There are five finals on this fifth day and the US so far has had mixed results.  The shock of the third day where the US was shut out of medals in the women's 100 meters and defending world champion Bernard Lagat not qualifying for the final of the 1,500 meters.  What was not a shock but still disappointing the US not qualifying a single competitor in two traditionally strong events, the men's long jump and high jump.  That was follewed by the fourth day where the men swept the 400 hurdles, Jenn Stuczynski won the silver in the Pole Vault and Stephanie Brown-Trafton won a Gold in the women's Discus, and event the US hasn't had a Gold since 1932 let alone medal since the boycott year of 1984.

The fifth day will bear the fruit of both days.  The men's high jump will not have an American medallist after there being a medal in four of the last five Olympics, not American in the men's Discus, and no one in the 1,500.  Sanya Richards will try to get her first senior level international Gold medal in the 400 and there are three American finalists in the 100 hurdles.   

Skyview High of Vancouver will be represented in the women's Javelin Throw by Kara Patterson.  She won her first major competition by taking the Olympic Trials.  It will take close to a pr throw to make the final.  The long sprints continue to have a large contingent of Americans and the two big races will be the men's 110 hurdles and men's 400 meters.  Young and super-talented Brittney Reese is continuing to show she belongs at the elite level after playing basketball only her first two years of college at a community college.  Ex-Duck Grace Upshaw will probably end her Olympic career with this Games. 

In the men's high jump the defending Olympic Champion and diminutive Swede Stefan Holm of Sweden will face-off against the strong Russian contingent of favorites Yaroslav Rybakov and Andrey Silnov.

Veteran Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania has won the last two Olympics and had won the '03 and '05 World Championship but lost to Gerd Kanter of Estonia last year.  Piotr Malachowski is part of the rising Polish throws team but he will be dealing with rising Spanish throwers Mario Pestano and Yennifer Casanas in addition to young German star Robert Harding.

Sanya Richards is likely to get her first Gold in the 400 meters but she will have to contend with world leader Amantle Montsho of Botswana and '07 World champion Christine Ohuruogu in addition to the usually successful Olympic year Russian Anastasiy Kapachnskaya and Tatyana Firova.

In the 100 hurdles the three Americans led by Lolo Jones will try to fight off Delloreen Ennis-London and Brigitte Foster-Hylton.  There is likely to be a combination of American and Jamaican hurdlers behind favorite Lolo Jones.

Two baby-faced Kenyans, Augustine Choge and Asbel Kiprop will try to hold off '05 World 800 and 1500 champion Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain.  Expect another surprise medallist since the fast tactics of El Guerrouj will be replaced by tactics and fast kicks.