Posted: March 9, 2006

Athletics: Trammell, Davis ready to compete in Moscow

MOSCOW, Russia - 2006 Visa Championship winner Terrence Trammell and reigning World Outdoor champion Walter Davis are focused on winning gold medals at the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow that begin on Friday.

A two-time Olympic Games 110m hurdles silver medalist and the 2001 World Indoor champion in that event, Trammell won his third career USA Indoor 60m hurdles title last month in Boston with his time of 7.46 seconds, which gave him the fastest time in the world this year and the Visa Series Championship.

Trammell nearly won the 60 meters in Boston, finishing second to Leonard Scott in 6.53 seconds, which equals the second fastest time in the world this year. Trammell, who has been battling a stomach ailment in Moscow, faces 60m qualifying on Friday. He says he'll be ready to compete.

The 2003 World Indoor silver medalist in the men's triple jump, Walter Davis is looking to become both the reigning world outdoor champion and indoor champ. Davis won his second consecutive national triple jump crown with his hop, skip and jump of 16.87 meters/55 feet, 4.25 inches in Boston.

The following are Q&A's with Trammell and Davis

TERRENCE TRAMMELL

Q: How do feel about your chances of success here in Moscow?

A: I feel confident because this is what I've been training for. I feel like I'm blessed with the ability to do it so my job is to go out there and maximize my potential.

Q: You came very close to winning the 60 at the AT&T USA Indoor Championships, which shows everyone that you're a serious contender in that event.

A: I wouldn't even step into it if I didn't think I could be successful. There are a lot of people who think it's a joke or don't take it too seriously, but my mission is to do well in both.

Q: What are your thoughts on winning the Visa Championship Series?

A: That was an added bonus. My focus was just making the team, but when I found out that I had won of course I was excited about that.

Q: Having won a World Indoor title back in 2001, what would it mean for you to do it again this week in either the 60m or the hurdles?

A: I think it would be a major accomplishment. You strive to be a world champion, whether it be indoors or outdoors. The goal is to win two because it hasn't been done. That's what we're striving for.

Q: In both of those races the start plays an important role, are you pleased with how you've been starting this season?

A: I'm feeling good about my starts and things have been going well for the most part. My reaction has been pretty good, and more than anything else, my composure has been really good this year. I'm excited about it and just want to see what happens.

Q: We know that your stomach doesn't feel well right now, but how is everything else with you physically?

A: I'm good as far as everything else goes. I had a bit of jet lag yesterday and I know that will pass before it's time to compete. Outside of the little stomach thing, everything is going fine.

Q: Do you plan on running the 100 meters much this spring and summer?

A: I don't know about the U.S. Championships, but I definitely plan on running the 100 meters outdoors.

Q: What are your goals for the 100m hurdles this year?

A: I'd like to break 13 seconds and be really consistent at what I'm doing. If I was to throw a time out there I'd be setting limits. I know I want to run under 13 and just stay consistent and stay healthy.

Q: Running under 13 seconds would put you in a very exclusive club. How would that make you feel?

A: It would be great. There's a lot of things that I'm still aspiring to do and going under 13 is one of the goals I want to accomplish.

Q: How close are you to your physical peak and being at your best technically in the hurdles? How much better can you get?

A: I can get a lot better. I still don't think I've gotten to my peak. Through time the hurdles have always been a veterans event. A lot of people get better as they get older, so I'm still just plugging away at it to get where I want to be.

Q: The U.S. has led the world through the years in producing great hurdlers and you've joined that group at a comparatively young age. What's that like for you?

A: I never really looked at it that way until about two weeks ago when I was talking with one of my coaches and he spoke about a lot of the great things that a lot of the great ones and legends have gone through and I didn't realize where I stood in that company. It really helped put a spark in me and makes me want to continue to excel. U.S. hurdling has been a dominant force through the years and that's something we want to continue. I look forward to some more years of success.

WALTER DAVIS

Q: Could you talk about your indoor season so far this year?

A: This season has been going by real slow. I did a total of three meets, two triple jump meets and one long jump meet. The long jump was okay, I jumped 8.10m (26 feet, 7 inches) and in the triple I went 17.11m (56-1.75) in Germany and then at USAs I took three jumps around 16.87m (55-4.25). My body is fine, I just got to put it together in competition this weekend.

Q: You feel good although you haven't competed much this year. Where does that put you for the competition this weekend?

A: At least I'm not banged up. I haven't been jumping a lot so my body will be able to take the pounding I plan on giving it on Sunday. I may be a little rusty on Saturday when I'll get the kinks out and on Sunday go for it all.

Q: What was it like winning the world title last summer?

A: It was great! Being that nobody expected me to win except myself, my coach and my family, it was great to come in there and win it when everyone was talking about other people and I ended up winning it. That was the best part.

Q: Does winning the world title give you a little more belief in yourself?

A: I've always had belief in myself, but it gave me more confidence that I could jump with anybody. It doesn't matter what anyone jumps, I feel that I can jump it too. Coming into this year I knew that I was world champ and some of the guys I beat are talking about getting the world record or win the gold here, so I knew that everyone is training harder than last year for world indoors. That just kept me motivated to train even harder too.

Q: What will it be like for you now to be the one that everybody is trying to catch?

A: I know I'm being hunted so I have to go farther than they plan on doing. It's going to be hard for them to hunt me down if they can't go further. When they jump they are going to know that I'm coming to jump and not just be in the meet. I'm coming to put an impact on the meet.

Q: How has your experience in Moscow been up to this point?

A: It's been great. I've been here before for the Moscow Challenge, so this is not my first time here. Everything is fine. Traffic is crazy, but everything else is fine.

Q: After practicing at the stadium yesterday, what are your thoughts about it?

A: The facility is great, especially the runway. It's like a board runway and I do most of my runways on the same thing back home in Baton Rouge. I like it and I train on it. I should jump pretty far.

Q: What are your goals for the rest of 2006?

A: After world champs I plan on taking a week off before getting back into it. Being that the triple jump doesn't have that many meets I plan on long jumping, so some of the long jumpers better watch out.

Q: What is your potential in the long jump?

A: There's not a limit right now. I just have to put it together to see how far I can go. I've had some big jumps with some little fouls, so I just have to put it together and see what happens.

Q: What would it mean for you to win here and be the reigning world indoor and outdoor champion in the triple jump?

A: It would mean a lot. It's been done before, so if I could do it and then win the Olympics in a couple years and follow the tradition that the other guys have set. I wouldn't have a problem with it.

For more information on Team USA at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow, visit USATF.org.

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