Quotes of the week
"There's a 58-year-old sailor, which gives this 62-year-old mountain biker hope that you may need me in Beijing."
President Bush, at a White House sendoff Monday for the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic teams
"I've never been to the big leagues, so this, right here, is my big leagues. To get the opportunity to play for my country, it is above and beyond the big leagues for me."
Jeremy Cummings, above left, pitcher for the Durham Bulls, the Rays' Triple-A team, on being named to the U.S. baseball team
Numbers of the week
A mathematical look at the team the United States is sending to Beijing, from the final roster announced Wednesday.
2 Team events the United States won't compete in: men's field hockey and handball
3 Athletes on their fifth Olympic team: Butch Johnson, 52, archery; Dara Torres, 41, swimming; George Hincapie, 35, cycling
4 Athletes older than 50. The oldest is sailor John Dane III, 58. Shooter Libby Callahan is 56, which makes her the oldest female U.S. Olympian ever.
6 Sets of siblings
8 Athletes with ties to the Tampa Bay area: Ben Barger, sailing, Tampa; James Blake, tennis, Tampa; Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, tennis, Wesley Chapel; Damu Cherry, track, Tampa; Chris Colwill, diving, Brandon; Zach Railey, sailing, Clearwater; Calvin Smith, track, Lutz
15 Age of youngest athletes, divers Mary Beth Dunnichay and Haley Ishimatsu
20 Women who have had children
27 Athletes listing a Florida hometown
596 Athletes, 310 men and 286 women
Compiled by Times staff writer Sharon Fink
Ex-long jump champ doesn't qualify
Former long jump world champion Eunice Barber will miss the Beijing Olympics after failing on Saturday to leap the 22 feet, 3 inches needed to qualify. Barber, 33, could only jump 21-8 at the French athletics championships in Grenoble, her last chance to reach the qualifying mark. Barber, who won the world heptathlon title in 1999 and the long jump title in 2003, had surgery on her right knee nine months ago. In June, she said she planned to skip the heptathlon at Beijing to focus on the long jump.








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