- Nastia Liukin
Anastasia Liukina (born October 30, 1989), better known as Nastia Liukin, is an American gymnast. She is a four-time U.S. National Champion in artistic gymnastics.
- Derrick Atkins
Derrick Atkins (born 5 January 1984) is a sprinter from the Bahamas specializing in the 100 metres. He participated at the 2005 World Championships, but failed to progress past the first round. At the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games he won the silver medal behind Churandy Martina, having established a national record of 10.08 seconds during the heats. On 28 April 2007 in Berkeley he again lowered the national record, to 9.98 seconds.
- Kosuke Kitajima
is a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. He has a height of 177 centimeters and a weight of 71 kilograms. He won gold medals for the Men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke in the 2004 Summer Olympics. There is a controversy about Kitajima's swimming style. On his breaststroke pull-out at every start and turn, some say that he moves his legs making a butterfly stroke-like movement, which was forbidden at the time of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Leigh Coventry (born September 16, 1983) is a Zimbabwean swimmer. Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, she attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, in Athens, Greece, Coventry won three olympic medals, a gold, a silver, and a bronze. At Auburn, Coventry helped lead the Tigers to NCAA Championships in 2003 and 2004.
- Brigitte Foster-Hylton
Brigitte Foster-Hylton, née Foster is a Jamaican hurdling athlete. Like fellow Jamaican hurdler Delloreen Ennis-London she was a mediocre hurdler until 2000, when she lowered her personal best by 65/100. Having improved greatly, she finished 8th at the 2000 Olympics. In Athens 2004 she pulled out of the semi finals. She won the bronze medal in the 100 meter hurdles at the 2005 World Championships.
- Jessica Zelinka
Jessica Zelinka (born 3 September 1981 in London, Ontario) is a Canadian heptathlete. She finished fifth at the 2000 World Junior Championships, eleventh at the 2005 World Championships and fourth at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Her personal best score is 6314 points, achieved in May 2006 in Götzis.
- Michael Frater
Michael Frater (born October 6, 1982 in Manchester, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Sprinter. Frater was knocked out in the semi-finals of the 100m sprint at the 2004 Athens Olympics. A year later, in the 2005 World Championships, he won the silver medal in the 100 Metres with 10.05. He was disqualified in the semi-finals of the 100m sprint because of a false start at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. His personal best of 10.03 was set in Athens on June 14, 2005, …
- Kelly Sotherton
Kelly Jade Sotherton is an English heptathlete. Sotherton was born in Newport on the Isle of Wight. As a teenager, she played netball for Hampshire, but also won two English Schools’ championships in the heptathlon. She moved to the Midlands in order to train with 2000 Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis. She made her senior British team debut in 2002. Sotherton is currently ranked second in the world for the heptathlon, behind Carolina Klüft of Sweden, …
- Rita Jeptoo
Rita Jeptoo Sitienei (born 15 February 1981 in Eldoret) is a Kenyan marathon runner. She finished seventh at the 2005 World Championships, and won the bronze medal at the 2006 World Road Running Championships. Her personal best time is 2:23:38 hours, achieved when she won the 2006 Boston Marathon. She is married to Noah Busienei, a middle distance runner.
- Zhou Chunxiu
Zhou Chunxiu (born 15 November 1978 in Jiangsu) is a Chinese marathon runner. She finished fourth at the 2005 World Championships. She also competed at the 2004 Olympic Games, finishing in 33rd place. On April 22 2007, she won the Women's race at the London Marathon for the first time in a time of 2:20:38. Her personal best time is 2:19:51 hours, achieved in March 2006 in Seoul.
- Andrew Rock
Andrew Rock (born January 23, 1982) is an American athlete who specializes in the 400 meter dash. He was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2004. He grew up in Stratford, Wisconsin, where he graduated from high school in 2000. He currently trains under former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse coach Mark Guthrie, who is currently an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin.
- John Steffensen
John Steffensen (born August 30, 1982) is an Australian athlete, who specializes in 200 and 400 metres. His personal bests are 20.88 and 44.73. He competed in the 2004 Olympics, and was a part of the Australian team that won the silver medal in 4 x 400 metres relay. In the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, he competed in 400 metres where he finished last in the final with 45.46. Steffensen won the gold medal in the 400 m at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, …
- Jaouad Gharib
Jaouad Gharib (born May 22, 1972 in Khenifra) is a Moroccan long-distance athlete competing mainly in the marathon. Winner of the 2003 World Championships and 2005 World Championships over the distance, he is also notable because he only began running seriously at the age of 22. His 2005 retention made him one of only two successive world championship marathon champions.
- Leonard Scott
Leonard Scott (born February 9, 1981) is also an American sprinter mainly competing in the 100 meters event. In 2005 he joined the exclusive list of sprinters to run in less than 10 seconds. A month later he finished 6th at the 2005 World Championships. Having overcome eventual silver medal winner Michael Frater in the semifinal, he had been among the medal favorites.
- Delloreen Ennis-London
Delloreen Ennis-London (born March 5, 1975) is a Jamaican hurdling athlete who won the silver medal in the 100 meter hurdles at the 2005 World Championships. She was a mediocre hurdler until 1999, when she improved by more than 50/100. Achieving the result of 12.52 in 2000, she finished fourth at the 2000 Olympics. In Athens 2004, however, she only reached the semi final. She did not beat her own personal best until April 2004 in Denton, Texas, …
- Marc Burns
Marc Burns (born January 7 1983) is an athlete from Trinidad and Tobago specializing in the 100 metres and the 4x100 metres. Participating in the 2004 Summer Olympics, he was disqualified from his 100 metres heat, thus failing to make it through to the second round. Marc Burns placed second in the men's 100 metres dash at the Bislett Games IAAF Golden League meet in Oslo in July 2005, in preparation for the 2005 World Championships in Athletics.
- Darrel Brown
Darrel Brown (born October 11, 1984) is a sprinter from Trinidad and Tobago. In the beginning of his career he performed well in World Youth and Junior Championships. The 100 m at the 2003 World Championships saw him finishing second behind surprise winner Kim Collins. In June 2005 he set a new personal best with 9.99, thus becoming one of the few athletes to run below 10 seconds. At the 2005 World Championships, Brown was knocked out in the semi finals with 10.16.
- Boniface Kiprop
Boniface Kiprop (born October 12, 1985 in Kapchorwa) is a track and field athlete from Uganda, who competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics for his native African country. There he finished fourth in the final of the 10,000 metres. He again finished fourth at the 2005 World Championships, but won a silver medal over 5000 metres at the 3rd IAAF World Athletics Final. In 2006 he won the 10,000 metres race at the Commonwealth Games.
- Alex Kipchirchir
Alex Kipchirchir Rono (born 26 November 1984 in Uasin Gishu) is a middle distance runner from Kenya. His real breakthrough year was 2006, by winning couple of titles. On 23 March 2006, he won the men's 800 metres event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games with a time of 1 minute, 45.88 seconds. In August 2006, he completed a 800 and 1500 metres double at the 2006 African Championships in Athletics in Bambous, Mauritius.
- Yargelis Savigne
Yargelis Savigne is a Cuban athlete competing in the triple jump and long jump. She is 1.65m tall and weighs 63 kg. Her international breakthrough came in 2005, when she, competing in both the triple and long jump events at the 2005 World Championships, won a silver medal and finished fourth. She continued her form throughout the year to place third at the World Athletics Final with 14.81.
- Moses Mosop
Moses Mosop (born July 17, 1985) is a Kenyan middle and long distance athlete. He was born in Marakwet, the same town as runner legend Moses Kiptanui. Competing in 10,000 metres in the 2005 World Championships, he won the bronze medal, setting a personal best of 27:08.96. This was an improvement over his 7th place finish in the 10,000 metres at the Olympics. He also runs the 3000 and 5000 metres from time to time, …
- Brimin Kipruto
Brimin Kipruto (born July 31, 1985 in Korkitony) is a Kenyan middle distance runner. He mainly competes in 3000 m steeplechase, where his personal best is 8:04.22 minutes. Young Kipruto has already won two medals at major international competitions. He won the silver medal in the 3000 m steeplechase at the 2004 Olympic Games. In the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki he won a bronze medal in the same event. He finished third again at the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Final.
- Franka Dietzsch
Franka Dietzsch (born January 22, 1968 in Wolgast) is a German discus thrower best known for winning gold medals at two World Championships in Athletics. She won the 1998 European Championships and 1999 World Championships, but did not return to the international podium until her win at the 2005 World Championships. Her personal best throw is 69.51 metres, achieved in May 1999 in Wiesbaden. This result ranks her ninth among German discus throwers, behind Gabriele Reinsch, …
- Dorcus Inzikuru
Dorcus Inzikuru (born February 2, 1982 in Arua District) is a Ugandan athlete competing in steeplechase. Sometimes her name is rendered "Docus". It is mis-spelt in her passport, and because of that the mistake is perpetuated when she enters international races. Dorcus Inzikuru ended Uganda's 33-year wait for a gold medal when she won the inaugural women's 3,000 metres steeplechase at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki.
- Yaroslav Rybakov
Yaroslav Rybakov (born November 22, 1980 in Mogilyev, Belarus) is a Russian athlete who specializes in the high jump. He is the 2002 European Champion high jumper, and at the 2005 World Championships he shared the silver medal with Victor Moya of Cuba. In 2006 he won the World Indoor Championships. His indoor personal best is 2.38 metres, set during the European Indoor Championships when he finished second. His outdoor personal best is currently 2.34 metres.
- Alleyne Francique
Alleyne Francique (born June 7, 1976) is a Grenadian athlete who specializes in 400 metres, his personal best being 44.47 seconds set in 2004. He won his first international medal in 2003, when he finished third in the first World Athletics Final in 45.25 s. The next year he won the gold medal at the World Indoor Championships, achieving the result 45.88 s. Later that year he competed in 400 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics, …
- Yelena Slesarenko
Yelena Vladimirovna Slesarenko, née Sivushenko is a Russian high jumper. Largely unknown before 2004, she kickstarted the season by clearing 2.04 metres and winning the World Indoor Championships. When the outdoor season started she won the SPAR European Cup with the same result, improving her personal best from 1.97 (achieved in 2002). She continued her good form at the 2004 Summer Olympics, …
- Dwight Thomas
Dwight Thomas (born September 23, 1980) is a Jamaican sprinter mainly competing in the 100 metres event. He won the bronze medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships in 1998, competed in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics and finished 5th at the 2005 World Championships. Later in 2005 he won a bronze medal at the 3rd IAAF World Athletics Final.
- Rebecca Romero
Rebecca Romero (born on 24 January 1980) is a British track cyclist and rower who won a silver medal at the Athens 2004 Olympics in the quadruple sculls. The following year she was part of the British crew that won the 2005 World Championships in the quad sculls in Gifu, Japan. In 2006 however Romero decided to retire from rowing and achieve a different goal: to win a second Olympic medal in a different sport, specifically cycling.
- Jamie Johnson
Jamie Johnson (born July 18, 1980) is a member of the United States women's curling team at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Jamie was born in Bemidji, Minnesota, and is the older sister of Team USA skip Cassandra Johnson. She usually plays third on her sister's team, and together they have won the silver medal at the 2005 World Championships, the championship at the U.S. Trials in February 2005, and the gold medal at the 2002 Junior World Championships.
- Caitlin McClatchey
Caitlin McClatchey (b. 28 November 1985) is a Scottish swimmer. To date her greatest achievement has been winning 2 gold medals in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. She is the UK record holder in the 200m and 400m freestyle.
- Andrae Williams
Andrae Williams (born July 12, 1983) is a Bahamian athlete. In the 2004 Olympic Games he was a member of the Bahaman 4 x 400 metres relay team that finished 6th, one second behind the bronze winner. In June 2005, Williams set a new personal best of 44.90 on the 400 metres. He competed in this event at the 2005 World Championships, but was knocked out in the heats. However, together with the 400 m relay team he won a silver medal.
- Joel Brown
Joel Brown (born 31 January 1980) is a American hurdler. He finished sixth at the 2005 World Championships and seventh at the 2005 World Athletics Final. His personal best time is 13.22 seconds, achieved in July 2005 at the Bislett Games.
- Avard Moncur
Avard Moncur (born November 2, 1978 in Nassau) is a Bahamian athlete competing in the 400 metres. At the 2005 World Championships he won (together with Nathaniel McKinney, Andrae Williams and Christopher Brown) a silver medal in 4 x 400 metres relay. His personal best time is 44.45 seconds, achieved in July 2001 in Madrid. This is the Bahamian record.
- Tim Lobinger
Tim Lobinger (born September 3, 1972 in Rheinbach, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a German track and field athlete. His discipline is pole vault and he has been an elite competitor since the 1990s. His best results came in 1997 and 1999 when he jumped over 6.00 meters. His best medals so far have been silver at the 1998 European Athletics Championships and the 2006 European Athletics Championships.
- Trecia Smith
Trecia-Kaye Smith (born November 5, 1975) is a Jamaican athlete competing mainly in triple jump. In college, she competed for the University of Pittsburgh from 1996-1999 and was a seven-time NCAA national champion (two outdoor and three indoor long jump titles and one outdoor and one indoor triple jump title), 15-time All-American, a 14-time Big East Conference champion, and a 15-time Eastern College Athletic Conference champion.
- Alex Schwazer
Alex Schwazer (born 26 December 1984) is an Italian race walker. He won the bronze medal in the 50 km race at the 2005 World Championships in a national record time of 3:41:54 hours.
- Kenta Bell
Kenta Bell (born March 16, 1977) is an American track and field athlete who competes mainly in the triple jump. He won this event at the 2001 Universiade and the 2003 national championship. Bell has also finished third in two IAAF World Athletics Finals. He has also competed at the larger competitions such as the 2003 World Championships, the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2005 World Championships where he finished 6th, 9th and 7th respectively.
- Yuliya Chizhenko
Yuliya Chizhenko (born 30 August 1979) is a Russian middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres. At the 2005 World Championships she originally finished in silver medal position behind Tatyana Tomashova, but was disqualified for obstructing Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain. The next year Chizhenko won the World Indoor Championships before finishing second at the European championships, again behind Tomashova.
- Yumiko Hara
Yumiko Hara (born 9 January 1982) is a Japanese marathon runner. She finished sixth at the 2005 World Championships. Her personal best time is 2:23:48 hours, achieved when she won the 2007 Osaka Marathon.