual events.
“We want all of the medals,” 2008 Olympic Coach Eddie Reese said. “Everybody does. That’s the name of the game.”
After upsets such as the one that will keep Hansen out of the 200 breaststroke and Lochte out of the 100 backstroke, Schubert is, for now, backing off his pretrials declaration that the 2008 American Olympic men’s team has the potential to be the best ever.
That title stands with the 1976 U.S. men, who won 12 of the 13 gold medals available.
“Hopefully, we can be the best men’s team ever,” Phelps said. “It’s definitely the fastest team I’ve ever been on.”
In 2004, Christian Cantwell was ranked No. 1 in the world in the shot put, but failed to qualify for the Olympics after finishing fourth in the trials.
This time, he is on the team and looking to dominate with 2007 world champion Reese Hoffa and two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson.
(Unlike swimming, in which countries can send only two qualifiers per event, in track and field they can send three.)
As of July 1, the American trio accounted for eight of the nine best throws in the world this season.
“There’s a legit chance we could sweep this year,” Cantwell said. “We have the momentum we’ve never had in the past, so, it could happen.”
Reigning world and Olympic 400 champion Jeremy Wariner seemed to lose momentum in his second-place finish to LaShawn Merritt in the trials.
The two, who will be joined in Beijing by David Neville, could lead a repeat of American sweeps in last year’s worlds and the 2004 Olympics.
