July 16, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 12, 1429

INDIANAPOLIS (Indiana), July 15: Reigning Olympic 100 metre champion Justin Gatlin was noticeably absent when the USA’s track and field team for Beijing was officially named on Monday.

Gatlin, who is serving a four-year ban for using steroids, tried unsuccessfully last month to get the US courts to permit him to compete in the US Olympic trials.

Gatlin won’t be going to the Beijing Olympics but several US athletes who have failed doping tests and served suspensions did make the team, including triple jumper Kenta Bell.

Bell was slapped with a three-month ban last year by the US Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for methylpredinisolone at the 2007 US Track and Field Championships.

Joining Bell on the US team is female hurdler Damu Cherry who placed second in the 100 metre hurdles at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon.

Cherry served a two-year suspension beginning in 2003 after testing positive for a nandrolone metabolite. Cherry claimed the positive result was caused by taking a vitamin.

Former 100m world champion Torri Edwards will run in the 100 and 4x100 metres in Beijing. Edwards missed the 2004 Summer Games while serving a two-year doping suspension.

The 126-member USA team includes Cherry, Edwards, Bell and reigning Olympic champions Jeremy Wariner (400 meters) and Shawn Crawford (200 metres).

Also on the team are Tyson Gay, Bernard Lagat and Allyson Felix. Javelin thrower Breaux Greer is the latest addition to the US team.

The bronze medalist at the 2007 Worlds, Greer finished 17th in the javelin at the trials and failed to reach the final due to a nagging shoulder injury.

Because of the shoulder problem, USA Track and Field named Greer to the team on Monday, citing a rule that an injured athlete can be selected to the Olympics.

“While it would take an incredible performance to match our medal counts of recent championships, we certainly feel that this team has what it takes to again top the medal tables,” said USATF acting chief executive Bill Roe.

A gold medalist in both the 100 and 200 at the 2007 Worlds, Gay will be competing in just the 100 in Beijing due to a leg injury suffered at the trials.

A native of Kenya, Lagat will be representing the US for the first time since becoming a citizen.

Lagat caused a stir when it was revealled he became a US citizen in 2004, just prior to the Athens Olympics, but kept it a secret so he could run for his native Kenya.

He won the silver in the 1,500 metres in Athens and will compete in two events after winning both the 1,500 metres and 5,000 metres at the trials.

Felix, winner in the 200 metres in the past two World, aims for Beijing gold in the women’s sprint after having to settle for the silver in Athens.—AFP