By Amy Shipley
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, June 28, 2008

EUGENE, Ore., June 27 -- The nation's most popular, most dominant and most colorful female athlete usually occupies one of the lanes of the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials in track and field, which kicked off here Friday at historic Hayward Field. Marion Jones, Gwen Torrence, Florence Griffith Joyner and Evelyn Ashford began building their legends at this event before rolling on to greatness at the Olympic Games.

Surely, then, the next track queen stood out here somewhere as the heats and then quarterfinal round of the 100 went off to highlight the first day of this eight-day affair that will decide the U.S. Olympic team. The only questions: Where was she? Which lane? Which heat?

Rarely has the sport's glamour event been cloaked in such a competitive haze in the United States, particularly with the Olympics a mere six weeks away. Different Americans have posted the fastest time in the 100 in five of the past seven years -- and all of them are competing here. On top in Friday's windy quarterfinal: Marshevet Hooker (wind-aided 10.76), Torri Edwards (wind-aided 10.85), Lauryn Williams (wind-aided 10.86), Muna Lee (wind-aided 10.89). The final is Saturday evening.

"In the past years, there has always been one person favored to win," said Hooker, who led the first round with a wind-aided 10.94. "This year . . . you just never know. It's a toss-up. It's anybody's race."

The field features seasoned stars who have struggled, impressive up-and-comers and women dusting themselves off from tough times. The top contenders range in age from 19 to 31. They include Olympic and world championship medal winners, NCAA champions and, in some cases, women who served doping suspensions. Though reigning world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica has dominated the women's sprint the past four years, the Americans are fast. And there are a lot of them.

Four ran faster than 11 seconds this year before this meet, and seven did with a favorable wind Friday.

"There is a tough field out there," said Williams, the 2004 Olympic silver medal winner. "I would say between 12 and 16 girls [could qualify]. I would say it's anybody's game."

From the standpoint of pressure-meet competence, Williams is the marquee star. Speedy when she needs to be, she is puzzlingly slow at other times. She finished third at the 2004 trials but then won silver in Athens. She finished third at the 2005 U.S. championships, then won the world title that summer in Helsinki. Last year, she finished second at nationals but claimed the silver medal at worlds.

Beset by hamstring problems, she hasn't run a personal best in more than two years. Five women posted faster qualifying times for the trials. Her fastest time this year, 11.13, ranks 30th in the world. Whether she can produce again seems very much in doubt. As usual.

"I'm feeling very confident and very good," Williams said. "If there's ever been a good time to do it, it's now."

The 2003 world champion, Torri Edwards, who won her qualifying heat in 11.16 seconds, would have been a gold medal favorite in 2004 if not for a doping ban that demonstrated more of the anti-doping movement's stringency than its common sense. Though an international court ruled that she hadn't intended to cheat, Edwards was prohibited from competing because she tested positive for a stimulant she consumed inadvertently. Her two-year ban was shortened, but she missed the Games.

Edwards battled the shame that accompanies a doping ban, not to mention not being able to earn a living. But after a slow return in 2006, she set a personal best in 2007 (10.90) and won the recent 100 contested here at the Prefontaine Classic in 10.94 seconds.

"I'm totally healthy and ready to go," Edwards said. "Everything is coming together at just the right time. Hopefully I can run at least as good or better" than so far this season.

Allyson Felix, who became a star at 17 when she broke many of Marion Jones's high school records, brings the same uncertainty as Williams. She has won two world championships in the 200, as well as the Olympic silver. She posted the fastest time in the 100 this year (10.93) among Americans and added a fast 10.98 in the quarterfinals here.

But her season has otherwise been littered with average showings in the 100: two fourths and one fifth place.

She wants to contend for Olympic gold medals in both the 100 and 200, her specialty, but winning one of the three slots in the 100 is no sure thing.

"This year, I am trying to focus more on the 100 meters," Felix said in April. "My main focus is just the start. If I can get that down, I can be very competitive in it. I also love the race. I love the speed. I am looking for good things come trials."

Said Felix Friday night, "It could have been a lot better coming in, [but I'm] okay."

Who else will contend? Hooker topped Edwards, Williams and Felix in New York and left mouths agape Friday. "It's fast," Edwards said with a smile about the 10.76. "Hopefully, she's tired." Lee, a 2004 Olympian, ran a 10.97 in May. Bianca Knight, who turned pro this year after her freshman season at the University of Texas, beat Jamaican star Brown in a 200 race in May and won the NCAA 200 indoor title. Me'Lisa Barber posted the fastest time among Americans in the 100 in 2006 and has a personal best of 10.95. Carmelita Jeter and Gloria Asumnu nearly have broken 11 seconds.

"I think the times are really going to be really fast," Williams said. "This is your one opportunity to get on that team. Either you move it, or you lose it."