MOSCOW - In advance of the 14th IAAF World Championships, coaches and athletes of Team USA met with members of the media at  Luzhniki Olympic Sports Stadium. Audio of the press conference is available at www.usatf.org Below are excerpts from the press conference:

Mike Holloway, men’s head coach of Team USA
“We are very excited about the team and we had a great training camp over in Linz. I’m really impressed with their preparation, there is a lot of passion and a lot of pride. We have a mixture of youth and experience and we’re just excited for the competition.”

Beth Alford Sullivan, women’s head coach of Team USA
“We had a great preparation period and our teams are in really good spirits. We had a great trip into Moscow and we felt very welcomed here in the city. We are looking forward to competition starting, and we just got to see the track a few minutes ago. I think the USA Team will be exciting in the next couple of weeks. We were extremely proud of all that was accomplished in London and this group is very motivated to back that up this year.”

Aries Merritt (Bryan, Texas)
“My fitness is great, my training is great, and I finally feel like I am ready to give the fans what they’ve been wanting - which is under that magic barrier of 13 seconds. Everyone knew that I hurt my hamstring in Shanghai, but that injury is behind me and I am going to go out here and compete and have the race of my life.”

“The practice track that I’ve been training on is extremely fast, and if the stadium track is anything like the practice track, then we’ll see a lot of fast times. I heard that the track is very similar to London’s Olympic stadium - except for it’s blue. I think the times will be very fast on this track.”

Ashton Eaton (Eugene, Ore.)
“Off the track I got married, so I’m very excited about that. On the track, I had a lot of PB’s earlier this year, so training was going awesome. Then I had a slight injury going into USA’s and before Gotzis, which is a big heptathlon and decathlon, but we resolved that, so now I feel good. My preparation feels good. Am I the same as I was last year? I think physically I actually feel a little more worn down. But this being my first year after an Olympic year, to see all of us sitting up here is actually good because you see a lot of Olympic champions not at this meet. I think it does take a toll on your mind and your body. I would say I’m ready to go.”

Brittney Reese (Chula Vista, Calif.)
“I think it is a good thing that our event is finally in the spotlight. I think since there are four Russians and four USA athletes, it is going to be a great competition. Most definitely over seven meters is going to be the win. I feel great and excited about going in and popping a big one to take home another gold.”

“I competed less this year [compared to last year]. In Rome, I acquired a hip bursitis and by the time I went to USA’s I fouled all three jumps since I only had four practices before USA’s. Then I went to Lausanne and competed and felt like I needed to just end the rest of that and get close to 100 percent for the World Championships, and that’s what I did. I spent three or four weeks full of practice, with no meets. I’m definitely 95 percent better.”

“I moved from Mississippi and I now train in Chula Vista, California at the Olympic Training Center. My coach is Jeremy Fisher, who was Will Claye’s coach last year for the Olympics.”

Allyson Felix (Los Angeles, Calif.)
“I’m excited with where I am at right now. I didn’t compete as much this year, just because I felt that last year was emotionally draining and physically draining. I wanted to take things slowly and make sure that my body was feeling good. That’s what I’ve done this year, and I’m hoping that everything will be coming together at just the right time.”

“I’m in both relay pools, so I hope to be on both relays. I’m just excited to back at the World Championships and focus on the 200, which I haven’t done in some time. It will be good just to get back where I started from and just enjoy the entire championships.”

The IAAF World Championships begin on Saturday, August 10. For more information on Team USA at the World Championships and to find broadcast times for the competition, visit www.usatf.org