If you are confused by the title of athletics it is more commonly known as Track and Field.  Contested since the first Olympics, the men’s program is the same today as it was in 1956. Women’s competition started in 1928 and has been growing ever since from five events to the current 23.  Six of the current events started in 1996 or later.  The US is the all-time leader in medals with 738 including 311 golds!  It really is an astounding total representing 28% of all medals and 35% of the gold medals.

The Team:

This year’s team is made up of 124 athletes, 61 women and 63 men. 44 are returning from Beijing, 21 are returning from Athens, four are returning from Sydney and one is returning from Atlanta.

Links are to twitter accounts for the athletes.

USA Athletics
Men:
Abdi Abdirahman*** – Marathon
Kyle Alcorn – 3000m Steeplechase
Ryan Bailey – 100m, 4x100m Relay
Trevor Barron – 20km Race Walk
Lance Brooks – Discus Throw
Donn Cabral – 300m Steeplechase
Christian Cantwell* – Shot Put
Matthew Centrowitz – 1500m
Will Claye – Long Jump, Triple Jump
Kerron Clement* – 400m Hurdles
Ashton Eaton – Decathlon
Sean Furey – Javelin Throw
Justin Gatlin& – 100m, 4x100m Relay
Tyson Gay* – 100m, 4x100m Relay
Marquise Goodwin – Long Jump
Ryan Hall* – Marathon
Trey Hardee* – Decathlon
Reese Hoffa** – Shot Put
Cyrus Hostetler – Javelin Throw
Evan Jager – 3000m Steeplechase
Kibwe Johnson – Hammer Throw
Meb Keflezighi^ – Marathon
Trell Kimmons – 4x100m Relay
Craig Kinsley – Javelin Throw
George Kitchens, Jr. – Long Jump
Alfred “A. G.” Kruger** – Hammer Throw
Erik Kynard – High Jump
Bernard Lagat* – 5000m
Lopez Lomong* – 5000m
Josh Mance – 4x400m Relay
Leo Manzano – 1500m
Tony McQuay – 400m, 4x400m Relay
Aries Merritt – 110m Hurdles
LaShawn Merritt* – 400m, 4x400m Relay
Derek Miles** – Pole Vault
Maurice Mitchell – 200m
Manteo Mitchell – 4x400m Relay
Bryshon Nellum – 400m, 4x400m Relay
Jamie Nieto& – High Jump
Johnny Nunn& – 50km Race Walk
Darvis Patton** – 4x100m Relay
Jeff Porter – 110m Hurdles
Jason Richardson – 110m Hurdles
Dathan Ritzenhein** – 10000m
Khadevis Robinson& – 800m
Michael Rodgers – 4x100m Relay
Jarred Rome* – Discus Throw
Galen Rupp* – 10000m, 5000m
Jeremy Scott – Pole Vault
Duane Solomon – 800m
Wallace Spearmon* – 200m
Nick Symmonds* – 800m
Angelo Taylor*** – 400m Hurdles
Christian Taylor – Triple Jump
Matt Tegenkamp* – 10000m
Michael Tinsley – 400m Hurdles
Brad Walker* – Pole Vault
Jeremy Wariner** – 4x400m Relay
Andrew Wheating* – 1500m
Ryan Whiting – Shot Put
Jesse Williams* – High Jump
Isiah Young – 200m
Jason Young – Discus Throw

Women:
Amy Acuff**** – High Jump
Keshia Baker – 4x400m Relay
Brigetta Barrett – High Jump
Janet Bawcom – 10000m
Amanda Bingson – Hammer Throw
Brittany Borman – Javelin Throw
Tia Brooks – Shot Put
T’erea Brown – 400m Hurdles
Stephanie Brown-Trafton& – Discus Throw
Jillian Camarena-Williams* – Shot Put
Amber Campbell* – Hammer Throw
Michelle Carter* – Shot Put
Emma Coburn – 3000m Steeplechase
Kim Conley – 5000m
Jessica Cosby* – Hammer Throw
Julie Culley – 5000m
Desiree Davila – Marathon
Sharon Day* – Heptathlon
Janay DeLoach – Long Jump
Lashinda Demus& – 400m Hurdles
Diamond Dixon – 4x400m Relay
Allyson Felix** – 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay, 4x400m Relay
Shalane Flanagan** – Marathon
Hyleas Fountain* – Heptathlon
Bridget Franek – 3000m Steeplechase
Geena Gall – 800m
Kara Goucher* – Marathon
Dawn Harper* – 100m Hurdles
Amy Hastings – 10000m
Chelsea Hayes – Long Jump
Becky Holliday – Pole Vault
Molly Huddle – 5000m
Lacy Janson – Pole Vault
Carmelita Jeter – 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay
Lolo Jones* – 100m Hurdles
Shalaya Kipp – 3000m Steeplechase
Bianca Knight – 4x100m Relay
Gia Lewis-Smallwood – Discus Throw
Chaunte Lowe – High Jump
Tianna Madison – 100m, 4x100m Relay
Francena McCorory – 400m, 4x400m Relay
Chantae McMillan – Heptathlon
Maria Michta – 20km Race Walk
Georganne Moline – 400m Hurdles
Alysia Montano – 800m
Kara Patterson* – Javelin Throw
Brittney Reese* – Long Jump
Sanya Richards-Ross** – 400m, 200m, 4x400m Relay
Shannon Rowbury* – 1500m
Alice Schmidt* – 800m
Jennifer Simpson – 1500m
Amanda Smock – Triple Jump
Jenn Suhr – Pole Vault
Jeneba Tarmoh – 4x100m Relay
Aretha Thurmond* – Discus Throw
Dee Dee Trotter** – 400m, 4x400m Relay
Morgan Uceny – 1500m
Lisa Uhl – 10000m
Kellie Wells – 100m Hurdles
Lauryn Williams** – 4x100m Relay
Rachel Yurkovich – Javelin Throw
* – Was on team in Beijing
** – Was on team in Beijing and Athens
*** – Was on team in Beijing, Athens, and Sydney
**** – Was on team in Beijing, Athens, Sydney and Atlanta
& – Was on team in Athens
^ – Was on team in Athens and Sydney

Schedule:

Most track events consist of heats, two semifinals, and then a final. Some of the longer races will drop the semifinals or just have a final. In the field events there will be a qualifying round to reach a qualifying score. At least 12 athletes will make the final. In the final there will be three attempts to narrow it to the top eight who will go three more times.

All Times ET
Friday August 3rd
5 AM – Men’s Athletics – Shot Put – Qualification
5:05 AM – Women’s Athletics – Heptathlon – 100m Hurdles
5:25 AM – Women’s Athletics – Triple Jump – Qualification
5:40 AM – Women’s Athletics – 100m – Preliminaries
6:15 AM – Women’s Athletics – Heptathlon – High Jump
6:15 AM – Men’s Athletics – 400m Hurdles – Heats
6:20 AM – Men’s Athletics – Hammer Throw – Qualification
7 AM – Women’s Athletics – 400m – Heats
8 AM – Men’s Athletics – Steeplechase – Heats
2 PM – Women’s Athletics – Heptathlon – Shot Put
2:05 PM – Women’s Athletics – 100m – Heats
2:10 PM – Women’s Athletics – Discus Throw – Qualification
2:50 PM – Men’s Athletics – Long Jump – Qualification
3:05 PM – Men’s Athletics – 1500m – Heats
3:30 PM – Men’s Athletics – Shot Put – Final
3:45 PM – Women’s Athletics – Heptathlon – 200m
4:25 PM – Women’s Athletics – 10,000m – Final

Saturday August 4th
5 AM – Men’s Athletics – 100m – Preliminaries
5:05 AM – Women’s Athletics – Heptathlon – Long Jump
5:20 AM – Women’s Athletics – Pole Vault – Qualification
5:35 AM – Men’s Athletics – 400m – Heats
6:35 AM – Women’s Athletics – Steeplechase – Heats
6:40 AM – Women’s Athletics – Heptathlon – Javelin Throw
7:30 AM – Men’s Athletics – 100m – Heats
12 PM – Men’s Athletics – 20km Walk
2 PM – Men’s Athletics – 400m Hurdles – Semifinals
2:30 PM – Women’s Athletics – Discus Throw – Final
2:35 PM – Women’s Athletics – 100m – Semifinals
2:55 PM – Men’s Athletics – Long Jump – Final
3:05 PM – Women’s Athletics – 400m – Seimfinals
3:35 PM – Women’s Athletics – Heptathlon – 800m
4:15 PM – Men’s Athletics – 10,000m – Final
4:55 PM – Women’s Athletics – 100m – Final

Sunday August 5th
6 AM – Women’s Athletics – Marathon
2 PM – Women’s Athletics – 400m Hurdles – Heats
2:05 PM – Men’s Athletics – High Jump – Qualification
2:35 PM – Women’s Athletics – Triple Jump – Final
2:45 PM – Men’s Athletics – 100m – Semifinals
3:15 PM – Men’s Athletics – 1500m – Semifinals
3:20 PM – Men’s Athletics – Hammer Throw – Final
3:40 PM – Men’s Athletics – 400m – Semifinals
4:10 PM – Women’s Athletics – 400m – Final
4:25 PM – Men’s Athletics – Steeplechase – Final
4:50 PM – Men’s Athletics – 100m – Final

Monday August 6th
5 AM – Men’s Athletics – Discus Throw – Qualification
5:05 AM – Women’s Athletics – 100m Hurdles – Heats
5:45 AM – Women’s Athletics – Shot Put – Qualification
5:50 AM – Men’s Athletics – 800m – Heats
6:45 AM – Women’s Athletics – 1500m – Heats
2 PM – Women’s Athletics – Pole Vault – Final
2:15 PM – Women’s Athletics – Shot Put – Final
2:20 PM – Women’s Athletics – 200m – Heats
3:15 PM – Women’s Athletics – 400m Hurdles – Semifinals
3:45 PM – Men’s Athletics – 400m Hurdles – Final
4:05 PM – Women’s Athletics – Steeplechase – Final
4:30 PM – Men’s Athletics – 400m – Final

Tuesday August 7th
5 AM – Women’s Athletics – Javelin Throw – Qualification
5:10 AM – Men’s Athletics – 110m Hurdles – Heats
5:15 AM – Men’s Athletics – Triple Jump – Qualification
5:55 AM – Women’s Athletics – 5000m – Heats
6:50 AM – Men’s Athletics – 200m – Heats
2 PM – Men’s Athletics – High Jump – Final
2:05 PM – Women’s Athletics – Long Jump – Qualification
2:15 PM – Women’s Athletics – 100m Hurdles – Semifinals
2:45 PM – Men’s Athletics – Discus Throw – Final
2:55 PM – Men’s Athletics – 800m – Semifinals
3:25 PM – Women’s Athletics – 200m – Semifinals
4 PM – Women’s Athletics – 100m Hurdles – Final
4:15 PM – Men’s Athletics – 1500m – Final

Wednesday August 8th
5 AM – Men’s Athletics – Pole Vault – Qualification
5 AM – Women’s Athletics – Hammer Throw – Qualification
5:10 AM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – 100m
5:45 AM – Men’s Athletics – 5000m – Heats
6:10 AM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – Long Jump
6:35 AM – Women’s Athletics – 800m – Heats
7:50 AM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – Shot Put
1 PM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – High Jump
2:05 PM – Men’s Athletics – Javelin Throw – Qualification
2:15 PM – Men’s Athletics – 110m Hurdles – Semifinals
2:45 PM – Women’s Athletics – 1500m – Semifinals
3:05 PM – Women’s Athletics – Long Jump – Final
3:10 PM – Men’s Athletics – 200m – Semifinals
3:45 PM – Women’s Athletics – 400m Hurdles – Final
4 PM – Women’s Athletics – 200m – Final
4:15 PM – Men’s Athletics – 110m Hurdles – Final
4:30 PM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – 400m

Thursday August 9th
4 AM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – 110m Hurdles
4:30 AM – Women’s Athletics – High Jump – Qualification
4:55 AM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – Discus Throw
6:35 AM – Men’s Athletics – 4x400m Relay – Heats
7:55 AM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – Pole Vault
1:30 PM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – Javelin Throw
2:20 PM – Men’s Athletics – Triple Jump – Final
2:30 PM – Women’s Athletics – 800m – Semifinals
3 PM – Men’s Athletics – 800m – Final
3:20 PM – Women’s Athletics – 4x100m Relay – Heats
3:55 PM – Men’s Athletics – 200m – Final
4 PM – Women’s Athletics – Javelin Throw – Final
4:20 PM – Men’s Athletics – Decathlon – 1500m

Friday August 10th
2 PM – Men’s Athletics – Pole Vault – Final
2:10 PM – Women’s Athletics – 4x400m Relay – Heats
2:35 PM – Women’s Athletics – Hammer Throw – Final
2:45 PM – Men’s Athletics – 4x100m Relay – Heats
3:05 PM – Women’s Athletics – 5000m – Final
3:40 PM – Women’s Athletics – 4x100m Relay – Final
3:55 PM – Women’s Athletics – 1500m – Final
4:20 PM – Men’s Athletics – 4x400m Relay – Final

Saturday August 11th
4 AM – Men’s Athletics – 50km Walk
12 PM – Women’s Athletics – 20km Walk
2 PM – Women’s Athletics – High Jump – Final
2:20 PM – Men’s Athletics – Javelin Throw – Final
2:30 PM – Men’s Athletics – 5000m – Final
3 PM – Women’s Athletics – 800m – Final
3:25 PM – Women’s Athletics – 4x400m Relay – Final
4 PM – Men’s Athletics – 4x100m Relay – Final

Sunday August 12th
6 AM – Men’s Athletics – Marathon

Past Results:

The US won 23 medals in Beijing, 22 in Athens, 16 in Sydney and nine in Atlanta. The US men has medaled in every men’s event except the 20km walk and every women’s event except the 1500m, the 5000m, the 20km walk, the 3000m steeplechase, the triple jump, and the hammer throw.

Here is what the returning Olympians have done in the past:
Men:
Abdi Abdirahman – 15th in 10,000m in Beijing, 15th in 10,000m in Athens, 10th in 10,000m in Sydney
Christian Cantwell – silver in shot put in Beijing
Kerron Clement – silver in 400m hurdles, gold in 4x400m relay in Beijing
Justin Gatlin – gold in 100m, bronze in 200m, and silver in 4x100m relay in Athens
Tyson Gay – DNF in 4x100m Relay and did not make final in 100m in Beijing
Ryan Hall – 10th in marathon in Beijing
Trey Hardee – DNF in decathlon in Beijing
Reese Hoffa – 7th in shot put in Beijing, did not make final in shot put in Athens
Meb Keflezighi – silver in marathon in Athens, 12th in marathon in Sydney
Alfred “A. G.” Kruger – did not make final in Beijing, did not make final in Athens
Bernard Lagat – 9th in 5000m, did not reach final in 1500m in Beijing
Lopez Lomong – Did not reach final in 1500m in Beijing
LaShawn Merritt – gold in 400m, gold in 4x400m relay in Beijing
Derek Miles – 4th in pole vault in Beijing, 7th in pole vault in Athens
Jamie Nieto – 4th in high jump in Athens
Johnny Nunn – 26th in 20km walk in Athens
Darvis Patton – DNF in 4x100m relay, 8th in 100m in Beijing, silver in 4x100m relay in Athens
Dathan Ritzenhein – 9th in marathon in Beijing, DNF in 10,000m in Athens
Khadevis Robinson – did not reach final in 800m in Athens
Jarred Rome – did not reach final in discus throw in Beijing
Galen Rupp – 13th in 10,000m in Beijing
Wallace Spearmon – DSQ in 200m in Beijing
Nick Symmonds – did not reach final in 800m in Beijing
Angelo Taylor – gold in 400m hurdles in Beijing, did not reach final in 400m hurdles in Athens, gold in 400m hurdles in Sydney
Matt Tegenkamp – 13th in 5000m in Beijing
Brad Walker – did not reach final in pole vault in Beijing
Jeremy Wariner – gold in 4x400m relay and silver in 400m in Beijing, gold in 400m and gold in 4x400m relay in Athens
Andrew Wheating – did not reach final in 800m in Beijing
Jesse Williams – did not reach final in high jump in Beijing

Women:
Amy Acuff – did not reach final in high jump in Beijing, 4th in high jump in Athens, did not reach final in high jump in Sydney, did not reach final in Atlanta
Stephanie Brown-Trafton – did not reach final in discus throw in Athens
Jillian Camarena-Williams – 12th in shot put in Beijing
Amber Campbell – did not reach final in hammer throw in Beijing
Michelle Carter – 15th in shot put in Beijing
Jessica Cosby – did not reach final in hammer throw in Beijing
Sharon Day – did not reach final in high jump in Beijing
Lashinda Demus – did not reach final in 400m hurdles in Athens
Allyson Felix – gold in 4x400m relay, silver in 200m in Beijing, silver in 200m in Athens
Shalane Flanagan – bronze in 10,000m in Beijing, did not reach final in 5000m in Athens
Hyleas Fountain – silver in heptathlon in Beijing
Kara Goucher – 10th in 10,000m in Beijing
Dawn Harper – gold medal in 100m hurdles in Beijing
Lolo Jones – 7th in 100m hurdles in Beijing
Kara Patterson – did not reach final in javelin throw in Beijing
Brittney Reese – 5th in long jump in Beijing
Sanya Richards-Ross – gold in 4x400m relay, bronze in 400m in Beijing, DSQ in 4x400m relay, 6th in 400m in Athens
Shannon Rowbury – 7th in 1500m in Beijing
Alice Schmidt – did not reach final in 800m in Beijing
Aretha Thurmond – 10th in discus throw in Beijing
Dee Dee Trotter – did not reach final in 400m in Beijing, 5th in 400m and DSQ in 4x400m relay in Athens
Lauryn Williams – DSQ in 4x100m relay, 4th in 100m in Beijing, silver in 100m and DNF in 4x100m relay in Athens

At the 2011 World Championships the US won 25 medals including 12 golds.

Here are the medals won by Olympians in their events
Men:
400m – LaShawn Merritt – silver
1500m – Matthew Centrowitz – bronze
5000m – Bernard Lagat – silver
110m hurdles – Jason Richardson – gold
4x400m relay – LaShawn Merritt – gold
high jump – Jesse Williams – gold
triple jump – Christian Taylor – gold, Will Claye – bronze
decathlon – Trey Hardee – gold, Ashton Eatin – silver

Women:
100m – Carmelita Jeter – gold
200m – Carmelita Jeter – silver, Allyson Felix – bronze
1500m – Jennifer Simpson – gold
110m hurdles – Dawn Harper – bronze
400m hurdles – Lashinda Demus – gold
4x100m relay – Bianca Knight, Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter – gold
4x400m relay – Sanya Richards-Ross, Allyson Felix, Francena McCorory, Keshia Baker – gold
long jump – Brittney Reese – gold
shot put – Jillian Camarena-Williams – bronze

Look for the US to approach and probably surpass the 20 medal mark again in London.