Courtesy: USATF

Seven 2003 world-leaders, including two newly minted world record holders, and several other gold-medal threats lead Team USA into the IAAF World Indoor Track & Field Championships March 14- 16 in Birmingham, England.

Olympic gold medalist, two-time World Outdoor and 1997 World Indoor champion Stacy Dragila enters the women's pole vault on a collision course with Svetlana Feofanova of Russia. Dragila on March 2 reclaimed the world indoor record with her clearance of 4.78m/15-8.25 at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. But Feofanova is just one centimeter behind Dragila and will be looking to avenge her loss to Dragila at the 2001 World Outdoor Championships.

Regina Jacobs will take on the rest of the world after breaking the world indoor record in the 1,500m on February 1 at the adidas Boston Indoor Games. Jacobs ran 3:59.98 to break 4:00 for the first time in her career at age 39. She went on to win her 23rd and 24th career USA titles at the USA Indoor Championships, where she won the 1,500m and 3,000m. She will compete only in the 1,500 in Birmingham.

Gail Devers also is a world leader after twice breaking the American record in the 60m hurdles this season. The three-time World Outdoor gold medalist broke Jackie Joyner Kersee's AR on February 1 with her time of 7.78 seconds at the Verizon Millrose Games, the first time she had run the hurdles indoors since 1994. Devers then improved that mark in what looked like an easy run of 7.74 in the semifinals of the USA Indoor Championships on March 1.

Justin Gatlin, Kevin Toth, Allen Johnson and Tim Rusan also enter the meet with the best performances in the world this year in their respective events. Gatlin, a five-time NCAA champion in his freshman and sophomore years at the University of Tennessee, won his first USA senior title in his first appearance at USA Indoors March 1. The 21-year-old relegated defending U.S. champion Terrence Trammell to second place with his world- leading time of 6.45 seconds.

The 1995 World Indoor champion and a three-time World Outdoor Champion, Allen Johnson saved his best performance of the season for the USA Indoor Championships. His time of 7.39 seconds in the 60m hurdles brought him his second consecutive U.S. indoor title, put him atop the world list, and was only .01 off his 1995 personal record indoors.

2003 and 1994 USA Indoor champion Kevin Toth by contrast posted his world leader in the shot put early in the season. His throw of 21.70m/71-2.5 on January 11 has led the world, but three-time World Outdoor champion and defending World Indoor champion John Godina will provide Toth the strongest challenge in the field.

Triple jumper Tim Rusan is a surprise world leader after defending his 2002 USA Indoor title with a world-leading jump of 17.45m/57-3 at the USA Indoor Championships. In the process he defeated defending outdoor champion and World Outdoor fourth-place jumper Walter Davis, who also could make a move for gold in Birmingham.

2001 World Indoor 60m hurdles gold medalist Terrence Trammell is drawing the international spotlight with his plans to double in the 60m dash and 60m hurdles in Birmingham. Until March 1, Trammell owned the 2003 world bests in both events, with 7.42 in the hurdles and 6.46 in the dash. Trammell finished second in both events at the USA Indoor Championships, but it took two world-best performances to beat him, and he lost the 60m dash by just .01 second and the hurdles by .04.

Other gold-medal contenders include co-American record holders John Capel and defending World Indoor champion Shawn Crawford in the men's 200m. The duo went 1-2, respectively, at the USA Indoor Championships. Crawford makes his first appearance on the international scene since 2000, when he won the U.S. Olympic Trials and placed a disappointed eighth at the Olympic Games in Sydney. Since then, he pursued a career as a wide receiver in the National Football League but has now returned to track.

Michelle Collins is among the favorites to win the women's 200m. The 400m specialist dropped down to the 200 indoors this indoor season to work on her speed, with great success. Her time of 22.64 at the Tyson Foods Invitational on February 15 is the #2 time in the world this year. She was troubled by a touchy hamstring in winning the USA Indoor title but looks to be ready for World Indoors.

Other medal threats for Team USA include 2001 World Indoor silver medalist Angela Williams in the women's 60m; 2001 World Indoor silver medalist Kellie Suttle in the women's pole vault; #3-ranked 800m runner David Krummenacker; and 1997 World Outdoor 400m bronze medalist Tyree Washington, who returns to competition after two trying years, personally and athletically.

The top two finishers at the 2003 USA Indoor Championships who met the IAAF standards and elected to compete in Birmingham were eligible to represent the United States at World Indoors.